GaryMrMets
06-26-2004, 02:09 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/9017852.htm
Posted on Sat, Jun. 26, 2004
Phillies routed as 'pen is lit up
Yes, they had a chance. But that was before they gave up eight runs in the sixth inning.
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
BOSTON - Hours before the Boston Red Sox pounded the Phillies into submission last night at Fenway Park, numerous Phillies fans along the third-base line were watching their team hit.
One fan spotted general manager Ed Wade on the field and - shockingly - offered his baseball opinions.
"When's [Gavin] Floyd coming up?" the fan asked.
Wade offered a good-natured smile and signaled for patience. Of course, Phillies fans aren't known for their patience, which was tested further when the Red Sox handed the Phils a 12-1 loss in a game called with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning because of rain.
Floyd, the Phillies' first-round draft pick in 2001, allowed three runs and three hits in six-plus innings last night for double-A Reading in a 7-3 loss at Harrisburg. He had been second in the Eastern League with a 2.39 ERA, but the Phils were in no rush to promote him to triple A, much less the big leagues.
Phillies righthander Paul Abbott (0-2) allowed seven hits and five runs in 52/3 innings against the Sox, although he kept the Phillies close until the bullpen imploded in an eight-run sixth inning.
"I thought Abbott pitched a very good game for us," manager Larry Bowa said. "Our bullpen didn't do a very good job."
"It's a catch-22," Abbott said. "I'm happy that for 52/3 innings I gave us a chance to stay in the ball game. The end result looks like crap. It's frustrating. It's always going to be tough when you get Pedro. You have to keep the score close."
Red Sox righthander Pedro Martinez (8-3) allowed just two hits and one run in seven innings. He didn't allow a hit before Placido Polanco hit a leadoff single to right in the fourth. He didn't allow another hit until Jim Thome hit a homer over the Green Monster in left to lead off the seventh.
The homer was Thome's major-league-leading 25th of the season. But it made no difference because the sky already had fallen on the Phillies in the bottom of the sixth.
David Ortiz hit a leadoff homer to right off Abbott to make it 3-0. Manny Ramirez followed and almost hit his second homer of the night - he had hit one to center field in the second to make it 1-0 - but Bobby Abreu crashed into the right-field wall to keep the ball in the park for the first out.
Great play.
But it hardly mattered.
After Nomar Garciaparra flied out to center, the Sox had two out and nobody on. But Abbott walked Trot Nixon, and Kevin Millar then singled to center. Bowa called for righthander Roberto Hernandez, who sealed the Phillies' fate.
Hernandez allowed Jason Varitek to single to right to score Nixon and make the score 4-0. He has allowed the first hitter against him to reach base in his last six appearances.
Kevin Youkilis hit a catchable ball to left field, but the ball went over Pat Burrell's head for a double. Two runs scored, and Youkilis cruised into third on the throw home.
It was 6-0.
Hernandez walked Johnny Damon to put runners at the corners, so it was three batters and no outs for him.
Should Hernandez's role be redefined?
"We've got a lot of kids down there [in the bullpen] right now," said Bowa, who doesn't want to use Tim Worrell, Rheal Cormier - or, obviously, Billy Wagner - when the Phillies are in a losing situation. "There will be other changes made, but [Hernandez] hasn't done the job.
"It's like anybody else. A hitting slump. A pitching slump. He's going through a streak right now where he's not getting it done. We'll try to change the role a little bit and, hopefully, somebody else will step it up."
Bowa said he wasn't sure who that person might be.
Righthander Brian Powell replaced Hernandez, and he allowed four runs in 11/3 innings.
"When you're going good, you're not thinking about location," Hernandez said. "You're just executing. I haven't executed, and that's a fact. I haven't done my job. I get ahead, but the crispness of the pitches isn't happening. It's not coming out the way it was early in the season or a month ago."
Hernandez remains optimistic that he can turn it around.
"I have to battle out of it because we have too good of a pitching staff and too good of a team to lose 12-1, even though Pedro was on his game," he said. "Not to get one out in that inning is very frustrating. I didn't do my job to give my team a chance."
Posted on Sat, Jun. 26, 2004
Phillies routed as 'pen is lit up
Yes, they had a chance. But that was before they gave up eight runs in the sixth inning.
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
BOSTON - Hours before the Boston Red Sox pounded the Phillies into submission last night at Fenway Park, numerous Phillies fans along the third-base line were watching their team hit.
One fan spotted general manager Ed Wade on the field and - shockingly - offered his baseball opinions.
"When's [Gavin] Floyd coming up?" the fan asked.
Wade offered a good-natured smile and signaled for patience. Of course, Phillies fans aren't known for their patience, which was tested further when the Red Sox handed the Phils a 12-1 loss in a game called with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning because of rain.
Floyd, the Phillies' first-round draft pick in 2001, allowed three runs and three hits in six-plus innings last night for double-A Reading in a 7-3 loss at Harrisburg. He had been second in the Eastern League with a 2.39 ERA, but the Phils were in no rush to promote him to triple A, much less the big leagues.
Phillies righthander Paul Abbott (0-2) allowed seven hits and five runs in 52/3 innings against the Sox, although he kept the Phillies close until the bullpen imploded in an eight-run sixth inning.
"I thought Abbott pitched a very good game for us," manager Larry Bowa said. "Our bullpen didn't do a very good job."
"It's a catch-22," Abbott said. "I'm happy that for 52/3 innings I gave us a chance to stay in the ball game. The end result looks like crap. It's frustrating. It's always going to be tough when you get Pedro. You have to keep the score close."
Red Sox righthander Pedro Martinez (8-3) allowed just two hits and one run in seven innings. He didn't allow a hit before Placido Polanco hit a leadoff single to right in the fourth. He didn't allow another hit until Jim Thome hit a homer over the Green Monster in left to lead off the seventh.
The homer was Thome's major-league-leading 25th of the season. But it made no difference because the sky already had fallen on the Phillies in the bottom of the sixth.
David Ortiz hit a leadoff homer to right off Abbott to make it 3-0. Manny Ramirez followed and almost hit his second homer of the night - he had hit one to center field in the second to make it 1-0 - but Bobby Abreu crashed into the right-field wall to keep the ball in the park for the first out.
Great play.
But it hardly mattered.
After Nomar Garciaparra flied out to center, the Sox had two out and nobody on. But Abbott walked Trot Nixon, and Kevin Millar then singled to center. Bowa called for righthander Roberto Hernandez, who sealed the Phillies' fate.
Hernandez allowed Jason Varitek to single to right to score Nixon and make the score 4-0. He has allowed the first hitter against him to reach base in his last six appearances.
Kevin Youkilis hit a catchable ball to left field, but the ball went over Pat Burrell's head for a double. Two runs scored, and Youkilis cruised into third on the throw home.
It was 6-0.
Hernandez walked Johnny Damon to put runners at the corners, so it was three batters and no outs for him.
Should Hernandez's role be redefined?
"We've got a lot of kids down there [in the bullpen] right now," said Bowa, who doesn't want to use Tim Worrell, Rheal Cormier - or, obviously, Billy Wagner - when the Phillies are in a losing situation. "There will be other changes made, but [Hernandez] hasn't done the job.
"It's like anybody else. A hitting slump. A pitching slump. He's going through a streak right now where he's not getting it done. We'll try to change the role a little bit and, hopefully, somebody else will step it up."
Bowa said he wasn't sure who that person might be.
Righthander Brian Powell replaced Hernandez, and he allowed four runs in 11/3 innings.
"When you're going good, you're not thinking about location," Hernandez said. "You're just executing. I haven't executed, and that's a fact. I haven't done my job. I get ahead, but the crispness of the pitches isn't happening. It's not coming out the way it was early in the season or a month ago."
Hernandez remains optimistic that he can turn it around.
"I have to battle out of it because we have too good of a pitching staff and too good of a team to lose 12-1, even though Pedro was on his game," he said. "Not to get one out in that inning is very frustrating. I didn't do my job to give my team a chance."