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Phillies Notes: Cashner and Padres shut out Phillies

SAN DIEGO - After grounding out to end the second inning, Domonic Brown returned to the Phillies dugout Monday with an idea.

Padres shortstop Alexi Amarista tags out Phillies right fielder Marlon Byrd. (Jake Roth/USA Today Sports)
Padres shortstop Alexi Amarista tags out Phillies right fielder Marlon Byrd. (Jake Roth/USA Today Sports)Read more

SAN DIEGO - After grounding out to end the second inning, Domonic Brown returned to the Phillies dugout Monday with an idea. The Padres employed a rare shift against him, and Brown wanted to combat it with a bunt in his next at bat.

When he did it in the fifth inning of a 1-0 Phillies loss, it just so happened to be the team's first hit. Andrew Cashner, who silenced the Phillies on 92 pitches, stared at Brown.

"Excellent," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I'd like to see more of it. That's how you stop the shift. Plus, we needed more base runners."

That was the team's lone offensive highlight. The Phillies mustered two hits at Petco Park. The Padres had three; they won with an unearned run. It all took 2 hours and 9 minutes.

Cashner was the first pitcher to complete a nine-inning game against the Phillies with that few pitches since Greg Maddux needed 90 pitches on June 27, 1997. For seven innings, Cashner one-hit the Phillies. Brown's bunt single, the first of his career, appalled Cashner because the no-hitter was still intact in the fifth inning of a one-run game.

"That's how you stop the shift, to do that every now and then," Sandberg said, as if to suggest Ryan Howard should do it more often. "It's a great idea."

Brown did not linger on the bases. Wil Nieves popped one to the second baseman as Brown attempted a steal. He stepped on second base, realized he needed to scamper back to first, and did not retouch second. His bunt, a smart baseball play, was erased by yet another mistake.

Cashner retired the first nine Phillies on 29 pitches. He needed just 72 pitches for seven innings. Marlon Byrd singled to start the eighth but, like Brown, he was eliminated on the bases. Byrd tried to tag from first on a deep fly to right. He was out by five feet.

Phillies starter Jerome Williams continued his effective streak. He has a 2.84 ERA in seven starts, enough for the Phillies to think about retaining the 32-year-old veteran through free agency. Williams pitched into the eighth inning Monday for the third time in those seven starts.

Extra bases

Sandberg would not say who could close during Jonathan Papelbon's absence, but Ken Giles is the logical choice. The 23-year-old rookie has yet to attempt a save in the majors, and this next week could offer a valuable test. . . . Jimmy Rollins (strained left hamstring) plans to take "light ground balls" during batting practice Tuesday. He could return this weekend. Freddy Galvis started at shortstop for the seventh straight game.