What comes around goes around. Last night, Cole Hamels pitched a complete game shutout against the San Francisco Giants. Tonight, the Giants shutout the Phillies, 4-0.You know your offense is going bad when the telecast finds a shot Jupiter before any runs are scored. Perhaps that is where the Phillies offense went. They've scored only 11 runs in the last six games. They were shutout for the fifth time this season. The last time they were shutout was on August 1, against tomorrow's starter, Tim Lincecum.
J.A Happ didn't necessarily pitch poorly, although he did give up four runs for the first time since July 24, when he allowed five runs against St. Louis. He played Houdini for the first four innings, but ran into trouble in the fifth and sixth.
Andres Torres did what the Phillies did not do: drive in a runner in scoring position. In the fifth inning, the Giants took a 1-0 lead with his RBI single up the middle. Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth extending the lead to 4-0.
Happ's line: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO.
Brad Penny returned to the National League in grand fashion, pitching eight scoreless innings. He gave up five hits, walked one, and struck out two. He was able to get the Phillies to ground out 13 times, including two double play balls. Penny, who was cut by the Red Sox, has not lasted eight innings since 2007.
There's no denying that the Phillies offense is in a major funk. Luckily, the pitching has kept them close during the rough patch. It's cliche, but you can't win if you don't score.
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