MILWAUKEE — The “kick save” momentarily preserved a Phillies scoring opportunity Saturday, but the proverbial foot didn’t stay on the gas pedal as the Phils saw an early 2-0 lead evaporate in a 4-2 loss to the Brewers on Saturday.
It was the team’s fourth loss in five games after a 16-5 stretch immediately following the All-Star break.
Once again, Chase Utley was the centerpiece of the evening. The second baseman doubled, homered, reached base three times and is now 13 for 26 since returning from an ankle injury Aug. 7. He also appeared to be picked off in the seventh inning but was ruled safe after a replay review. The ball fell out of shortstop Jean Segura’s glove after Utley’s foot got stuck in the webbing, which may have jarred the ball loose. Brewers manager Craig Counsell was ejected for arguing the instant replay reversal.
But the Phils, who left two runners on in that inning and two more in the eighth, could not add on. Segura’s go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the seventh tipped the scales. The Phillies have gone 3 for 23 with runners in scoring position during the first two games of the series.
Starting pitching report
Jerome Williams posted his third consecutive start of one earned run or fewer. He allowed both his runs in the fifth, one unearned, when outfield errors by Cody Asche and Jeff Francoeur aided the Brewers’ cause.
Williams worked six innings, allowed five hits and finished with four strikeouts. He only needed 79 pitches and did not issue a walk for the second consecutive start. Williams now has a 1.50 ERA over his past three starts (18 innings) with three walks.
Bullpen report
Justin De Fratus, who has now been scored upon in four of his last eight outings, yielded a go-ahead RBI single to Segura in the seventh after a leadoff bunt single by Scooter Gennett and a wild pitch to put Gennett on second. Elvis Araujo finished the inning with a strikeout and has now worked nine consecutive hitless appearances (eight innings) with 10 punchouts.
Luis Garcia worked into trouble in the eighth, loading the bases and then allowing an RBI single to Gennett — his fourth hit of the game. But Garcia limited the damage to a single tally with two strikeouts.
At the plate
The teams in pursuit of a trade for Utley have to be frustrated watching offensive fireworks that could be better used in a pennant chase. Utley, coming off a 4 for 5 performance Friday, belted a solo home run to right field against Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson in the third, building the Phillies lead to 2-0.
In the fifth, he led off with a double down the right field line, another sign of his renewed ability to pull the baseball following the return from an ankle injury.
“I think he’s conscious of (defensive shifts) and has tried to hit them away from the shift,” Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Saturday’s game. “Now, he’s not trying to do that. His biggest strength has always been his bat speed, and if you’re constantly going up the middle and left field, you’re not taking advantage of your strength.”
Odubel Herrera doubled in each of his first two at-bats but struck out with Utley at third base and one out in the fifth, then again with two on and two out in the seventh of a tie game. Herrera scored in the first on Ryan Howard’s two-out RBI single.
On the bases
Utley, who overslid second base trying to stretch for a double Friday, appeared to be picked off at second base to end the seventh, but the call was overturned by replay. Segura tagged Utley in plenty of time but ultimately lost the ball as he tried to wrangle his glove free of Utley’s foot.
In the field
Cesar Hernandez hasn’t spent a great deal of time at third base this season, with just six appearances at the position before the series in Milwaukee, but he made a pair of nifty plays to retire Jonathan Lucroy. In the first, he flagged down a slow bounder and threw on target following a spin move, and in the fourth, he snared a tough in-between hop before throwing the Brewers catcher out.
The fifth inning was an adventure all around for the Phillies outfield. Herrera dove for a Khris Davis ball that got past the centerfielder for a double. A Gennett single glanced off Asche’s glove for an error and allowed a run to score. Finally, Francoeur’s throw from right on Elian Herrera’s single skipped past third base and out of play, allowing Segura to score the tying run. The latter came one batter after the Phillies retired Gennett at third base for the first out on a fielder’s choice grounder by Segura.
In the sixth, the Phils again recorded the first out of the inning on a tag at third base when Lucroy tried to advance on a grounder to Freddy Galvis at shortstop.
In the minors
Right-handed starter Jerad Eickhoff, part of the trade package from the Texas Rangers for starting pitcher Cole Hamels, made an impressive home debut for Triple A Lehigh Valley on Saturday, though he was ultimately saddled with the loss after 7 2/3 innings of work.
Eickhoff was named the International League Pitcher of the Week last week when his first two starts for the IronPigs resulted in two wins, a 0.64 ERA, 11 hits and one run in 14 innings, with two walks and 11 strikeouts.
Eickhoff needed 91 pitches to get to two outs in the seventh Saturday, but he walked the next batter and was lifted for a reliever in what became a 5-2 loss to Pawtucket. He had allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings but was dinged for five earned runs on his final line.
The Phillies next need a starter for their Aug. 22 game in Miami. Eickhoff had a 4.25 ERA in 17 starts at Triple A Round Rock in his first season at the level for the Rangers.
Up next
Aaron Harang (5-13, 4.52 ERA) will try to reverse his recent fortunes after allowing 12 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings over his previous two starts. He hasn’t worked through the sixth in his last four starts and has yet to record an out in the seventh this year. His last start against Milwaukee on July 1 was ugly, with eight runs allowed on 14 hits in five innings.
Rookie pitcher Taylor Jungmann (6-4, 2.42) will answer for the Brewers. Opponents have batted just .228 against the native Texan this season, and he received a no-decision against the Phillies on June 30 when he allowed two earned runs in six innings.