Roy Oswalt’s return from the disabled list wasn’t quite what the Phillies envisioned.
Oswalt was hammered for three runs on 12 hits in six innings in the Phils 3-1 loss to the Giants in their sweep bid. Oswalt also issued two walks and struck out four.
Oswalt started off doing superb. He got the Giants out in order on only seven pitches. But the wheels began to come off a few innings later.
Chris Stewart hit an RBI single in the fourth inning. Orlando Cabrera and Jeff Keppinger followed in the fifth and sixth innings with RBI sacrifice flies. The Phillies lone RBI came on a Chase Utley single that plated none other than Oswalt.
The Phillies couldn’t much against Giants starter Tim Lincecum, who pitched into the 8th inning where he got into a little bit of trouble. After putting runners on the corners and Lincecum’s pitch count well into the 100s, Bruce Bochy lifted him in favor of the left-handed Javier Lopez to face Raul Ibanez, getting him to fly out to end the jam.
Lincecum got the win, his 10th of the season, after allowing a run on seven hits and a walk while striking out five.
Oswalt didn’t have great command of his pitches. The Phillies have to hope that he can regain his 2010 mechanics and become an ace again.
Phils fan Eric Winson described Oswalt’s return perfectly: “He was pretty wild…ran a lot of 2-0 counts, got behind a lot of batters. That’s the main reason he gave up a career high in hits – he had to throw a lot of fastballs in fastball counts. He did get out of a lot of jams and only gave up three runs. Against a better offensive team it could have been a blowout.”
The Phils did manage to take three of four from the Giants and will face the Dodgers starting Monday night.
TTB 