ATLANTA - After Atlanta's Martin Prado hit a walk-off single off Chan Ho Park in the 10th inning to give the Braves a 5-4 win over the Phillies last night at Turner Field, Charlie Manuel noticed a pattern.
"We had a rough interleague play," the manager said of his team's 6-12 record against the American League this season - and the hard luck and sloppy play continued last night.
"Our problems, it's kind of like tonight," he said. "We've been getting beat late, and we never used to get beat late these last couple of years."
The Phillies came back to win games many times early in the season, and Manuel believes those efforts began to wear on the offense, as has the lack of production from leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins. More recently, Brad Lidge has blown six saves - and Ryan Madson two - and the Phils rarely seem to find themselves on the celebratory end of dramatic victories.
Last night, they nearly mounted a comeback. After starter Derek Lowe pitched six effective innings, the Phillies broke through in the eighth. John Mayberry Jr. hit his first career pinch-hit home run, off Mike Gonzalez, to tie the score at 3-3, and Pedro Feliz followed with a solo shot that gave the Phils a late lead.
That left the final two innings to the recently reunited tandem of Madson and Lidge. Madson got two quick outs in the eighth, but then walked Gregor Blanco. Madson threw wide of first in a pickoff attempt, allowing Blanco to advance to second.
Prado then doubled to right, scoring Blanco to tie the score again. Jayson Werth bobbled the ball in right, allowing Prado to reach third, but J.C Romero entered the game and kept it 4-4. Park lost the game in the 10th.
"It was a good ball game," Manuel said. "Last year, we made the plays, we got the hits. Tonight, they made the plays."
Rollins made a nice defensive play in the ninth inning on a sharp ground ball, but it was his first highlight in a disappointing return. After a four-game break that Manuel had hoped would rejuvenate the shortstop, Rollins seemed like the same decimated player who has spent the entire season frustrated.
Rollins went 0 for 5.
Manuel had hoped to see a fresher Rollins, but he continued to express unshakable confidence in his leadoff hitter. "It just looked like his timing wasn't good," Manuel said. "It wasn't like he was swinging real bad, but he didn't hit the ball all night. His timing was off. He'll be OK."
Rollins plays an important role in setting a tone for the team, and without his production the Phils are sometimes left to seek scoring opportunities elsewhere. As this season has shown, sometimes they find those chances, and sometimes the other team finds them first.
Contact staff writer Andy Martino at 215-854-4874 or amartino@phillynews.com.
