Phils lose Moyer in loss to Cardinals

ST. LOUIS - Thirty minutes after Shane Victorino struck out swinging to end another Phillies' loss Tuesday night, this one 7-1 to the Cardinals, Ruben Amaro Jr. and Rich Dubee emerged from Charlie Manuel's office.

"We have a plan," Manuel said.

It's going to have to be creative because the day included losing two starters - Kyle Kendrick was demoted, and Jamie Moyer was injured and will need to go on the disabled list - and the team's depth will be tested at such a critical point in this 2010 season that has gone awfully wrong.

The Phillies have maintained they can make up a second-half deficit because they have done it so many times before. They have confidence in that. They have confidence in two straight National League pennants. They have confidence in one another.

At this point, it will take more than confidence.

"If we're going to keep our head above water here," Manuel said, "we have to get it going."

Tuesday's loss was the fifth in six games for the Phillies since beginning the second half, and left them seven games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves.

A night earlier, shortstop Jimmy Rollins observed that the Phillies of the past often found ways to win. This team, he said, always seems to find new ways to lose. Tuesday's game was doomed from the start.

But making the playoffs could take something drastic to keep the Phillies in it - something like an overhaul of the pitching rotation, which appears at hand.

Moyer, 47, will be placed on the disabled list with a left elbow strain, Manuel said.

He will be the 13th Phillie to spend time on the disabled list this season. It's an injury similar to what has sidelined J.A. Happ since April.

Moyer said he started feeling the soreness immediately when the game started. He lasted just one inning before taking himself out of the game.

"I expect to pitch again," Moyer said. "When that is I have no idea."

Happ, Manuel said, will be one of the pitchers the Phillies will insert into their rotation. The lefthander threw three scoreless innings for triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday before being pulled.

The other starter is undecided at this point. He could come from a trade, too.

"It'll work its way out," Manuel said.

Incredibly, Moyer has only spent time on the disabled list on three occasions during his 24-year career.

Moyer declined to say whether he had been sore before Tuesday. He said his pregame bullpen session felt decent but the adrenaline of the game changed the way his elbow felt.

"Pitching the way I felt, it would have been detrimental to the team," Moyer said. "I just couldn't finish pitches."

Moyer's injury forced Andrew Carpenter, who woke up Tuesday morning in Indianapolis a member of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs into the game in the second inning. Carpenter was only added to the roster when Kendrick left so the Phillies had an extra arm in the bullpen.

In the third, Carpenter allowed a two-run home run to Randy Winn - who began this series homerless in 2010 and now has two in as many days. In the fourth, Yadier Molina led off with a double to left and later scored on a Carpenter wild pitch.

Beleaguered middle-man Danys Baez began the fifth and promptly walked the first two batters he faced. Then he served up a three-run home run to Matt Holliday to turn the game into a rout.

The Phillies offense contributed little once again. Manuel said his players are trying too hard, far from the first time he's said that this season.

But Manuel, who has implored his players to remain positive, did just that again.

"We'll be OK," Manuel said. "I'll tell you one thing, we will get it going. We will get better. I feel that way."