The Phillies aren’t going to make this easy.
They managed to lose their third straight game to the Astros last night.
In doing so they squandered another solid outing by their “ace,” Roy Halladay.
Halladay was not perfect against the Astros. Too bad. The way the Phils are hitting, that would come in handy.
Instead Halladay gave up a couple of home run balls and the once-again punchless Phils fell. Former Phil J.A. Happ got the win, outdueling Halladay.
In the process the Phillies have lost a golden opportunity to pull even with the Braves, who also lost yesterday. I guess it could be worse. The Braves had a 10-1 lead only to lose to the Rockies, 12-10. Their lead over the Phils remains at two and a half.
Likewise, the Giants lost to the Reds, meaning the Phils are still tied for the wild card spot.
But they won’t be for long if they don’t snap out of still another in what seems like a season-long series of offensive slumps.
And has anyone else noticed that the latest slump corresponded with the return of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard from the disabled list?
The Phils had been red-hot, running off an incredible winning record at home. Then they get their two key cogs in the lineup back and the team goes ice cold.
They can’t fire hitting instructor Milt Thompson again; he’s already been canned.
Maybe Utley and Howard would have benefitted from more rehab action in the minors.
Instead, they showed up at Citizens Bank Park. The team has not been the same since.
Bottom line is this team has no business losing three straight to the Astros, regardless of how many questionable calls are made by the umps.
Somewhere, Ed Wade is smiling.
They managed to lose their third straight game to the Astros last night.
In doing so they squandered another solid outing by their “ace,” Roy Halladay.
Halladay was not perfect against the Astros. Too bad. The way the Phils are hitting, that would come in handy.
Instead Halladay gave up a couple of home run balls and the once-again punchless Phils fell. Former Phil J.A. Happ got the win, outdueling Halladay.
In the process the Phillies have lost a golden opportunity to pull even with the Braves, who also lost yesterday. I guess it could be worse. The Braves had a 10-1 lead only to lose to the Rockies, 12-10. Their lead over the Phils remains at two and a half.
Likewise, the Giants lost to the Reds, meaning the Phils are still tied for the wild card spot.
But they won’t be for long if they don’t snap out of still another in what seems like a season-long series of offensive slumps.
And has anyone else noticed that the latest slump corresponded with the return of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard from the disabled list?
The Phils had been red-hot, running off an incredible winning record at home. Then they get their two key cogs in the lineup back and the team goes ice cold.
They can’t fire hitting instructor Milt Thompson again; he’s already been canned.
Maybe Utley and Howard would have benefitted from more rehab action in the minors.
Instead, they showed up at Citizens Bank Park. The team has not been the same since.
Bottom line is this team has no business losing three straight to the Astros, regardless of how many questionable calls are made by the umps.
Somewhere, Ed Wade is smiling.
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