There isn't much to be said about a team that has lost four games in a row against bottom-feeding teams in their respective divisions. There's no leadership, no energy, and no sense of urgency coming from this ballclub. That being said, there are still nearly 100 games remaining, so looking forward is really the only thing to do (before Ruben Amaro finally blows this team up). Tonight, we were treated to a matchup of Tyler Cloyd and Mike Pelfrey. The Phillies have had Pelrey's number in recent seasons while he was pitching with the New York Mets. Time would tell if that success would carry over into interleague play.
With one out in the opening frame, Ben Revere was able to beat out a ball down the third base line for a base hit. Following after was Jimmy Rollins with a single of his own, and the bases became loaded when Ryan Howard walked. With one out and a prime opportunity to capitalize early on Pelfrey, Domonic Brown popped a fly ball to left field for a sacrifice, and the Phillies scored in the first inning for the second time in the series. Delmon Young added to the first inning lead with a single of his own, and the Phils would hand the game over to Tyler Cloyd with a 2-0 lead.
Cloyd would run into some danger in his half of the inning. After a walk to catcher Joe Mauer, Josh Willingham doubled to left field to put two runners in scoring position with two outs. Another walk, this time to Justin Morneau, would load the bases. Cloyd was able to escape by forcing Oswaldo Arcia to ground out, and the Phillies remained in front.
Trouble would arise once more in the home half of the second. Singles by Clete Thomas and Jamey Carroll would put the Twins in business for the second straight at bat, but Cloyd wouls escape unscathed once more.
After a 1-2-3 third inning, Tyler Cloyd allowed a leadoff single to Arcia. Up next was Thomas, and his double would give Minnesota their first run of the ballgame. Eduardo Escobar did single in the following at bat, but a strikeout and a 4-6-3 double play would stop the rally. 2-1 Phillies.
With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Mike Pelfrey had retired 12 consecutive batters since allowing two runs in the first inning. Michael Young ended the streak by doubling to the right field gap. A bloop single to center by Revere put the Phillies back ahead by two. 3-1 Phillies.
Tyler Cloyd would leave the game after tossing five innings of one run ball. He threw 99 pitches in those innings, and would be replaced by Joe Savery. Savery would allow the first two batters he faced to reach base, and an Escobar sacrifice put two in scoring position. Pedro Florimon did ground it back to Savery, but a quick hesitation eliminated the chance of a play at the plate, and the score was within one again. 3-2 Phillies.
Savery began the seventh just as he did the sixth, by allowing the first hitter to single. That would spell the end of his appearance, and the entrance of Michael Stutes. He would retire Ryan Doumit and Willingham on a fly ball and pop up, respectively, then give way to…to…
Antonio Bastardo
Some how, 59 was able to get Morneau to fly out on the first pitch he threw, and the inning was over. However…
Oswaldo Arcia began the eighth with a double to right center field. Clete Thomas would then smack his fourth hit of the ballgame, a long double to right that was mishandled by John Mayberry Jr. off the wall, and the game was tied at 3. Escobar would bunt the ball back to the mound, but Bastardo seemed to overthink the play, and runners sat on the corners with nobody out. Charlie Manuel would remove Bastardo from the game and replace him with Justin De Fratus. Despite a spectacular catch by Freddy Galvis, De Fratus could not work a scoreless appearance. When the ball skipped away from catcher Jason Lerud, Thomas would score, and the Twins took the lead. 4-3 Twins.
1-2-3 top of the ninth ends it. Twins win 4-3.
The end of this recap will sound eerily like the beginning. There's not much to be said about a team that has lost now five games in a row. Fans and players alike look ahead to the returns of Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz for some help, but it may not be enough. In an effort to somehow salvage some positive from this series, Cliff Lee will try to work his magic against Kevin Correia and the Twins at 8:10.
