Some nights you have it, some nights you don't. Ben Sheets of the Atlanta Braves had it tonight, while Vance Worley had anything but "it." Tonight also marked the end of the 257 consecutive sellouts streak, 273 including the postseasons. Interesting, no?
Worley tonight lasted just 3 & 2/3 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits, walking three and striking out two. Mind you, Vance is pitching with a bone chip in his elbow and it will require surgery in the offseason. However, he looked extraordinarily uncomfortable tonight, especially after each pitch was thrown. His velocity remained sharp, though.
It was the third and fourth inning where Vance was really looking lost. In the third, he gave up a two-run double to Freddie Freeman. Vance tossed a wild pitch in the same inning, allowing Freeman to score from third.
Paul Janish scored in the fourth on an RBI single from Michael Bourn. That's when Raul Valdes (fresh off the disabled list) came in for Worley.
John Mayberry, Jr homered to left field in the bottom of the fourth for a solo shot, putting the Phils on the board. 4-1 Braves.
Valdes and B.J. Rosenberg both pitched 1 & 1/3 innings of relief, and did so without allowing a run to score. Jeremy Horst allowed a run to score on a Brian McCann single in the seventh, making it a 5-1 game.
Michael Schwimer pitched the eighth and ninth innings of tonight's game. The eighth was scoreless, but he served up a solo home run to Jason Heyward in the ninth. 6-1 Braves.
The Phillies could not come back in the ninth and they dropped their seventh straight to the Braves, and first game of this three-game series. 7:05 start time tomorrow with Cole Hamels on the mound against Mike Minor.
UPDATE: A stomach issue, not Worley's bone chip condition appears to be the reason for his early departure.
