Phillies can't hold lead in loss to Pirates

PITTSBURGH - The eighth inning of Sunday's 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh offered a glaring example as to why the Phillies are running out of time in delaying the promotion of top prospects Nick Williams and J.P. Crawford.

Trailing by a run, the Phillies had runners on first and second with one out. Shortstop Freddy Galvis popped up on four pitches and leftfielder Cody Asche struck out on three pitches. The rally was finished and another loss - the team's seventh in 10 games since the all-star break - was ultimately sealed.

It might be time to see how Crawford, a shortstop, and Williams, who will likely play left field in the majors, would have performed in that spot. Galvis and Asche both finished 0 for 4 on Sunday.

The Phillies will promote a player on Monday morning when Andres Blanco heads to the disabled list after suffering a fractured left index finger on Sunday. It most likely will not be Crawford, but infielder Taylor Featherston, who is already on the 40-man roster and was held out of Sunday night's triple-A lineup.

Crawford's eventual arrival could push Galvis to second base or into a utility role if Blanco's injury results in an extended absence. Galvis is batting just .232 this season but manager Pete Mackanin loves his defense and presence in the clubhouse.

Asche struck out three times on Sunday and is hitless in his last 23 at-bats, 10 of which have ended with strikeouts. He is batting .121 in July after starting his injury-delayed season with a .289 average in June. The Phillies left-field options - Asche, Peter Bourjos, Tyler Goeddel, and Jimmy Paredes - have batted a combined .111 in July with a .185 on-base percentage and .232 slugging percentage.

"That's been our bane the whole season, the corner outfield production," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Bourjos got it going in the month of July and looked good but he's taken a step backward. And left field, we're not getting anything out of there. Of course, you want to get your hitting and your power from the corners. We're not getting it."

Aaron Altherr - who was expected to start the season in right field before needing wrist surgery - is expected join the team this week and could move to left field if he does not take over for Bourjos in right. Help is on the way.

"I'm anxious to see him play," Mackanin said. "He needs to show us what he can do. He had a small shot at it last year and did some pretty nice things. We know he's a good defender, which is important to us, and he showed power and speed. That's the kind of guy that we want to see get extended at-bats to see where he fits for next year and the future."

Williams and Crawford, both in their first season at triple A, have found success after slow starts. Their production appears to show that they are ready or at least near ready for the majors. All indications are that they will be here before September.

Williams, 22, entered Sunday night's game batting .298 this month with a .302 on-base percentage in 84 at-bats. His biggest drawback is his walk rate, as he has just 18 walks this season vs. 88 strikeouts. Crawford, 21, is batting .317 in 126 at-bats since June 18 with a .381 on-base percentage.

The need for a rally in the eighth inning arrived when Vince Velasquez allowed a two-run homer in the sixth to tie the game at 4 and Edubray Ramos allowed a go-ahead homer in the seventh. Velasquez allowed four earned runs in six innings.

Starling Marte tagged him for a double on an 0-2 pitch to lead off the sixth. Matt Joyce rocked the next pitch to center for a homer.

"It's just a matter of finishing at-bats," Velasquez said. "You have to lock in on 0-2 counts and when you're ahead, you have to finish the at-bat. That's pretty much one of the big things that I'm struggling with now. This is like the third or fourth time that I've given up the lead and blown it for myself. Knowing that was my last inning, that's where you have to bear down and give it all you have."

mbreen@phillynews.com

@matt_breen www.philly.com/philliesblog