ARLINGTON, Tex. – For the second straight night, the Phillies’ bullpen let a late lead get away and the team lost in walk-off fashion to the Texas Rangers.
It was a brutal loss no matter how you look at it.
Jonathan Papelbon could not close out a two-run lead in the ninth inning, as the Rangers rallied for three runs against the Phillies’ closer to win 4-3.
It was Papelbon’s first save opportunity of the season and he could not convert. He got just one out in the inning.
Papelbon came into a 3-1 game and allowed four hits and two walks. He walked Shin-Soo Choo with the bases loaded to end the game and give the Rangers the win.
And so, instead of taking two of three from Texas to open the season, the Phils lost two of three.
Both of the Rangers’ wins came in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Starting pitching report
Kyle Kendrick’s first start of the season was a good one. He went seven innings and gave up one run. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out four.
Kendrick pitched out of a jam in the first inning and hit a nice groove until allowing a run in the seventh.
Texas lefty Robbie Ross allowed seven hits and three runs, two earned, over five innings in his first big-league start.
Bullpen report
What a difference 24 hours makes. Mario Hollands pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, retiring the top three hitters in the Rangers’ order. One night earlier, Hollands walked two of those batters in his big-league debut and the Rangers’ turned one of those walks into the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.
Papelbon blew his first save chance of the season. He had seven blown saves last year. The Phillies might have a big problem here.
Seth Rosin, who pitched in the Phillies' system last year and was lost in the Rule 5 draft, got the win.
At the plate
Ryan Howard continued to rack up strikeouts –- he had two, giving him seven in his first 13 at-bats -- but managed to do some damage in between as he clubbed his first homer of the season, a long, two-run blast to center, to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead in the third inning.
With Jimmy Rollins unavailable, manager Ryne Sandberg used Carlos Ruiz in the No. 2 spot. Ruiz responded with a single, a double and a walk and scored two runs. Ruiz doubled in the first inning and scored the Phillies’ first run.
Mitch Moreland tripled against Kendrick in the seventh and scored the Rangers’ first run.
Rollins, Hamels updates
Rollins headed home for the birth of a child. Cole Hamels is ramping up his rehab. Details here.
In the field
Cody Asche had a good game at third base. Marlon Byrd had another strong game in right field. For the second game in a row, he made an important running catch.
Up next
The Phillies are off on Thursday. They open a three-game series in Chicago against the Cubs on Friday afternoon. Here are the pitching matchups:
Friday afternoon – RH Roberto Hernandez vs. LH Travis Wood
Saturday afternoon – LH Cliff Lee vs. RH Jeff Samardzjia
Sunday afternoon – RH A.J. Burnett vs. RH Carlos Villanueva