Phillies drop fifth straight

Perhaps the best way to measure the accomplishments of the Phillies' starting rotation this season is to reference Vance Worley.

Now is as good a time as any, because the rookie righthander probably made his final start of the season Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies' losing streak reached five games for the first time this season in a 7-5 defeat by Washington.

A brief recap of Worley's season seems in order. The 23-year-old had the longest winning streak ever by a Phillies rookie - nine games. The Phillies won 14 consecutive starts by Worley, the longest string by any Phillies pitcher since Steve Carlton's 15 in 1972. He has an impressive 2.85 ERA. He is ranked either first or second among rookie pitchers in four categories, and his manager and pitching coach have spoken of his fearless approach and mental toughness.

Yet, barring an injury to Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, or Roy Oswalt, Worley will not start a postseason game.

That's how good the Phillies rotation is.

Worley now will try to make the transition to the bullpen, where he will be employed as a long reliever or in a late-inning matchup situation. Early in the season, Worley pitched twice out of the bullpen, and all it did was gum up his routine as a starter, which both manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee conceded.

But with a trail of success behind him, Worley said he welcomed the chance to help the team out of the bullpen in the postseason.

"It's not disappointing to me, because I'm still part of the team. I can still contribute," he said. "That's fine. I think I'd rather come out of the 'pen a couple of times [before the playoffs] so I can get a feel for it."

Worley gave up a pair of two-run home runs in the six innings he pitched. The second cost him a chance at his 12th win, and it was hit by Danny Espinosa, who can claim the title as Phillies Killer of the Year. The second baseman gave the Nationals a 4-3 lead in the sixth with his seventh homer against the Phillies. Three of them came against Lee. Espinosa has 15 RBIs against the Phillies this season.

"He had the ball up most of the time, and it got him into trouble," Manuel said.

Meanwhile, some of the key players the Phillies will rely on for offense in the postseason continued to struggle. The top four batters in the lineup - Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco, and Chase Utley - went a combined 0 for 16 with two walks. After striking out for the second time, Utley displayed a rare burst of anger as he tossed his bat.

Since Aug. 25, Victorino's average has dropped from a season-high .314 to .281. Utley is batting .193 with one homer and one RBI in 57 at-bats in September.

The Phillies have been in a dreadful hitting funk. Wednesday was only the second time they have scored more than three runs in the last 14 games.

"I'm concerned about it, yeah, but at the same time I've seen them hit and I think they'll hit," Manuel said.

Reliever Antonio Bastardo did nothing to alleviate concerns about him in the one inning he pitched. Bastardo inherited a no-out, two-on situation in the eighth after Justin De Fratus hit one batter and walked another. Both runners Bastardo inherited scored, as did a third. The lefthander gave up two hits and was charged with a run.