The losses continue to pile up for the Phillies. They suffered their sixth in a row Wednesday night when the Washington Nationals completed a three-game sweep with a 7-2 victory at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phils have been swept two straight series and lost 10 of their last 12 to fall to a game under .500 for the first time since April 24.
Phillies starter Adam Morgan was hit hard in taking the loss. The Nats hit two home runs and had seven in the three-game series. Phillies pitching has given up 13 homers in the last six games.
The Phillies have been held to two or fewer runs 21 times in their 53 games. They are averaging 3.13 runs per game, the lowest mark in the majors.
Starting pitching report
Morgan was tagged for nine hits and six runs in six innings. He surrendered a pair of home runs in the sixth, including a three-run shot that came with no outs. The lefty allowed a pair of singles to open the frame.
Morgan walked none and struck out six.
Morgan has lost four straight starts. His ERA over that span is 9.61. Overall, he is 1-4 with a 7.07 ERA.
Washington’s Max Scherzer was dominant. He scattered five hits over eight innings, allowed just two runs, walked two and struck out 11.
Bullpen report
This game was decided by the starters.
At the plate
Tyler Goeddel’s third homer, a two-run shot in the seventh, accounted for the Phillies’ runs.
Wilson Ramos smacked a three-run homer off Morgan in the sixth and Danny Espinosa had a solo shot.
The Nats out-hit the Phillies, 12-6.
In the field
Shortstop Freddy Galvis made a nice over-the-shoulder catch in shallow center field. Rightfielder David Lough made two nice hustling, diving catches.
Howard to the bench
Manager Pete Mackanin announced that Ryan Howard would sit for three or four days while Tommy Joseph gets an extended look at first base (see story).
Joseph went hitless in four at-bats, but did line out hard to left field in the sixth inning.
Howard pinch-hit with two outs in the ninth and flied to center to end the game.
Transactions
The Phillies acquired infielder/outfielder Jimmy Paredes from Toronto in a cash deal (see story). The Jays had designated Paredes for assignment a few weeks after claiming him on waivers from Baltimore. The Phillies had put a claim in on Paredes, as well, but Toronto had waiver priority. To make room for Paredes, the Phillies designated infielder Emmanuel Burriss for assignment.
Paredes appeared as a pinch-hitter and struck out. He is the first to wear No. 41 since former manager Charlie Manuel, who was in the house Wednesday night with the rest of the Phillies' scouting staff in preparation for next week’s draft.
Up next
The Phillies open a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night. Here are the pitching matchups:
Thursday night — RHP Jerad Eickhoff (2-7, 4.07) vs. RHP Chase Anderson (2-6, 5.00)
Friday night — RHP Vince Velasquez (5-2, 3.63) vs. RHP Jimmy Nelson (5-3, 2.88)
Saturday afternoon — RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.68) vs. RHP Junior Guerra (3-1, 3.47)
Sunday afternoon — RHP Aaron Nola (4-4, 2.88) vs. RHP Wily Peralta (3-6, 6.51).
