Phillies can't catch up after early Braves bombing

It’s not exactly how you would draw it up.

The Braves lead off the game with back-to-back home runs off Phillies starter Joe Blanton.  Martin Prado and Nate McLouth needed only five pitches total to put the Braves ahead 2-0.  Blanton, who was just recently activated from the DL was making his second start and left two fastballs up.  Those were the only two runs Blanton gave up in five innings.

Braves starter Jair Jurrjens was unhittable through the first 5.2 innings.  He retired the first 17 hitters he faced.  Jurrjens was super sharp on the mound mixing up the looks he gave hitters and kept them off balance all day.  In his 7.1 innings pitched, the Phillies managed to score just two runs off the righty.

The Phillies trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the sixth inning.  J.C. Romero and Kyle Kendrick combined to pitch the inning but not before the Braves tacked on three more runs.  The Phillies would never recover.

Jimmy Rollins did have a run scoring double in the sixth inning but was caught between second and third for the final out trying to stretch it into a triple.

The Phillies would add two more runs but never catch up.  The 5-3 score would hold.  Center fielder Shane Victorino left the game in the eighth with a sore right hamstring and will not play tomorrow.  An 0-3 day at the plate ended his 15 game hitting streak.

The Phillies only collect three hits for the entire game today.  The Phillies staff issued six walks and only struck out seven.  It seems like the bullpen has been worked a lot lately, so hopefully with Roy Halladay on the bump tomorrow they will get some rest.

It’s hard to win ball games at any level when your starting eight position players go 2-25.  Jurrjens did pitch a great game but the Phillies hitters have to do better.  They can not continue to depend on their starting pitching.  I refuse to see this team as last year’s Padres or Giants.

Phillies still own the best record in majors (25-13)  and are 3-2 so far on this road trip.

Worth Noting: Ryan Howard‘s defense.  Anyone else impressed with the big fellow this season?  It seems every year he is committing himself to become a better defensive player.