MINNEAPOLIS -- The Phillies struggled to score runs again on Tuesday night and it contributed to a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins in an interleague game at Target Field.
The Phils tied the game at 2-2 on a single by Ryan Howard in the top of the eighth, but Antonio Bastardo gave up a go-ahead single to Justin Morneau in the bottom of the of the inning.
Morneau’s two-out hit scored Jamey Carroll, who had opened the frame by drawing a four-pitch walk against Phils reliever Mike Adams.
The loss was the Phillies’ fourth in a row, all against last-place clubs. They are 31-34 on the season and 4-8 in interleague play.
Cole Hamels started for the Phils. They are 2-12 in his 14 starts.
Starting pitching report
Hamels allowed seven hits and two runs over six walk-free innings. He struck out five. Four of the hits and both runs came in the fourth inning. Hamels did not like umpire Paul Emmel’s strike zone as he faced the first batter, Ryan Doumit, and the umpire and pitcher exchanged angry looks. The next four batters all got hits. Three of them were consecutive doubles that accounted for both runs.
Though he did not walk a batter, Hamels threw 108 pitches.
Minnesota right-hander P.J. Walters held the Phils to four hits over the first seven innings. He allowed two singles in the eighth and the Phils turned one of them into the tying run.
Opposing batters entered the game hitting .329 against Walters.
Bullpen report
Adams, pitching for the first time since Thursday as he was sidelined with biceps tendinitis, allowed two of the four batters he faced to reach base. He took the loss. He is 1-4.
Brian Duensing gave up a game-tying single to Howard in the eighth, but got the win thanks to his team’s run in the eighth.
Glen Perkins had the save.
At the plate
Michael Young singled home the Phillies’ first run in the third inning. Howard tied the game with an RBI single against the lefty Duensing with two outs in the eighth. Howard had been hitting .207 against lefties at the time. His hit went to right field. Had the Twins been in the shift, like most other teams, it would have been a routine out. That was a break for the Phillies.
Only one of the Phillies’ seven hits was for extra bases.
Josh Willingham, Morneau and Oswaldo Arcia had doubles against Hamels in the Twins’ two-run fourth inning.
In the field
Michael Young had a strong game at third, highlighted by his making a diving stop to take away a hit from Doumit to open the bottom of the sixth.
Twins centerfielder Clete Thomas made a long running catch to take away extra bases from Delmon Young leading off the seventh.
Health check
Erik Kratz will have surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee on Wednesday morning. No timetable will be set for Kratz’ recovery until after the surgery.
Up next
Tyler Cloyd (2-2, 3.68) opposes Mike Pelfrey (3-6, 6.40) on Wednesday night.