Chase Utley, your return tomorrow could not come at a better time.
Once again the Phillies offense failed to give their starter the run support he needed, as they wasted a great outing by Roy Oswalt, and were shutout by the Rangers 2-0. The abysmal offense left six runners on base and were just 1-6 with runners with scoring position. This is the fourth time this season the Phillies have been shutout.
Both starters were on their game today with neither allowing a single run through the first five innings. For Texas, lefty Matt Harrison allowed no runs on five hits in eight innings pitched. Despite only having 1-2-3 inning once, Harrison only allowed one Phillie to reach third base.
Oswalt also pitched great in his second start since returning from the disabled list. Oswalt went seven innings and allowed just one run on eight hits while striking out three batters. Oswalt also recorded his 100th and 101st career sacrifice bunts, but the anemic offense could not get the runners home from scoring position.
Oswalt didn’t allow a run until the sixth inning when Mitch Moreland hit his eleventh double of the season to score Michael Young from second base to make it 1-0 Rangers. After striking out Mike Napoli, Oswalt intentionally walked Craig Gentry to get to Harrison. Harrison hit a ground ball that was run down by Jimmy Rollins who had to jump and throw against his body to get Harrison out at first and end the inning.
The Rangers would add an insurance run in the top of the eighth when Craig Gentry pulled off what seemed like an impossible suicide squeeze to score Adrian Beltre to make it 2-0. The pitch from Phillies reliever David Herndon appeared to be heading right towards the face of Gentry, but Gentry was able to get that bat up in time to lay down the bunt as he fell down.
2B: Murphy (4), Moreland (11), Beltre (10)
WP: Harrison (4-4) LP: Oswalt (3-2) S: Feliz (9)
TTB 