Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Posted: 12:31 a.m.Updated: 2:06 a.m.
By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com
BOX SCORE
PHOENIXMaybe its nothing. Maybe Roy Oswalt is just having one of those little dead-arm periods that pitchers talk about all the time. Maybe thats why his stuff has lacked its usual zip the last two times to the mound.
As the lights went out at Chase Field on Tuesday night, Oswalts drop in velocity remained a mystery. Manager Charlie Manuel said the righthander was fine. Catcher Brian Schneider said he received no indication that something was wrong with Oswalt, but added that only the pitcher could accurately answer questions about his physical well being.
Maybe Oswalt will answer those questions on Wednesday. He pitched just three innings Tuesday night and had left the ballpark by the time reporters entered the clubhouse after the Phillies 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Not seeing Oswalt at his locker after a game is unusual. So is seeing him fail to get past the third inning. It was just the 12th time that he pitched three or fewer innings in 308 career starts.
His stuff wasnt good, Manuel said. It wasnt crisp. His velocity was down. I figured there was no sense leaving him out there.
MLB
Two starts ago, Oswalt exited after six innings with spasms in the middle of his back. He made his next start Thursday in San Diego and beat the Padres with six shutout innings, but his stuff didnt have its usual crackle in that one.
Tuesday night something was clearly missing as Oswalt allowed six hits and five runs in three innings.
Hes all right, Manuel said. He wasnt right so there was no sense leaving him out there. His stuff is usually much better than that.
Manuel was asked if Oswalts back was a problem.
He said nothing about that as far as I know, the manager said.
Manuel was asked if he was concerned about the drop in Oswalts stuff.
Im a little concerned, Manuel said. But well see what happens.
Yes, we will.
Either Oswalt will make his next start Tuesday at home against Washington, or the Phillies vaunted starting rotation will have its first setback.
A starting pitchers first order of business is to keep his team in the game. Oswalt has done that throughout his time with the Phillies, but, for whatever reason, failed Tuesday night.
He had a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but that melted away when he allowed three runs in the second inning and two more in the third. He gave up six hits in those two innings.
Even with Oswalt struggling, the Phils had plenty of chances to stay in the game, but their hitters were 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position and they left 10 men on base.
The Phils did get 12 hits, which qualified as an eruption given that the club had hit .200 in its previous 14 games, but not enough of them came in big situations. To wit: The Phils had two runners in scoring position with one out in the first inning and couldnt push either one home. They had runners on the corners with one out in the third and could not get either one in. Both times, Arizona righthander Daniel Hudson pitched out of trouble on his way to delivering six innings of three-run ball.
We left guys on base all night, Manuel said. We had better swings but we left guys on. We stranded 10 runners. We had chances but didnt get the job done.
The Phils have lost two in a row in Arizona heading into Wednesdays series finale. This loss dropped them out of first place in the NL East.
The last two games we just havent played real good, Manuel said. The guy shut us out last night and tonight we had guys in scoring position but couldnt knock them in. Hudson made pitches when he had to.
Arizonas bullpen also made big pitches. Reliever Esmerling Vasquez entered a three-run game in the seventh and retired pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. with two outs and the bases loaded. It was the biggest out of the game.
Actually, it was the second biggest out of the game.
The first came when Oswalt was taken out of the game. Is the righthanders drop in velocity a sign that something is wrong? Or will he be on the mound for his next start? Well see.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com
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