Friday, April 15, 2011
Posted: 9:55 p.m.Updated: 11:50 p.m.
By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com
BOX SCORE
Theres a reason why all those lofty predictions that have been attached to the Phillies starting pitching rotation often include the caveat if everybody stays healthy.
Injury can strike at any time, as it did when Ace No. 3, Roy Oswalt, was forced to leave Friday nights game against the Florida Marlins after six innings with a back strain.
The Phillies lost the game, 4-3, as relievers J.C. Romero and Danys Baez let a one-run lead slip away in the seventh inning.
After the game, all the attention was where it has been for monthson the Phillies starting rotation.
MLB
Oswalt believes hell be able to make his next start Wednesday against Milwaukee, but nothing will be certain until he sees how his back responds over the next few days.
I think I make it, Oswalt said of that start.
Shortly after speaking those words, he walked gingerly away from a crowd of reporters. He walked stiff and upright, clearly favoring his back.
Oswalt, 33, has a history of back problems. He missed the final three weeks of the 2009 season with a lower back strain while with Houston. He missed two weeks in 2006 with a mid-back strain.
The Phillies announced that Oswalt left Fridays night game with a lower back strain, but the pitcher clarified his condition after the game. He said the problem was in his mid-back region and it wasnt a strain at all.
Its spasms, he said. I tweaked something in the fifth inning and it tightened up on me.
Oswalt said hed never had back spasms before. He was under the impression that theyd clear up quickly.
The right-hander pitched through the problem in the sixth inning, when he allowed back-to-back doubles and a run, and batted in the bottom of the inning. Before heading to the mound for the seventh inning, he mentioned his condition to pitching coach Rich Dubee. Oswalt told Dubee that he believed he could make it through the seventh. Manager Charlie Manuel, however, decided to take no chances.
I thought I could get through the seventh, but why get in trouble and have to have somebody come in and clean up the mess? Oswalt said. It wasnt unbearable, but we didnt want to push it and take a chance on missing my next start.
Oswalt entered the game 10-0 in his career at Citizens Bank Park. He would need an assist from the bullpen to go to 11-0. The assist never came. The Marlins rallied for two runs against Romero and Baez in the seventh inning to take the lead.
Romero allowed a leadoff infield hit to Logan Morrison to start the Marlins decisive rally. Morrisons hit deflected off Romeros glove. Romero said he should have made the play. Baez replaced Romero and allowed a walk and a hit to load the bases.
With one out, Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez sent Greg Dobbs to the plate to pinch-hit. The former Phillie stroked an 0-1 pitch from Baez into leftfield, scoring the tying and go-ahead runs.
The hit was sweet for Dobbs, who made the Marlins opening day roster after going to camp with them on a minor-league contract. Dobbs had spent the previous four seasons with the Phillies and was let go after struggling in 2010. He was the games top pinch-hitter in 2008, batting .355 with 16 RBIs.
Who were playing doesnt matter, Dobbs said. Its the situationdoing what I can to advance a runner, get a runner in. One run was all I was thinking. It didnt matter what the name on the jersey said. Youre just playing the game, thats it.
Manuel could have opted to bring in lefty Antonio Bastardo when the left-handed hitting Dobbs came on to pinch hit. However, that would have resulted in the Marlins sending right-handed hitting Wes Helms to the plate. Helms batted .324 against left-handed pitching last season and was hitting .455 (5 for 11) against lefties entering Friday night. Manuel opted for Baez vs. Dobbs. Dobbs won.
Thirteen games into the season, the Phils are still looking for some relief stability in the seventh inning. Ultimately, it may come from Bastardo. He came on after Dobbs hit and got the final two outs of the inning.
The Phils scored two runs against Javier Vazquez in the first inning, but just one the rest of the way. They left eight men on base, including runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth innings.
We had chances against Vazquez, but we let him get away, Manuel said.
It all added up to a loss on the scoreboard. The Phillies hope they didnt suffer one in their pitching rotation, as well.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com
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