Phillies Notes: Sandberg defends use of Gomez over Giles

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg defended his decision to use Jeanmar Gomez instead of Ken Giles in the eighth inning of the 7-4 loss Sunday. The Phillies trailed by a run heading into the eighth. Giles threw just 11 pitches Friday, his first outing after three days of rest.

Sandberg said he does not like to use Giles and some of the other relievers when the team is trailing. Gomez had not pitched in a win since April 11. Nine of his 11 appearances have come in a Phillies loss. He allowed three hits in the eighth, none more crushing than Johnny Monell's two-run pinch-hit double.

"He's a ground-ball pitcher and was one pitch away from getting a ground ball and out of the inning," Sandberg said. "He wasn't able to get it done."

Giles has entered twice this season when the Phillies trailed. One of those was an outing simply to see action. He has allowed just one earned run in 131/3 innings.

Cody Asche lashed a double in the seventh inning to snap a 0-for-23 stretch.

The third baseman finished 1 for 4 with a run scored. He started the season on a tear before falling into his recent slump. Asche, 24, said he hopes to find more consistency. Everybody wants that, he said.

"This game is tough. It will wear on you," Asche said. "That's why it's important to just rely on your teammates and keep being the same person every day when you show up to the park. Don't quit on yourself, don't quit on the team. Keep working. Things will turn around."

The Phillies loaded the bases in the seventh inning after Chase Utley was hit by a pitch with two outs. They had already scored twice to cut the deficit to one.

Mets reliever Alex Torres appeared wild. Before hitting Utley, he had walked a batter on four straight pitches. The lefthander walked two on Saturday by throwing just nine pitches. Ryan Howard chose to be aggressive instead of waiting out Torres. He swung at a first-pitch fastball and ended the rally with a groundout to first.

"He doesn't want to fall behind and it looked like a pretty good pitch to swing at," Sandberg said. "The guy was a little erratic, but he just didn't get it in the air. He hit it fairly hard, but he was trying to get it in the air and put a crooked number up there."

The Phillies announced that Sean O'Sullivan will start Tuesday against Pittsburgh. He is on the disabled list with left-knee tendinitis and will need to be activated before the game.

- Matt Breen