Make it six

July 26, 2013

Box Score (from ESPN.com)

By Nick Tricome

It just keeps getting worse.

After getting swept in St. Louis, the Phillies headed to Detroit on Friday night, only to get handed their sixth straight loss in a 2-1 defeat to the Tigers.


Cole Hamels put in a solid start, pitching seven innings.

He let up two runs in the fifth, however, which would prove to be enough for Detroit to escape with the win.

Detroit's Alex Avila hit a two-run double over the head of John Mayberry Jr. in center field. Hernan Perez and Roman Santiago scored on the play after Perez reached base on a walk and Santiago on a double.

Hamels was relieved by Luis Garcia in the eighth, after finishing his night with seven hits and three walks allowed.

Garcia pitched a scoreless inning. Garcia walked Prince Fielder, but he was Detroit's only baserunner for the frame.

Detroit starting pitcher Doug Fister continued to keep the Phillies' bats silent, for the most part, a bad trend that has hurt the Phils coming back from the All-Star break.

Michael Young hit an RBI single in the third to score Mayberry, but only after Fister retired the Phillies' first six batters in just 17 pitches.

The Phillies took a 1-0 lead at that point. It was their first lead since last Saturday, when the played the Mets.

Fister kept the Phils to three hits and one earned run while he was on the mound, walking one and striking out six in eight innings of work.

Joaquin Benoit took over in the ninth for Detroit and shut the door on the Phillies with a socreless inning. He earned his 10th save of the year and secured Fister's ninth win of 2013.

Meanwhile, Cole Hamels' season continues to get even bumpier as his record falls to 4-13. His 13 losses are now tied with former Phillie, now Los Angeles Angel, Joe Blanton for most losses in the Major Leagues.

The Phillies are now five games below the .500 mark at 49-54. They're now 9.0 games back of Atlanta for first place, who beat St. Louis 4-1 to improve to 58-45.

The Phillies will go up against Detroit's 14-game winner Max Scherzer (14-1, 3.14 ERA) on Saturday night.

Cliff Lee (10-4, 3.05 ERA) was scheduled to start on Saturday, but was scratched from his start due to a stiff neck.

Raul Valdes (1-0, 7.59 ERA), who is normally a reliever, will be starting in his place.

(Image from MLB.com)