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Punchless Phillies lose again in extra innings

Edubray Ramos surrendered a run-scoring single to Arizona's Daniel Descalso in the 11th. It was Ramos' fourth loss in the last nine days.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt, left, scores the winning run as Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Knapp, right, waits for a late throw during the 11th inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 25, 2017, in Phoenix.
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt, left, scores the winning run as Philadelphia Phillies' Andrew Knapp, right, waits for a late throw during the 11th inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 25, 2017, in Phoenix.Read more(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PHOENIX — Bench coach Larry Bowa taped a lineup card to a cement wall inside the Phillies' clubhouse Sunday morning, and the eight names listed were another reminder of how far this team must advance before it can contend. The eight starters owned these on-base percentages: .143, .299, .347, .317, .280, .293, .333, .263. Just two, Aaron Altherr and Andrew Knapp, lived above the National League baseline of .324.

The Phillies make outs at a more frequent rate than all but two teams in the league. They are at a disadvantage every day because of that. A 2-1 loss to Arizona in 11 innings provided more evidence.

Altherr collected three hits. Knapp added two. The Phillies scattered nine hits across 11 innings; they scored in the only inning, the seventh, in which they managed two hits. One was an Odubel Herrera infield single. The other, by pinch-hitter Howie Kendrick, was a blooper that landed just inside the foul line to score Herrera.

The Phillies have scored three runs in the last two days. Two of them came on one swing by a pitcher.

"We didn't push enough runs across," manager Pete Mackanin said. "We play everybody tough. We just fell short."

They lost for the 50th time when Edubray Ramos surrendered a run-scoring single to Daniel Descalso. The Diamondbacks stormed the field. So did a shirtless man, who was tackled by security guards. Arizona players sprayed bottled water everywhere. Ramos hunched over at the mound. The young Venezuelan reliever has lost four games in the last nine days.

But, before that, the Phillies offense generated nothing.

The Phillies, this season, are the only team in baseball to have four players with at least 200 plate appearances and a sub-.300 on-base percentage. One of them, Michael Saunders, is no longer with them. The others  —  Herrera, Maikel Franco, and Freddy Galvis  —  have not found consistent footing this season.

Saunders was jettisoned for Cameron Perkins, never considered a prospect, but someone who boasted a strong on-base skill throughout his minor-league career. His time in the majors has begun with two hits in 22 at-bats. He has struck out eight times and has not yet walked.

"It's his first time in the big leagues," Mackanin said. "I can't judge him on 20 at-bats." He added: "Maybe I'm asking too much of him."

Perkins could sit Monday. If he plays, he likely will not be atop Mackanin's lineup. The jump from the International League to the National League cannot be overstated. The Phillies know there will be growing pains for whoever is promoted. That is why they will delay those promotions until they believe the prospects can handle the highest level.

Mackanin sensed Perkins pressing a bit. Perkins, 26, dismissed that notion. It's just harder here.

"I feel like I haven't had that at-bat where I'm in attack mode," Perkins said. "I've been in defense mode a lot. I go up there and the guy breaks off a first-pitch slider for a strike and I'm already behind in the count.

"I don't know any of these guys. Scouting reports can only tell you so much. I've never faced any of them. It's hard to know what it'll look like until you get in the box. All of a sudden I'm 0-2 and he still has a strikeout pitch I haven't seen yet. It can be tough. That's not an excuse. I'm still a professional hitter and I should still hit these guys. I will."

Mackanin's lineup is better with Kendrick in it; the veteran did not start for a fourth straight game. He may not play again Monday because of tightness in his left hamstring. But Kendrick will soon be elsewhere, and the Phillies will have to discover consistent production from other sources.

Can this lineup, as currently constructed, deliver that?

"We've shown we're capable of it," Mackanin said. "We've had our spurts, but once again the key to success at any level, especially at this level, is consistency."

The seventh-inning run Sunday merely allowed the Phillies to traverse extra innings for the sixth time in 14 days. They have lost all six of those games.