Homers, missed opportunities hurt Phils in extras
The Phillies put together a three run fifth, but it was not enough to put an exclamation point on their series with the Miami Marlins as they dropped the finale 4-3 in ten innings.
The Phillies had chances to score, including a prime chance to win in the tenth but failed to make the comeback as they fall to 71-81 on the season.
Phillies blow prime chances to score
Carlos Ruiz reached on an error in the tenth, and Domonic Brown promptly doubled to put runners on second and third with nobody out, but the Phillies failed to score even just one run to tie the game. It was a sloppy game offensively from the Phillies, who were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base in addition to two base running blunders that led to chances ending prematurely.
Longball hurts Phils
With his two run single tonight, Chase Utley has driven in 10 runs in the last three games. AP Photo
It was a pair of home runs (very long home runs) that came back to haunt the Phillies tonight, as Giancarlo Stanton’s sixth inning bomb tied the game and Ed Lucas’ solo shot in the tenth gave the Fish the lead for good.
Stanton’s home run was among the longest in the history of the park. Just about a week after Evan Gattis crushed a home run into Ashburn Alley against the Phillies, Stanton did the same, depositing his majestic shot in the Planet Hoagie in left center field. It was calculated at 463 feet, his longest of the season.
Utley driving in runs at torrid pace
Chase Utley gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the fifth with a two-RBI single into right field to break a 1-1 tie. Utley has been off the charts hot over the last five games, going 7-for-22 (.318) with two homers and 12 RBI. If you want to know the last time Utley has driven in multiple runs in three straight games, you have to return to July 15-17, 2005, against these same Marlins.
Up Next…
The Phillies welcome the Mets into town tomorrow night for the final home series of the 2013 season. Lefty Cole Hamels (8-13, 3.48 ERA) will take the hill for the Phillies opposite right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-3, 6.12 ERA). First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
