ATLANTA — Jerome Williams allowed the only three hitters he faced to reach base and gave up two runs in the eighth inning to waste a fine start from rookie Jerad Eickhoff, as the Phillies fell to the Braves on Saturday night, 2-1.
The offensive problems continued. The Phillies managed only three hits and have scored only four runs over the last four games.
The Phillies had one chance to tie the game in the ninth inning. Andres Blanco doubled with one out against reliever Arodys Vizcaino and went to third on a wild pitch. With Blanco on second, Atlanta shortstop Andrelton Simmons saved a run when he snagged Darnell Sweeney’s line drive up the middle with one out. After Blanco moved up to third base, Odubel Herrera struck out to end the game.
It was the fifth straight loss for the Phillies and dropped them three games behind Atlanta, further into the NL East cellar. The Phillies (56-93) are now 23-51 on the road. They are 8-10 against the Braves, 2-6 at Turner Field.
Starting pitching report
Rookie right-hander Eickhoff made his sixth start since being recalled from Triple A Lehigh Valley and turned in his fifth quality start.
Eickhoff pitched seven shutout innings, which was better than the six-inning scoreless stint from his first game on Aug. 21 against Miami. He struck out five and walked two. Of his 91 pitches, 59 were for strikes. He allowed only one run in his previous start, a seven-inning stint against the Cubs on Aug. 12.
Eickhoff pitched out of trouble in the second and third innings. He had runners on the corners and one out in each inning, but managed to keep the Braves off the board.
MLB
Atlanta started rookie Ryan Weber, who was drafted by the Phillies in 2008 but did not sign. Weber, making his third big-league start, allowed one run on two hits over seven innings. He walked two and struck out five. Weber retired the final 10 batters he faced.
Bullpen report
Williams relieved Eickhoff to open the eighth inning and didn’t retire a batter. He allowed a leadoff single to Nick Markakis and walked Hector Olivera. First baseman Freddie Freeman then doubled off the left-field wall, a ball that originally appeared like it might leave the park. Sweeney made a leaping attempt at the wall, but couldn't come up with the catch. It was Freeman’s fourth double this season against Williams.
Jeanmar Gomez entered and retired the final three batters faced to keep the game within reach.
At the plate
Interim manager Pete Mackanin tried to shake up the lineup to squeeze some offense from a team that had scored only three runs in the previous three games. He inserted Blanco in the leadoff spot for the first time this season and started him at shortstop. Sweeney hit second for only the second time.
The changes didn’t really help. The Phillies managed only three hits and had only two runners reach third base.
The Phils continue to miss first baseman Ryan Howard, who has not played since leaving Sunday’s game in the seventh inning with a left knee contusion. Howard has made moderate improvement and could be available to pinch-hit on Sunday.
In the field
The lineup changed a bit when Mackanin opted to move Freddy Galvis to second base, where he made his first start of the season at the position. Galvis had made 134 starts at shortstop.
Darin Ruf made an outstanding play at first base to save a run in the second inning. With runners on the corners, leftfielder Michael Bourn yanked a line drive that hit Ruf in the knee. He pounced on the rebound and fired home to easily retire Simmons, who was trying to score.
Catcher Carlos Ruiz turned a nice double play in the seventh inning. Bourn tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but Ruiz quickly picked up the ball and fired to second to retire Jace Peterson, with Bourn out by four steps on the return.
Up next
The Phillies finish their three-game series in Atlanta on Sunday. Rookie Aaron Nola (6-2, 4.11 ERA) gets the start against Atlanta’s Julio Teheran (10-7, 4.34 ERA), who is 3-0 against the Phillies this season.
The Phillies continue their final road trip of the season with three games in Miami and three in Washington. They return home for the final six games.