Phillies blow late lead, end five game win streak

The Phillies faltered late and blew a seventh inning, two-run lead that led to a 5-4 loss at the hands of the struggling Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. Aramis Ramirez got the winning base hit with men on the corners and one out in the ninth, securing the come-from behind win for the Crew and halting the Phillies’ win streak before it could reach six games.

The Phillies spotted Cliff Lee a four run lead, but he struggled as the game went on. Lee departed with the score tied at four in the seventh, and the offense fell dormant and failed to score against the Brewer’s bullpen.

Lee labors a bit through his seven innings

The left-hander had just one clean inning and gave up four runs for the first time since May 1 (albeit only three earned). He allowed eight hits and uncharacteristically walked three batters. Until today, he had walked three in just one other game, and had not allowed a walk in his previous two starts. Lee did strike out nine batters, however, which givs him 20 strikeouts in his last two starts.

The big blow for Lee came in the seventh when he allowed a triple to Jean Segura after a lead-off walk to Norichika Aoki. Aoki scored on the play, and Segura came around to score as well after a throwing error to home plate by Freddy Galvis.

Phils got starter out early, but failed against ‘pen

The Phillies knocked around Brewer’s starter Alfredo Figaro, touching him up for four runs and seven hits in just over five innings of work before he departed, but they could not touch the Milwaukee bullpen. Five Milwaukee relievers combined to hold the Phis hitless through the final three and a third innings. The only two base runners came on walks in the seventh and eighth.

Sloppy fielding continues

A huge throwing error from Freddy Galvis in that seventh inning allowed Jean Segura to come all the way around  and tie the game on what would have been an RBI triple . Delmon Young also took forever to get to Segura’s batted ball, and after several weeks of acceptable play his defensive ineptitude is showing clearly. The Phillies continue to make bad plays that cost them runs, and in this case perhaps cost them the game.

This was a bad loss. The Brewers are a bottom tier team that the Phillies could have easily put away and extended their momentum with a six game win streak. But instead, that momentum comes to a screeching halt. Nobody was impressive in this game (except maybe Erik Kratz, who clubbed his eighth home run). Lee struggled, the offense abruptly stopped after Figaro left, the bullpen did not get the job done, and the defense was suspect yet again.

Up Next…

The Phillies will look to start a new streak tomorrow with Kyle Kendrick (6-3, 3.12 ERA) ont he hill against veteran lefty Tom Gorzelanny (1-0, 2.01 ERA). Game time is 6:15 (7:15 ET) at Miller Park.