Phillies blow late lead in 7-4 loss to Milwaukee Brewers

MILWAUKEE — Josh Lindblom stood helpless on the mound with his right arm resting on his side as fireworks exploded in Miller Park, and it was just the latest scene for this nightmare of a Phillies bullpen.

Cliff Lee struck out 12 batters and recorded the first 23 outs. The 24th out looked to be a bouncer to third base until Kevin Frandsen threw awry and chaos ensued. It eventually resulted in a Corey Hart grand slam and a 7-4 Phillies loss to the Brewers, a team with its own penchant for blowing late leads.

The Phillies tested that penchant by twice sending the tying run to the plate in the ninth and then loading the bases — only to emerge losers. Erik Kratz tapped to third, and another crushing defeat was secured.

To simply attain a .500 record, they must finish the season 27-17. Even that seems preposterous in mid August.

Besides three mistakes that landed as Milwaukee home runs, Lee was dominant. He tied a season high with those 12 strikeouts; the mishandled Frandsen ball was his 111th pitch of the night.

"He had gone that far and pitched well," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I wanted him to leave on a good note. I wanted him to win the game. It didn't turn out that way."

So Manuel opted for his relievers to finish it. Ryan Braun stepped to the plate as the tying run, and he had already twice victimized Lee with the long ball. Manuel wanted Lindblom, the righty.

"It wasn't really up for debate," Lee said. "He kind of had his mind made up. And considering Braun was 2 for 3 with two home runs [off me], it actually made some sense."

Lindblom ultimately issued an intentional walk to Braun followed by a four-pitch walk to Aramis Ramirez. That loaded the bases for Hart, who homered to right-center on a 2-2 fastball.

The grand slam was Lindblom's 11th home run allowed in 52 2/3 innings pitched. No National League reliever has surrendered more. Lindblom, acquired in the Shane Victorino trade, was immediately anointed Manuel's primary righthanded setup man after being acquired in the Shane Victorino trade. So far, he has failed that test.

In seven appearances with the Phillies, Lindblom has allowed six earned runs in five innings.

"I haven't really made pitches," Lindblom said. "I haven't executed. There are really no excuses other than you just have to go out and make pitches. I haven't done that since I came over here."

For a fleeting moment, it appeared Domonic Brown had a chance at a miraculous, game-saving catch on Hart's ball. A member of the Phillies bullpen raised his hands in celebration, but the ball bounced off the top of the wall, just wide of Brown's outstretched glove, for the grand slam.

It was Frandsen's error that sent the game spiraling out of control. The third baseman had delivered the key blow earlier by clearing the bases with a double in the fifth that provided a one-run lead. His defense denied a win.

"It was just one of those games," Lee said.

And so it goes for these Phillies, who are finding that irrelevancy does not suit them well at all.