You could feel the charge of the Marlins' in the ninth inning of an 8-6 Phillies win on Friday night.
Phillies ace Roy Halladay left the rain-plagued game in the eighth inning with an 8-2 lead.
Reliever David Herndon gave up four runs to make 8-6 before Ryan Madson closed the door, allowing one inherited runner to score.
The Marlins' Ricky Nolasco almost shut out the Phillies the following night, save Jayson Werth's two-out ninth inning solo home run. The Marlins won the second game, 5-1.
Starter Jamie Moyer gave up five runs in the first inning Saturday before setting down to pitch five more shutout innings. More on Moyer later.
The Phillies looked better on Sunday as Cole Hamels gave up only a fourth inning home run to Dan Uggla in eight innings.
The Phillies best scoring chance came in the bottom of the fourth. Jayson Werth singled and when Ben Francisco hit a ball to deep center field, it seemed for sure Werth would score easily.
However, Marlins' centerfielder Cameron Maybin raised both hands as the ball bounced over the fence for a ground-rule double.
Werth on third, Francisco on second.
Carlos Ruiz hit a ball to shallow center field and Werth, correctly, drew a throw home.
I am not a world-class athlete to judge whether Werth could have gotten back on time to tag up, because Maybins' throw was way off line.
Something tells me though, Utley, the teams' best base runner would have scored on that play.
Then in the sixth, the Phillies had Marlins' starter Nate Robinson on the ropes with runners on first and second with one out.
Burke Badenhop got out the jam for the Marlins, preserving Robinson's day, and a 2-0 Marlins' win.
Phillies fans must have knew that the steam had gone out of the Phillies after the sixth.
For a team that averaged nearly eight runs a game and having at least 10 hits a game not long ago, what happened?
The Marlins are not the Nationals or the Astros. The Marlins' starting staff had two quality starts from its starters.
Cold weather, seasonal weather in Philadelphia cooled the Phillies bats.
The Phillies hitters, trying to break the slump, are not patient at the plate. Jayson Werth struck out on a 1-2 count yesterday on a high and tight fastball.
The Phillies starters, past Halladay and Hamels, are in trouble.
Number three starter J.A. Happ experienced arm trouble and in questionable for his next start.
Jamie Moyer has been inconsistent, bitten by big innings his last two starts.
Kyle Kendrick has been worse or just as bad as Moyer.
The Phillies, though, are headed to Atlanta on Tuesday as they get to see rookie phenom Justin Heyward.
The warmer weather should help.
Look for the Phillies to take two of three in Atlanta, as the bats should wake up.
If not, it's another lost series, or worse a sweep.
Joe Blanton should be back in a week and will help stabilize the Phillies starting rotation.
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