The Phillies scored two runs in the first inning Wednesday night and nothing the rest of the way. They ended up losing, 5-2, to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates scored four times against rookie Ben Lively in the fourth inning.
The Phillies are 28-55. That's the worst mark in the majors. They are the only team shy of 30 wins. San Francisco entered Wednesday with the next lowest number of wins — 33.
Starting pitching report
Lively lasted just four innings. He gave up five hits and four runs. All of the runs came in the fourth inning. Only two of those runs were earned. Lively made a costly throwing error with two outs in the fourth inning and the Pirates capitalized with a couple of runs.
Lively has made seven starts. He is 1-4 with a 3.80 ERA.
Pittsburgh right-hander Gerrit Cole, a trade candidate, held the Phillies to two runs over six innings. Both of the runs came on a first-inning homer by Maikel Franco. Cole hung a 2-2 breaking ball and Franco got enough of it to hit it out to left. Cole did not allow a run the rest of the way.
MLB
Bullpen report
Adam Morgan kept things in check with three innings of one-run ball.
Felipe Rivero had the save for Pittsburgh.
At the plate
Franco's homer was his 12th of the season. The Phillies had a pair of extra-base hits later in the game, but neither time got the run home. Tommy Joseph died on third after a one-out triple in the third and Daniel Nava was thrown out at the plate after a one-out double in the seventh.
Nava reached base four times with two singles, a walk and a double. Odubel Herrera had two hits. Rookie Nick Williams struck out three times.
Josh Bell and Jordy Mercer each had an RBI triple for the Pirates.
In the field
Pittsburgh leftfielder Gregory Polanco showed off a mighty arm in gunning down Nava at the plate to end the seventh. Nava tried to tag and score on a fly ball to right field by Franco.
Galvis, by the way, was typically superb at shortstop.
Health check
Jerad Eickhoff is set to come off the disabled list and pitch on Sunday. The word on him and several other pitchers on the mend (see story).
Up next
The series concludes on Thursday night. Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 4.48) pitches against Pittsburgh right-hander Chad Kuhl (2-6, 5.26).