MILWAUKEE – Ryan Howard, Greg Dobbs and Shane Victorino made it very interesting when he singled off closer Salomon Torres to start the ninth. Yet again, the Phillies put a runner in scoring position, and yet again they did so with one out or fewer.
Bases loaded with no outs in a three-run game… how do the Phillies respond?
Not well.
Pedro Feliz laced a grounder to third that was turned into a 5-4-3 to chase in a run to cut the lead to two…
Or not.
Actually, instead of sliding into second game, Victorino ducked instead and barreled into Craig Counsell. After manager Dale Sveum petitioned the umps, the run was erased when Howard was forced back to third and Dobbs to second.
If that did not typify the Phillies’ evening, nothing did.
So there we are: the series is 2-1 with big-game pitcher Jeff Suppan ready to go on Sunday morning and CC Sabathia waiting in the wings for a Game 5 start back in Philly.
Yes, this could get troublesome for the Phillies very quickly.
Heading to the clubhouse… more later.
End of 9: Brewers 4, Phillies 1