More Offensive Woes in Phillies 6-2 Loss to Marlins

As the wind whipped and wrappers and napkins littered the field at Citizens Bank Park, the offense was once again trashed by the opponent’s starting pitcher. The flagpoles moved at a feverish pace, which is more than you can say about anyone holding a bat on the Phillies side.

Omar Infante led the Marlins with a two home-run effort and Anibal Sanchez went 6 1/3 strong innings in Miami’s 6-2 victory.

Once again, it was a sorry performance from all involved (save for one base-knock by Freddy Galvis). Not only did Cole Hamels struggle in the Phillies home opener, but the offense was again non-existent. Hamels allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter.

The Marlins struck early as Jose Reyes led off with a single to right field, followed by an Emilion Bonifacio single to left field. Throw in a double steal and the Marlins were in business right away. Reyes would touch home as Hanley Ramirez knocked him in on a ground out to second base. It could have been much worse but Hamels struck out Gaby Sanchez and Austin Kearns to end the threat with Bonifacio on third base.

Miami got one in the fourth as Ramirez doubled and was brought in by the next batter, Sanchez, with a single to right field. The wind howled all day long, but the left to right breeze wasn’t enough to keep Infante from going yard twice; once in the fifth off Hamels and again in the seventh to lead off the inning against Joe Savery, who made his major league debut.

Savery had just that one blemish in 1 2/3 innings.

Even the mighty Jonathan Papelbon couldn’t get out unscathed. In his second appearance with the Phils, Papelbon allowed a ninth inning home run to Austin Kearns. So much for that wind playing a factor.

Freddy Galvis went 0-for-12 to begin his career, but got off the schneid in a big way. Galvis roped a double to left-center field off Anibal Sanchez in the seventh, bringing home Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz to make it 5-2 Miami. The Phillies would do no more damage. The lineup managed just six hits, two of them from Rollins, the only player with multiple hits in the lineup.

All told, the Phillies managed just — hits. Moans and groans from the 45,574 permeated throughout the ballpark as a lackluster effort all around did them in. That’s now just eight runs in four games for your Fightin’s.