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Halladay goes nine innings in 2-1 Phillies win

Summary: Roy Halladay pitched a complete-game seven-hitter to guide the Phillies to a club record 18th win in April in a tight Saturday afternoon victory at Citizens Bank Park. Halladay (4-1) allowed a run and walk while striking out eight. The NL Cy Young winner remains unbeaten against the Mets. John Mayberry Jr. started in left and went deep for his first homer of the year, part of a 2-for-4 afternoon. Placido Polanco pushed across the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 7th.

Saturday chat: Doc hopes for more mastery of Mets

Roy Halladay (3-1, 2.41) tries for his sixth win in six starts against the Mets when the Phillies host a 1:10 Saturday matinee at Citizens Bank Park. Left-hander Jonathon Niese (1-3, 5.10) goes for the Mets. Discussion points: What do you think of Vance Worley's Major League prospects after Friday's six-inning shutout? How does the bullpen picture play out once guys return from the disabled list? And has the offense regained your confidence?

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Postgame: Worley, Howard power Phils past Mets

Vance Worley pitched six scoreless innings in his season debut and Ryan Howard provided plenty of support with a grand slam and a two-run homer, leading the Phils over the Mets, 10-3, on Friday night.

Worley, who had a 1.38 ERA in five appearances (two starts) last season, was once again sharp Friday in place of Joe Blanton (elbow). He allowed two singles and four walks but escaped some dangerous spots with five strikeouts and a pair of double plays. In 19 career innings for the Phillies, Worley has allowed a total of two runs and 10 hits.

Howard posted his first multi-homer game of the season with a two-run blast off Mike Pelfrey in the fourth and a grand slam – the 10^th of his career – off Dillon Gee in the sixth. Howard has now homered three times in two games after going more than two weeks without a home run. He came up in the seventh with a shot at another grand slam but struck out swinging against Tim Byrdak.

The Phils’ other runs came courtesy of two-run singles by Ben Francisco in the fifth and Placido Polanco in the seventh. They took a 10-0 lead into the ninth before David Herndon threw some late batting practice to make the final score a little more respectable.

Next up: Doc Halladay vs. Jonathon Niese in a Saturday matinee.

-Written for Beerleaguer by Drew Silverman

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Breaking news: Sardinha recalled for catching help

With Carlos Ruiz reeling, the Phillies have purchased the contract of Dane Sardinha from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To make room, left-hander Mike Zagurski was sent down.

Sardinha, 32, was hitting just .105/.227/.132 in 45 plate appearances, sharing catching duties with Erik Kratz in Lehigh Valley. In Sardinha, the Phils opted for the more experienced handler, as opposed to Kratz, who hits well and hits for power. A catch-and-throw backstop, Sardinha started nine games for the Phils last season and flashed some surprise pop, parking three homers during his limited tour. Sardinha is out of options, so his contract needed to be purchased. He'll need to clear waivers in order to be reassigned to minors once Carlos Ruiz is healthy. The Phils opted not to send Ruiz to the disabled list for his sore back and instead sent Zagurski back down to the minors. The left-hander was totally ineffective in two appearances.

Tonight's lineup: Victorino, Polanco, Rollins, Howard, Francisco, Ibanez, Orr, Schneider, Worley. Orr is hitting .320 in 26 plate appearances and has started in four of the last eight games.

One month down, Francisco earns passing grade

He's no Jayson Werth, but replacement right-fielder Ben Francisco is holding his own in a starting role.

After 24 games, including 22 starts in right, Francisco has been, frankly, not dissimilar to what he produced sitting behind Werth in a reduced role on the bench. As a starter, he's hitting. 261/.327/.455 (110 OPS+) with four home runs, actually hitting better against righties than lefties. Fears that he would eventually be exposed as an everyday player have not come to fruition, at least not yet. His numbers are nearly identical to his five-year career average as a role player between Cleveland and Philadelphia (.263/.329/.446). Unfortunately, his glove is worse than many expected. He's surprisingly raw at the craft, and kind of a moronic route runner.

Add everything together, however, and he's an above-average producer. The Phils would be wise to stick with him for now, with hopes that he can improve in certain areas.

The question is whether the Phillies can afford to stay the course in both corner outfield spots? If the Phils were to make any change, it should come in left field. More and more, it appears the Phils are easing Raul Ibanez out of his full-time role in left. Ibanez hasn't had a hit in eight games, and although he hit the ball hard in Arizona, he's grounding out weakly at a maddening clip: a 2.06 groundball/flyball ratio.

Meanwhile, Domonic Brown looms and continues to make fast progress, homering again last night. Still, it's unclear whether the Phils would be comfortable taking away his at bats in a hybrid role on the Phillies' bench. There were thoughts, at one point when everyone was healthy, that the Phils could go with a platoon at both corners, mixing Brown with Mayberry, Francisco, Ibanez and even Ross Gload, who has not factored into the outfield mix.

Right now, it's difficult to argue against Francisco keeping his job. What happens in left is anyone's guess.

Breaking news: Out of the blue, Blanton goes on DL

The Phillies have reportedly placed tomorrow's starter Joe Blanton on the disabled list with a right medial impingement of his pitching elbow. Right-hander Vance Worley has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Blanton, 30, is 0-1 with a 5.92 ERA. He pitched consecutive seven-inning quality starts following a pair of duds to open the season. There had been no reports that he had been pitching through pain until now. Worley, 23, started two games for the Phillies at the end of 2010. He was 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA and 25/6 K/BB ratio in 22 2-3 innings with the IronPigs. The move means that Kyle Kendrick, who pitched Tuesday, will remain in the bullpen for the time being.

Beerleaguer: We have to wait and see the severity of this. Obviously, going from Blanton to Worley is a downgrade, but as a fifth starter surrounded with great pitchers, the Phils can get away with it in the short term. If Blanton's recovery takes longer, it could get a little hairy if Worley can't hold up. The Phillies probably like what Kendrick is giving them in the bullpen, too. I like Worley, however, and think he could develop into a decent back-end starter. Time to find out, beginning tomorrow night.

Meanwhile, no word yet on Carlos Ruiz's back injury.

Ex-Phils pepper independent Atlantic League rosters

The Camden RiverSharks and the rest of the Atlantic League open their season tomorrow night. Here's a look at some ex-Phils who will be appearing this season.

Danny Sandoval, INF, Road Warriors (no city affiliation, all-road team. Sandoval played in the Phillies system from 2001-05 and is an Atlantic League veteran); Rick Bauer, RHP, Lancaster (Ottawa, 2007); Pat Overholt, RHP, Lancaster (Minors, 2005-09); Les Walrond, LHP, Lancaster (Phillies, 2008); Terry Tiffee, INF, Lancaster (AAA, 2009); Reggie Taylor, OF, Lancaster (Phillies system, 1995-01); Travis Minix, RHP, Somerset (AA-AAA, 2005-08); Antonio Alfonseca, RHP, Bridgeport (Phillies, 2007); Angel Chavez, INF, Bridgeport (AAA-AA, 2006); Jim Ed Warden, RHP, Southern Maryland (2007 Rule 5 pick); Brandon Pinckney, INF, Southern Maryland (AA, 2010); Ehren Wasserman, RHP, Long Island (AAA, 2010); Matt Padgett, OF, Long Island (AAA-AA, 2006-07); Brian Burgamy, INF, Camden (AA-A, 2006-07); Melvin Dorta, INF, Camden (AAA ,2010); Mike Koplove, RHP, Camden (AAA, 2009).

Transactions: Right-hander Ricardo Rodriguez, the player acquired from the Rangers in the Vicente Padilla deal in 2005, was cut by Southern Maryland during spring training.

Thursday: Phillies could be ready to reassess roster

Back from their West Coast swing, the Phillies could use this homecoming to make some changes.

As several small fissures have started to show in the facade, the Phillies could reach for the caulking gun. In right-handers Danys Baez, Kyle Kendrick, Michael Stutes and David Herndon, the Phillies hold several redundant parts: middle relievers who should be expected to chew up more than an inning. By keeping Herndon on the 25-man roster all season in 2010, the Phils earned the right to option him just as they can with other prospects. It may be time to take advantage of that.

Herndon, who was the last man to make the Opening Day roster, has had lousy command, allowing 12 hits and six walks in 9 2-3 innings. A demotion would make sense, but there is no clear answer down in the minors, unless the Phillies decide to pull someone out of the starting rotation. Vance Worley may be the most qualified for Bigs right now, but the Phils are keeping him stretched out as a starter and he's pitched quite well for Lehigh Valley (2-2, 2.78 ERA, 25/6 K/BB). Eddie Bonine, who was a reliever last season with Detroit, has added a cutter to his repertoire, taught to him by Cliff Lee this spring, and has pitched to good results in the IronPigs' rotation. Reclemation project Jason Grilli has also been effective in relief as he tries to make it back to the Show.

A roster move may be forthcoming anyway. Carlos Ruiz could go on the disabled list, which means that Dane Sardinha, Erik Kratz, or even Double-A veteran Tuffy Gosewisch, could be summoned from the minors. Kratz, who appeared in a few games with the Pirates and was a Triple-A All-Star last season, is hitting .370/.500/.778 with three homers in 33 plate appearances with the Pigs, splitting time with Sardinha, who has not been hitting (.088/.225/.118). However, Sardinha filled in admirably for the Phils in 2010, starting nine games for the big club and belting a couple of homers in the process. It may boil down to which receiver the Phils' pitchers feel most comfortable. Gosewisch has a reputation for being a good handler, and his bat has improved (he homered twice yesterday), so I'll throw his name into the ring.

As for the rest of the bench, I'm guessing they're fine with Pete Orr, John Mayberry and Michael Martinez, but you never know.

Notes: Chooch's sore back, Brown, Biddle updates

Beerleaguer goes around the horn in this Wednesday nightcap.

Phils bust out bats in Arizona: The Phillies set a season high with three home runs in a comforting 8-4 win in their series finale with the Diamondbacks. Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard went deep for their fourth homers of the season, while Jimmy Rollins belted his first and knocked in three. Placido Polanco remained fire hot and went 4-for-5 to raise his average to .389. Cole Hamels recorded his third win with seven strong innings, striking out eight.

Chooch to be reevaluated: Carlos Ruiz will be examined by team doctors tomorrow after getting taken out of Wednesday's game with lower back pain. Chooch injured his back swinging the bat in the top of the first inning and told reporters that he feels sore. Asked if he was worried, he told reporters "Yeah."

Duckworth dumped by former team: The IronPigs took advantage of five Brandon Duckworth walks and pounded the former Phillie with six hits in 3 2-3 innings in Lehigh Valley's 8-2 victory over Pawtucket. Duckworth spent last season with the IronPigs after signing a minor league deal with the Phils, hoping to jumpstart his career, but stayed in Triple-A the entire season. Brian Bass earned the win for Lehigh Valley.

Gosewisch, Susdorf power R-Phils: Tuffy Gosewisch and Stephen Susdorf each homered twice, and the R-Phils mashed 17 total hits, in a 14-6 thumping of the SeaWolves in Erie. Susdorf finished with eight RBIs. Fidel Hernandez has taken over second base duties for Harold Garcia, who will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear.

Brown homers in rehab debut: Domonic Brown went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Clearwater's 8-6 win over Lakeland. Left-hander Julio Rodriguez improved to 3-0.

Biddle belted by Charleston: First-round pick and Germantown Friends product Jesse Biddle was roughed up to the tune of five runs on five hits and four walks in 3 1-3 innings in Lakewood's 6-2 loss to Charleston. The young left-hander fell to 0-3 with a 7.18 ERA.

In progress: Phillies rally in first, Chooch leaves game

Game chat: A pair of RBI doubles by Jimmy Rollins and Ben Francisco scored three in the first, then Shane Victorino clocked his fourth home run of the season to give Cole Hamels an early 4-0 lead over the Diamondbacks. The Snakes got one back in the bottom of the second to trim the lead to 4-1. Meanwhile, catcher Carlos Ruiz left the game and was replaced by Brian Schneider. No word on that situation. The Phils are trying to salvage a win in the series before returning home from their seven-game road swing. For those just tuning in, Raul Ibanez sits for John Mayberry Jr. in left. Roy Oswalt, as reported, has left the team to see to his family in the wake of destructive tornados that swept through Oswalt's Mississippi town on Tuesday. Discuss the game in the thread below.

Update: Carlos Ruiz left the game with lower back tightness, according to Twitter reports.

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Oswalt tends to family in wake of destructive tornado

The Phillies have confirmed that Roy Oswalt has indeed left the Phillies to see to his family in Weir, Mississippi, where severe tornados ripped through the region on Tuesday.

Following up on reports that Oswalt had left the team for personal reasons last night, the Phillies released this statement: "There has been a tremendous amount of tornado activity near Roy's home in Mississippi resulting in several tragic deaths and significant devastation to the area," the statement reads. "Because of this, Roy is concerned about his family's well-being. He has chosen to take time to make sure there wasn't significant damage to his home, but more importantly, to make certain that his wife and children are okay."

Oswalt left the Astros almost a year ago, to the date, to tend to his parents when a tornado damaged their home.

Report: Oswalt leaves Phillies for personal reasons

Multiple outlets are reporting that Roy Oswalt has left the Phillies for personal reasons, and there is no word on when he will return.

According to Twitter reports, Oswalt, who was taken out of last night's game in the third inning following 57 ineffective pitches, left the team last night. The veteran right-hander suffered his shortest start as a Phillie and allowed five runs, fueling speculation that he was still feeling the effects of a sore back. Oswalt was unavailable for comment because he had already left the clubhouse by the end of the game and was not available to reporters. Because of off days on Thursday and Monday, Oswalt's next scheduled turn falls Tuesday in Philadelphia, which would allow time for Oswalt to attend to his personal matter, get healthy, or both. The Phillies finish their series in Arizona today at 3:40 p.m. before flying back to Philadelphia for a weekend set with the Mets beginning Friday.

Update: Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tells CSN's Jim Salisbury that Oswalt's health is fine.

Update: As readers have pointed out, a series of severe and deadly tornados ripped through the county in Mississippi where Oswalt is from on Tuesday.

Postgame: Oswalt struggles in 7-5 loss to 'Zona

The Phillies' bats showed signs of life, but Roy Oswalt lasted just three innings as the D-Backs took the second game of the series.

For just the second time as a member of the Phillies, Oswalt failed to make it past the fifth inning, allowing five earned on six hits in three frames. He took his first loss of the year and became the first Phils starter this season to register zero strikeouts in an outing. Oswalt's lackluster fastball and early exit from the game are somewhat troubling, considering his recent back issues.

Kyle Kendrick threw two perfect innings to relieve Oswalt, but Mike Zagurski coughed up a solo homer in 2-3 innings and David Herndon let across a run on three hits in his two innings on the bump.

The Phils did notch 12 hits, reaching double-digit knocks for the first time in 13 games. Ryan Howard was 3-for-4 with a double and Shane Victorino was 2-for-5, including a triple to leadoff the game. Placido Polanco followed Vic’s three-bagger in the opening frame with a single to left, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. Arizona, however, posted three runs in the second, and the Phils played from behind the rest of the way.

Ben Francisco added a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth, but it was too little too late. The roundtripper was Francisco's fourth of the year.

Next up: Cole Hamels (2-1, 2.92) tries to help the Phils avoid a sweep against Joe Saunders (0-2, 4.98) Wednesday at 3:40 p.m.

Game chat: Unbeaten Oswalt gives it a whirl tonight

Brian Schneider and Pete Orr replace struggling regulars Carlos Ruiz and Wilson Valdez tonight when the Phillies play the second of three against the D-Backs. Right-handers Roy Oswalt (3-0, 1.88) and Daniel Hudson (0-4, 5.92) have the ball.

Before the game, the Phillies offered several key injury updates. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. revealed Jose Contreras' elbow injury to be a Grade 1 strain. CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury reports that the interim closer will be shut down 10 days with a three-to-four-week timetable for a return. ... In other news, second-base prospect Harold Garcia, a member of the 40-man roster and starter in Reading, will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear, as reported by Matt Gelb of the Inquirer. Garcia broke the Florida State League record with a 37-game hitting streak last season. The 24-year-old Venezuelan was hitting .300/.327/.807 with a pair of homers in 52 plate appearances for Double-A Reading. Tough setback for a hard-working and fast-rising young prospect. ... In happier news, Domonic Brown is set to begin a rehab assignment in Clearwater. The Phillies' top prospect is expected to make a full recovery from hamate bone surgery, but has missed significant, regular playing time, dating back to late last season when he sat on the Phillies' bench. According to reports, he's making very good progress, but may not make it back with the big club for some time.

Tonight's lineup: Victorino, Polanco, Rollins, Howard, Francisco, Ibanez, Orr, Schneider. Schneider has two hits on the season, both home runs. Oswalt lasted six innings his last start, piling up pitches due to some long at bats by the Padres.

Tuesday: Phillies' struggles extend beyond Ibanez

The Phils have reached a point where a hard-hit ball for an out qualifies as a highlight, which makes Raul Ibanez one of the standout performers of Monday's loss.

The Phillies made a deal with the devil the first 10 games, trading their souls for an inflated BABIP. Now the devil has come to collect his due. As CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury notes in his sad gamer, Carlos Ruiz is hitless in his last 22 at-bats, worse than Ibanez and his tree trunk of a bat. Raul is hitless in his last 21 at-bats. Meanwhile, Wilson Valdez is two for his last 22, while Jimmy Rollins is just five for his last 35. As much as I appreciate 15 wins and all the good pitching, I'm eager for hitting season. Aside from a small handful of prospects, most of them lumbering first-base types, the Phillies aren't hitting at any level of their system. The pitching has been solid, however. Lakewood won its game over Charleston Monday as left-hander Mario Hollands went seven innings. The 6-5, 2010 10th-round pick out of UC Santa Barbara has a 1.93 ERA in his first four starts. Lehigh Valley lost 5-3, while Reading and Clearwater were washed out.

Hot: Jonathan Pettibone, Clearwater. The 2007 third-round pick appears to be turning the corner in his age 20-21 season. The Phils must be encouraged by his early strikeout and walk totals. In 24 innings, the groundball right-hander has 18 punchouts, two walks and hasn't surrendered a home run. He's also been tough on lefties, which was the case last season.

Not: Scott Mathieson, Lehigh Valley. He's allowed 10 hits and 8 walks in just 8 1-3 innings at Lehigh Valley. With Mike Stutes and Mike Zagurski already summoned to Philadelphia, Mathieson's stock continues to drop among his relief peers.

Postgame: Phillies blanked by Kennedy, D-Backs

The Phils’ nonexistent offense made Ian Kennedy look like Walter Johnson as Arizona waltzed to a victory in the series opener.

One could say that Kennedy silenced the Phillies’ bats on Monday night, but that implies the offense was making noise prior to the 4-0 loss. The defeat snapped a five-game win streak and marked the 14th-straight contest in which the Phils scored four runs or less, tying their longest such streak in 30 years. The Phils have also now dropped six of eight series openers.

The Phillies managed just three hits on the night, two of them coming off the bat of Placido Polanco. The only non-Polanco knock was an infield single by Jimmy Rollins that every major-league second baseman but Kelly Johnson would have converted into an out. All told, the Phils hit just eight balls out of the infield as Kennedy went the distance, striking out 10 and walking none.

Outside of two costly gopher balls, Cliff Lee pitched well. He allowed a two-run bomb to Chris Young in the third inning and a solo shot to Gerardo Parra in the fifth. The fourth Arizona run came on an RBI single by Xavier Nady in the sixth frame. Lee lasted seven innings, allowing four runs on five hits while matching a season high with 12 strikeouts.

In his major-league debut, Michael Stutes tossed a perfect eighth past the top of the Arizona order, showcasing a tight slider and his fastball topped out at 94 mph on the Comcast SportsNet gun.

Next up: Roy Oswalt (3-0, 1.88) will take on Daniel Hudson (0-4, 5.92) on Tuesday.

-Written for Beerleaguer by Matt Grassie

Game chat: Phillies hoping to push win streak to six

Cliff Lee is on the bump tonight against Ian Kennedy in the first of three against the Snakes.

In two career starts against Arizona, Lee has a 2-0 record with a 2.57 ERA. Current members of the D-Backs sport this beautiful slash line against Lee: .221/.260/.250 with 16 Ks and four walks in 73 plate appearances. First pitch tonight at Chase Park is 9:40. The Phils will take the field looking like this: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Rollins SS, Howard 1B, Francisco RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez 2B. Rookie reliever Mike Stutes, who had his contract purchased after yesterday's game, joins the Phillies' bullpen in place of Jose Contreras, who has returned to Philadelphia and is scheduled for an MRI on his injured elbow.  - M. Grassie

First-place Phillies hoping one dimension is enough

An all-pitching, no-hitting approach has guided the Phillies to five-straight wins and a 15-6 mark, which is the best in baseball. So why do many of us have such an uneasy feeling?

Beginning tonight, the league's second-oldest pitching staff, which has surrendered the fewest runs-per-game in baseball (3.29), meets the National League’s youngest - and statistically worst - staff, by the same measure (5.76). So if you’ve been waiting for the bats to reignite, the venerable Phillies may well find their fountain of youth in the desert.

At an average age of 32.2, the Phils’ lineup is the league’s longest of tooth, and with age has come an assortment of weird inflictions. Like middle-aged men overcompensating for lost vitality, the Phils swing at everything now. They don’t take walks and they don’t strike out, but they put everything in play and usually land on the fairway. Unfortunately, they refuse to admit that it’s time to move up to the senior tees. Their drives barely clear the ladies tees and Raul Ibanez has been playing with his pants down for over two weeks, per the rules of the game.

Nevertheless, like any 6 a.m. tee-time senior, they’ll beat the average frat-house stubby because they’re not stupid enough to try to clear the trees and they’re deadly accurate around the greens, just as the Phillies' staff always catches the black. But I worry that eventually they’ll run into a young, athletic blue-chipper with a smooth swing and a good head on his shoulders. I wonder if the balanced Marlins could be that obstacle. They’re 8-2 over their last 10 and just a game-and-a-half behind the Phils, who have been fortunate to time their funk with a run against the Braves, Nationals and Padres, teams that average four or fewer runs themselves. The Phils have scrimped together an average of three runs per game over their last 13 contests, having failed to score more than four runs in a game since Apr. 9.

With almost a month in the books, the Phillies are figuratively, and factually, all aces. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels have also been the team’s best four players, and it isn’t close.

Notes: Don’t be surprised if Charlie Manuel hands the ball to Mike Stutes in high-leverage situations. He misses bats and reportedly has the make-up to pitch the late innings. It will be interesting to see how the Phils handle the loss of Contreras. Originally, the Phils had hoped that Danys Baez could serve an eighth-inning role, but he’s done nothing but melt under such situations in two years with the Phils. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that youth will be served in Stutes and a longer look at Antonio Bastardo. With their starting staff, the Phils have the luxury. That’s precisely why easing Ibanez into a platoon role is really no big deal.

Phils lose Contreras to DL, summon Stutes from AAA

Phillies closer Jose Contreras has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a flexor pronator strain in his throwing arm. The 39-year-old right-hander, who replaced Brad Lidge as closer, will reportedly leave the team and return to Philadephia for an MRI. He was 5-for-5 in save opportunities, appearing in eight games. Right-hander Mike Stutes has been called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he appeared in seven games (10 IP) and pitched to a 1.80 ERA. Ryan Madson, who has been limited due to general soreness lately, will take over as closer, and it would appear that Antonio Bastardo, who earned the save today and struck out all three batters he faced on Saturday, could slot into a set-up role. More on the injury situation, and the Phillies' sweep of the Padres, on Monday.

Doc matches career strikeout high in win

Roy Halladay fanned 14 and pitched deep into the ninth as the Phillies finished off a four game sweep with a 3-1 win over the Padres on Sunday afternoon. Recap coming.

Game chat: Baseball's best team seeks sweep

Preview: The 14-6 Phillies, tied for the league's best record with Colorado, send the game's best pitcher to the bump in Roy Halladay this afternoon in hopes of taking all four games from the Padres in San Diego. First pitch is 4:05. With Halladay on the hill, a wimpy Pads offense ahead of him and Wade LeBlanc recalled from Triple-A make the start for San Diego, Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel will sit Raul Ibanez and Wilson Valdez in favor of John Mayberry in left and Michael Martinez at second. And why not? The Phils could field a split squad and still be marked as heavy favorites. As it is, Ibanez is 0-for-his-last-18 and Manuel is running out of excuses to start him against lefties at the very minimum. The Phils have won 10 in a row at Petco and are riding baseball's longest winning streak at four in a row.

McCarthy and Wheels recap Phils' extra-inning win

Beerleaguer: Two points. First, bullpen, bullpen, bullpen. It was the best effort, to date, by the middle men, who didn't allow so much as a base-runner until the 11th. Antonio Bastardo has been the revelation the Phillies have been hoping for. Second, what a terrific situation to outlast the Padres in extras, making it through the Blanton start, knowing they have Roy Halladay cocked and loaded for the sweep this afternoon. As poor as the Padres are, it once again proves the strength of the Phillies.

Postgame: Phils’ offense wakes in extras to top Pads

After striking out four times in his first four at-bats of the game, Ryan Howard stroked a two-run double in the 11th inning and it proved to be the difference as the Phillies beat the Padres 4-2.

The Phils did not manage to put a runner on base from the sixth inning to the tenth. Placido Polanco’s single to leadoff the 11th frame broke the streak and kick-started the Phils’ game-winning rally. After Shane Victorino’s sac bunt and Pete Orr’s groundout to short, Polly was on third and the Padres opted to put Rollins on to get to Howard. San Diego's gamble did not pay off as Ryan Ludwick struggled with Howard’s long fly to left and Polanco and Rollins both came around to score.

The bullpen was terrific, posting four innings of scoreless, one-hit ball after Joe Blanton’s removal. Danys Baez worked an unblemished eighth, Antonio Bastardo struck out the side in the ninth, Kyle Kendrick got the win with a scoreless 10th and Ryan Madson shut it down in the 11th for his second save of the season.

In seven innings of work, Blanton allowed two earned runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Following a pair of rough starts to begin the year, he has allowed just four runs over his last 14 innings on the mound.

The Phillies notched just six hits on the night and Ben Francisco was the only guy with multiple knocks, including an RBI triple in the fourth. Jimmy Rollins knocked in a run on an infield single in the sixth. Howard finished 1-for-5 with and had four Ks for the second time this series.

Next up: Roy Halladay takes the mound against Wade LeBlanc on Sunday as the Phils look to complete the sweep.

-Written for Beerleaguer by Matt Grassie

Beerleaguers hitting the head during Phillies' at-bats

With an offense providing only the bare essentials, readers have zeroed in on the main attraction: a scene-stealing pitching staff that has lived up to the hype. Here's what they said following Cole Hamels'  masterwork.

Cole steps up: "Cole was great. He was squeezed by that walk in the 2nd and then gave up that double down the line. He did a great job getting out of that inning unscathed. From there, he was on top of his game, hardly getting into trouble the rest of the way. And he saved our bullpen. That means we'll have all our bullets (save perhaps Madson) for the Blanton start." - CJ

Who needs Lee? "When Hamels can locate his and primarily goes fastball/changeup like he did Friday, you see an unhittable pitcher who used that exact same recipe to win postseason accolades and carry the team to the '08 WS. Yeah his curveball is a bit better, and he has the cutter, but his changeup is still his bread and butter. After seeing Hamels pitch like that and Oswalt Thursday night, I still wonder how this team would look if Amaro had gone after an OF bat and a power arm for the bullpen instead of signing Lee." - MG

Stop whining: "The griping about the offense is legitimate. What's also legitimate: pointing out how miserable of a person you have to be to continue to harp on it day after day after day when we're being treated as fans to the type of pitching we see almost every night. I understand it's been years since the offense has been only league-average, but do you really want to go back to the days when you'd have to count on the Phils to score 7 runs and pray Adam Eaton could go 5 innings giving up only 4 runs? Since '93, watching the Phils pitch was a chore. Now we are absolutely spoiled, and all most of you are worried about is tar and feathering Raul Ibanez." - Iceman

"I use the offense for my bathroom breaks, getting food, etc. It's more fun to watch the pitching." - Jack

The negative art of pitching: "There was a circus aspect to the '07-08 team that I miss -- not as much the dreadful pitching but the prodigious displays of offense sometimes to the point of overkill (dropping 23 on the Rockies one '08 night if I remember correctly). That's gleeful watching. This team as constituted is better than the '07 team and probably the '08 team. But pitching is a negative art: success is absence. It's hard to take as much pleasure in it as one does in prodigious offensive production." - Klaus

Postgame: Hamels fuels Phillies' latest shutout

Cole Hamels was in complete control against his hometown team, tossing eight strong innings as the Phillies posted their second straight shutout and fifth of the season, 2-0, against the Padres on Friday night.

Hamels was brilliant for the third straight game since struggling in his season debut. The lefty had his entire repetoire working, including an improving curveball and his usual display of nasty changeups. He finished having allowed four hits and three walks (one intentional). He stuck out eight batters as part of a season-high 126-pitch effort.

Jose Contreras had the night off, meaning Ryan Madson was in charge of the ninth. Madson came through with a 1-2-3 inning that included a vintage play from Jimmy Rollins deep in the hole at shortstop. The win gave the Phils five shutouts in their first 19 games for the first time since 1913.

The Phillies' offense remained quiet, scoring four runs or fewer for the 11th straight game. Their lone runs came in the third inning, when Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco walked with one out. Following a flyout by Rollins - who went 0-for-3 and is now in a 2-for-25 slump - Ryan Howard laced a two-run triple into the right-center field gap.

Next up: Joe Blanton takes the mound Saturday night against Tim Stauffer in the third game of the four-game series.

-Written for Beerleaguer by Drew Silverman

Game chat: Manuel stays course with original order

As usual, Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel exercises patience with his tepid offense, even with a quality left-hander on the mound in Clayton Richard, in the second of four from Petco Park. First pitch is 10:05. The Phillies go with Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Ben Francisco, Raul Ibanez, Carlos Ruiz and Wilson Valdez ahead of Cole Hamels, resisting the urge to drop Rollins lower and sit Ibanez for John Mayberry Jr.

Beer nuts: Madson catches the 'body soreness' bug

Antonio Bastardo was asked to convert four outs last night because Ryan Madson was unavailable to pitch the eighth inning. When CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury asked the right-hander why, Madson got snippy.

“It’s from pitching four out of six days,” Madson said. Salisbury said his mood turned testy when he was asked where he was feeling the soreness. “I’m fine. I’m good,” he snapped. “I took a day off. Is that good enough for you guys?” If Madson is still unavailable tonight, the Phils could be in some trouble at the back of their bullpen. Jose Contreras threw 26 pitches and labored through the 9th inning Thursday night and has pitched in five of the last seven games. The last time the Phillies used vague phrasing, such as "body soreness," to describe a player's condition was this spring, when Chase Utley missed the Grapefruit League opener because of "tired legs." He's only starting to run now. Madson hasn't looked quite as sharp lately, but he, along with Contreras and Bastardo, have done a good job fortifying the later frames.

Lineup shuffle needed? As David Hale of Delaware Online notes, the Phillies have gone 10 straight games without scoring more than four runs. Jimmy Rollins, whose only RBI this season came on a seeing-eye hit, appears to be big culprit in holding the offense back. One solution could be to slide either Wilson Valdez or Carlos Ruiz into the top third and move Rollins down to the bottom third.

Minor notes: A couple of players have come off the disabled list in the high minors. Reliever Brian Gordon has rejoined the IronPigs. Outfielder Jeremy Slayden, who came out of retirement this winter, has rejoined Reading. Meanwhile, Domonic Brown could be getting close to returning and would likely join Lehigh Valley at some point. The Phillies signed reliever Adrian Alaniz this week and assigned him to Clearwater. The 27-year-old right-hander has spent his career in the Washington Nationals system.

Postgame: Oswalt shows no ill effects, beats Padres

Six days after leaving a start with a lower back strain, Roy Oswalt pitched six scoreless innings Thursday to lead the Phillies over the Padres, 3-0, in the opener of a four-game set at Petco Park.

Oswalt didn’t allow a hit until Chris Denorfia flared a single to right with two outs in the fifth. He finished having allowed just that single and a pair of walks, though he did need 106 pitches to record 18 outs. The right-hander struck out seven in improving to 3-0 and lowering his ERA to 1.88.

Antonio Bastardo escaped a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the seventh and then worked the eighth with Ryan Madson having the night off. Jose Contreras allowed a pair of two-out baserunners in the ninth before freezing Brad Hawpe on a backdoor slider to secure his fifth save in as many chances.

Offensively, Ben Francisco and Brian Schneider provided the highlights with second-inning solo homers against Mat Latos. Ryan Howard, meanwhile, left the park wearing the old "golden sombrero" after his 0-for-5 with four strikeouts. Three of those K’s came vs. Latos, against whom Howard is now 0-for-8 with eight strikeouts lifetime.

Next up: Cole Hamels takes the hill Friday night against Clayton Richard in the second game of the four-game set. The Phillies will be going for their ninth straight win at Petco Park, dating to 2008.

-Written for Beerleaguer by Drew Silverman

Game chat: Can Phils maintain success at Petco?

Roy Oswalt (2-0, 2.50) and the Phillies open a four-game series with the 8-10 San Diego Padres beginning tonight at Petco Park. Mat Latos (0-2, 2.50) fires off the first pitch at … yawn … 10:05.

Best of the press notes: The Phillies enter play tonight with an all-time record of 18-4 (.818) at Petco Park. Dating to the 2008 season, the Phils have won seven straight games and 11 of their last 12. … Their series loss to the Brewers earlier this week snapped a streak of six straight series wins and was their first - at least in the regular season -  since September 24-26, 2010 when they lost two out of three to the Mets at home ... Dating to last season, the Phillies have won 11 straight series on the road.

Oswalt has allowed two runs in six innings in each of his first three starts. He is 10-2 with a 2.45 ERA lifetime against San Diego. Meanwhile, a couple of Phillies have had success in limited action against Latos, but Ryan Howard is not on that list. The Phils' slugger is 0-for-5 with five strikeouts lifetime against the Padres' right-hander. However, in his career against San Diego, Howard has hit .360/.470/.654 with nine homers and 45 RBIs in 38 games.

Lineups are posted: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, J Roll SS, Howard 1B, Ibanez LF, Francisco RF, Orr 2B, Schneider C.

Double-A prospects turning the corner in Reading

In Reading, several prospects who appeared overmatched or out of sorts last summer have returned to form. Most impressive to date: Phillippe Aumont, Austin Hyatt, J.C. Ramirez and infielder Cody Overbeck. Beat writer and friend to Beerleaguer, Mike Drago, provides his take:

"Aumont was just not comfortable in his new role as a starter last season, and everything snowballed on him. He’s back in the bullpen and a completely different guy this season, much more confident and throwing the ball the way the Phillies envisioned he would when they traded for him. He again looks like a prospect who could fill a role in the bullpen within the next year.

"Hyatt was the Florida State League Pitcher of the Year last season but by the time he got to Reading he was gassed. He’s got more zip on his fastball now, and more command, and looks like a much more polished pitcher. At this early juncture I’m not sure how good he can eventually be, but he does have some value for the organization.

"Ramirez was pitching hurt most of his time in Reading during the second half last season. He didn’t know it at the time but he had a torn labrum in his right hip and it prevented him from delivery comfortably and at full velocity. He’s recovered nicely from offseason surgery and, like Aumont, looks like the top-level prospect they expected to receive in the Cliff Lee trade. Definitely should be able to help the big club sometime within the next 18 months.

"Overbeck struggled his first two months in Double-A last summer but began to turn it on in the final month, and showed plus power. Through the first two weeks of the season he’s been the best hitter in the Eastern League, and leads the league in homers, RBIs and slugging. However, the Phillies have moved him to first base, and it’s hard to say how much value he’ll have over there. The organization has few, if any, legit third base prospects, so his move across the diamond is telling.

"Matt Rizzotti has been tearing the cover off the ball, just as he did here last season. Again, his future within the organization appears to be limited. He can only play first base, and isn’t strong there with the glove. So, his value to the Phillies would seem to be as trade bait. His bat is lethal, however, and you’d have to think some American League club would have interest."

Mike Drago covers the Reading Phillies for the Reading Eagle newspaper and contributes his Double-A report for Beerleaguer from time to time.

Postgame: Phillies blast past Brewers to salvage win

Behind a pair of home runs and some stellar bullpen work, the Phillies avoided a sweep with a 4-3 victory against the Brewers on Wednesday afternoon.

Placido Polanco hit a three-run homer in the sixth to bail out Cliff Lee, who allowed three runs (two earned) and eight hits in six innings before exiting in a 3-0 hole. Polanco’s shot tied the game at 3-3 and ended the Phils’ scoreless streak at 17 innings. Shane Victorino’s solo homer off Brandon Kintzler in the eighth – a booming shot into the Phils’ bullpen – provided the difference.

Kyle Kendrick, rebounding from a shaky performance in Monday’s 12-inning loss, pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. Ryan Madson struck out a pair of hitters with two runners on in the eighth, and Jose Contreras logged the ninth for his fourth save in as many chances.

Prince Fielder had an RBI single and a run-scoring double for the Brewers, who flashed some terrific leather, but horrible base running in the game.

Next up: A four-game set in San Diego, beginning Thursday night. Roy Oswalt is on the hill against Mat Latos in the opener. - Written for Beerleaguer by Drew Silverman

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Phillies' bats barely lukewarm among positional peers

A quick scan of a sortable National League stat table finds that in most cases, the Phillies rate average or below at their position in OPS.

Framing the scoring lull from a national perspective does little to soothe bubbling anxieties over the suddenly ice-cold offense. Counting players with 40 at bats or more, Placido Polanco rates best among peers, ranking 4th with a .874 early season OPS. In center field, Shane Victorino sits 5th with a .791, with Matt Kemp bouncing back big with a 1.170 to set the pace at his position. At first, Ryan Howard (.843) is far from setting the bar, trailing Joey Votto, Prince Fielder, Todd Helton, Ike Davis and Gaby Sanchez. Carlos Ruiz and his .741 is lodged in the middle of the pack between 36 starters and backups. Wilson Valdez's .702 rates 8th, well off the leaders, but still ahead of Dan Uggla (.661). The Phillies will happily take it. Ben Francisco (.692) rates 8th with a giant down arrow next to it. Jimmy Rollins is hitting a humble .676, which is 9th among shortstops. Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki (1.183) is baseball's overall frontrunner in the category. For those who are interested, Rollins' .676 rates 12th among three-hole hitters. Finally, in left, Raul Ibanez and his piddling .591 ranks 11th. Only Ryan Ludwick is worse among left-fielders with over 40 at bats.

Folks, that's a whole lotta blah. I'm sure the advanced scouts have been scribbling in their notes something to this effect: "Stay away from their power, holster your fastball and pound them with junk the way Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf, Livan Hernandez and Chris Young did in the first few weeks."

Postgame: Brewers blank Phillies in two-hit atrocity

Randy Wolf and the Milwaukee bullpen out-pitched a pedestrian Roy Halladay and his so-called seventh-inning relief in dealing the Phillies back-to-back defeats and their first series loss of the season.

The Phils pounded out a double and bunt single before shutting it down over the final six frames. Halladay allowed 10 hits, battled into the seventh before getting the hook with his pitch count rising and two runners aboard. Those runners would score as David Herndon grooved a middle-in meatball for Casey McGehee to boom into the seats. Herndon allowed another hit before giving way to pinchable lefty Mike Zagurski, who surrendered a hit and a run charged to Herndon.

As much as I'd like to focus on Herndon, who's looking less and less like Major League material, there's no way to win without scoring some runs, and right now, the offense is just isn't cutting it. The frustrating part is there's no obvious fix as far as I can tell. Fortunately, the Phils have some opportunities to experiment in the 'pen. I don't see much point in staying with Herndon; I think we've seen what he's all about.

Toss this one out. Halladay didn't have it. Wolf pitched his game. The Brewers played great, making plays and staying patient. Salvage a win tomorrow with Cliff Lee set to go.

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Phillies place Romero on DL, recall LHP Zagurski

J.C. Romero has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right calf strain. The Phillies have recalled Mike Zagurski from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Romero injured his calf in last night's game against the Brewers. He had posted a 3.86 ERA over seven appearances. Zagurski, 28, hasn't been scored upon in three games for the IronPigs, allowing two hits and seven strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Last season, the left-hander notched 71 strikeouts in 52.1 innings. He also pitched well in spring training. Beerleaguer: Nothing to add to this other than Antonio Bastardo suddenly becomes the third-most important reliever in the Phillies' bullpen. Zagurski won't see action in critical spots, and Bastardo was only starting to be eased into those situations. The best scenario has Romero returning soon while Bastardo holds his ground in a heightened role.

I miss Pat Burrell

Would the lineup look better with a little man-chine in it?

Beerleaguer: It would obviously look best with a little Jayson Werth in it, but for the sake of argument, let's compare Pat Burrell's age 34 assets next to those of Raul Ibanez, who will soon turn 39. Maybe Ibanez has a few more hot streaks in him. Who knows? And while fans can appreciate the two-out RBIs, they're subject to far more middling results from the left side of the plate when there should be greater, more impactful expectations from a premier power position like left field. Ibanez is down to .233/.292/.317 now, while his counterpart in right, Ben Francisco, is rapidly trending downward, sinking to a .249/.317/.386 slash line.

Meanwhile out in San Francisco, Burrell has assembled this gloriously one-dimensional .200/.333/.533 line with five home runs, including a three-run shot to give the Giants a big cushion in Monday's 8-1 win over the Rockies. According to reports, Burrell asked manager Bruce Bochy to be taken out of the game for defensive reasons because Tim Lincecum was carrying a no-hitter into the seventh. Bochy agreed, lifting him for Burrell's defensive caddy Darren Ford. Ah, those were the good old days. Michael Martinez would look good carrying his bags today.

Considering where the Phils stand, with an imbalanced lineup and a shortage of power, would the Phils have been better off keeping Burrell under the same three-year terms they gave Ibanez? Ibanez has hit .271/.345/.485 as a member of the Phils, numbers still inflated by two Ruthian months in 2009. Burrell, since leaving the Phils, is a .234/.331/.422 hitter, numbers sunk by a disastrous .218/.311/.361 in a failed experiment as the Rays DH. He returned to the National League and hit .266/.364/.509 with 18 homers in just 341 plate appearances with the Giants in 2010.

I won't reveal my preference, but I can honestly say I thought about Burrell more than once Monday night when a homer would have won it.

Kendrick, Phillies overcome by Brewers in extra sets

A walk and a throwing error is how it all started to unravel for Kyle Kendrick, who allowed three runs in the top of the 12th in the Phillies' 6-3 loss to Milwaukee Monday night.

The ugly loss included another punchless performance by the offense and a J.C. Romero blowout, with the reliever crumbling to the turf with a strained calf. With the bullpen suddenly running on fumes, the Phils could react quickly and reach for reinforcements, even with Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee set to pitch next.

It was an unsightly loss all-around. After Ryan Madson allowed a key run in an uncharacteristically poor performance in the eighth, the Phils had a chance to make the Brewers pay for their mistakes if they could have scored Pete Orr from second with one out in the ninth. Orr had just knocked in the tying run with a pinch single and was standing on second because Ryan Braun air-mailed a throw home. Unfortunately, Shane Victorino gave away an out by striking out on a head-high fastball, Placido Polanco walked then Jimmy Rollins popped out.

Really, the Phils were fortunate to have the Brewers at 3-3. The Phils' only other runs were aided by a pair of fielding errors. All nine of their hits were singles, and the best two came by way of pinch hits. Milwaukee starter Shaun Marcum had the Phils guessing all night, no one more than Ben Francisco, who finished 0-for-6, stranding 5.

On a positive note, Joe Blanton pitched his best game of the season, allowing a pair of runs over seven strong innings and striking out four. I'll have more thoughts tomorrow as we eagerly await the Phils' next move relative to the Romero injury.

Update: Twitter reports confirm that Romero will have an MRI Tuesday and is likely headed to the DL. The broadcasters mentioned that the left-hander had been bothered by a sore calf this spring; I don't recall if that was public knowledge or not. Left-hander Mike Zagurski could be recalled, or they could bring up right-hander Mike Stutes. The Phils have room on the 40-man roster for Stutes. Earlier in the day, the Phils returned injured right-hander Brian Schlitter to the Cubs, claiming that he was damaged goods. Schlitter had been on the disabled list with an elbow injury and was protected on the roster.

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Pregame notes: Injured Phillies on the up and up

Several hurt Phils took positive steps forward on the road to recovery.

According to reports, Chase Utley ran around, or as they say in Lenhartsville, ran arawnd. Matt Gelb of the Inquirer says Domonic Brown is set for an extended spring training game today down in Florida. Lastly, Roy Oswalt completed a successful 40-pitch bullpen session and appears ready to make his next scheduled start, which will come Thursday. Lineups for tonight have been announced: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Rollins SS, Howard 1B, Francisco RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez 2B, Blanton P, against the Brewers' Shaun Marcum. The Phils see two straight lefties after that in Randy Wolf on Tuesday and Chris Narveson on Wednesday. The Phils are hitting .296/.348/.422 against lefties in the early going.

Phils feasting on miscues, making few themselves

Carlos Ruiz's go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eight came after a Marlins error, proving once again that if you want to beat the Phillies, you must play airtight defense.

Beerleaguer rarely treads into the sabermetric minefield of defensive metrics, and is even more reluctant based on a 14-game sample size. So I'll stick with a simpleton's stat like "errors," and observe that the Phillies have committed only five of them, tied for the fewest in the league with the team coming to town tonight, Milwaukee. Compare that with the Phils' first victim, the Astros, who've booted a National League-high 17. The Phils will continue to exploit a fair share of butchers the rest of the way, including the Mets, Nationals and Marlins; the Braves are nothing to write home about, either.

At this point, the Phillies could be characterized as a sure-handed, but plodding bunch. They'll make crisp throws, turn plays, hit the cutoff man, make clean exchanges, scoop balls out of the dirt and generally work in sync with one another. They rarely make the kind of deflating, back-breaking mistakes that other teams seem to make against them.

That said, time to step into the minefield and mention that after 14 games, the Phils rank near the bottom in RngR (range runs), or, the number of runs above or below average a fielder is, determined by how the fielder is able to get to balls hit in his vicinity. Go easy on me.

The long and short of it: lob grenades at the flat-footed Phils all you want, using UZR and other stuff as amunition, but at the end of the day, the defense is still a strength based on its extreme consistency and guile.

Phillies escape late trouble to preserve 3-2 win

Summary: Carlos Ruiz's eighth-inning sacrifice fly pushed across the go-ahead run, and Jose Contreras survived a second and third jam to record his third save, as the Phillies split their rain-shortened weekend set Sunday at Citizens Bank Park. Contreras, facing his first big test as the Phillies' stopper, threw just nine of 22 pitches for strikes, walking a pair, but enduced a 5-3 game-ending groundout to end it. Placido Polanco got the Phils on the board first with an opposite-field poke, his first of the year and first since July 22. Polly finished the day with three hits and is up to .373/.413/.492 on the year. Raul Ibanez collected another two-out RBI. Cole Hamels allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings. Ryan Madson (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth.

Notes: Joe Blanton will start tomorrow against the Brewers, according to reports from Philadelphia. That means Roy Oswalt will have the extra day and pitch Thursday. More will be known about his condition after he pitches his side session. ... Beerleaguer is at Nationals Park today on business and will also do a little advanced scouting on the Brewers, who are in Philadelphia beginning tomorrow for the first of three. The Brew Crew play the first of two here in Washington beginning at 1:35.  ... In nearby Hagerstown today, fans are in for a marquee match-up between Bryce Harper of the Suns and first-round pick Jesse Biddle, who starts for the BlueClaws.

Lineups: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, J Roll SS, Howard 1B, Francisco RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez 2B, Hamels P.

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Link: Postponement gives Phillies some flexibility

While we wait for today's matinee, be sure to check out Jim Salisbury's analysis on what yesterday's washout means for the starting rotation. Essentially, they could skip Joe Blanton tomorrow and pitch Roy Halladay on regular rest. Or, they could stay in their slots and push Roy Oswalt's next scheduled start back a day, allowing more time to evaluate his back. Read Salisbury's take here >>>

Phillies-Marlins washed out, rescheduled for June 15

Watch: Oswalt outlines severity of back injury

Dobbs deals blow after Oswalt exits with back strain

Marlins 4, Phillies 3: Roy Oswalt clutched his back trying to leg out a bunt in the bottom of the sixth and left the mound with trainer Scott Sheridan during seventh-inning warm-ups. Moments later, J.C. Romero failed to retire Logan Morrison and was replaced by Danys Baez, who loaded the bases for Greg Dobbs to deliver a go-ahead pinch single. Early word is that Oswalt suffered a lower back strain, which has forced him to the disabled list before, most recently at the tail end of 2009. Until the injury, Oswalt had allowed two runs over six strong innings, the third time in as many starts. The night marked the first time the bullpen had really been asked to record big outs, and obviously failed on that front. Baez was all over the place and did nothing to change the perception that he's soft with the game on the line. Actually, there's no doubt about it.