Rollins Rolls, Kershaw Shuts Down Phillies

After scoring 14 runs in their previous two games, the Phillies’ offense was shut out by southpaw Clayton Kershaw as the Dodgers beat the Phillies, 5-0.

The three-time Cy Young Award Winner pitched arguably his best game of the season, striking out 13 and scattering eight hits in a complete game effort. In the process, he made his case for the All-Star Game Final Vote.

The shutout marked the ninth time the Phillies have been blanked this season. Their last shutout came on June 15, when the Phills fell to the Orioles, 4-0, at Camden Yards.

Adam Morgan struggled in his third Major League start, giving up five earned runs and six hits in four innings-pitched. The left-hander came in to the contest with a 2.21 ERA, but had struggled with the long ball, giving up three homers over 12.2 innings-pitched. That trend continued in last night’s game, with the 25-year-old surrendering a two-run shot to A.J. Ellis, and a three-run homer to Jimmy Rollins.

Rollins continued to hurt his former club. After going hitless in Tuesday night’s game, the 36-year-old bounced back with a 2-4 performance, adding a three-run home run and a double. Rollins almost added an infield single and another RBI, but Maikel Franco made a great bare-handed play

to retire him and end the seventh inning. Rollins came into this series really struggling, sporting an average of .208 and an OPS of .585. After last night’s game, he is 4-12 with one home run and five RBIs in this series against the Phillies.

Offensively, Feddy Galvis continued his hot-hitting, going 2-4 and raising his season batting average to .279. Through eight games in July, Galvis has an average of .438 with one home run, seven RBIs, and an OPS of 1.020.

Things will not get any easier for the Phillies tonight, as they take on the NL-leader in ERA, Zack Greinke. The 31-year-old right-hander is 7-2 with a 1.48 ERA on the year. In his career against the Phillies, Greinke is 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA in five starts.