Brewers Outslug Phils, 14-10

If there was ever a ballgame that was more frustrating for Phils manager Larry Bowa during his short tenure at the helm, Tuesday night's 14-10 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at the Vet has to be in the top three.

Perhaps it will rate even higher if the skipper can sit through another viewing.

The Phillies allowed 14 runs, were down 8-0 after two innings and gave up 22 hits, including nine doubles and three home runs — of which one was a grand slam. They gave up 40 total bases and saw Tyler Houston lash out five hits, yet still had a chance to win the game. Had they received better starting pitching or one more key hit or lucky bounce, perhaps the outcome would have been different. But as it stood when the dust settled into the dry May air, the Phillies are probably lucky the Brewers didn't score 20 runs Tuesday night.

	Jeromy Burnitz slides into home for the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th.

"Obviously, we couldn't stop them tonight," Bowa said.

But it certainly looked like they were going to get 20 after two innings against starter Amaury Telemaco. Coming off the best start of his career in Houston where he pitched a three-hitter against the Astros, Telemaco lasted just 1 1/3 against the Brewers. The odd part is that Telemaco has been one of the Phillies most reliable pitchers this season. When he didn't have good stuff, like two starts ago against Colorado, he has been able to battle and get the Phillies into the late innings with a chance to win.

"It was just a bad day all over," said a succinct Telemaco after the loss. "I just have to come back tomorrow and keep working."

The only work Telemaco got against the Brewers was running around the field backing up bases. In his shortest stint of the season — relief appearances included — the big right-hander gave up eight runs on seven hits and two of those hits were costly home runs (as if there is any other type of homer). The first was a two-out, two-run job by Richie Sexson the second was a grand slam to right by Devon White that ended Telemaco's night.

"He threw a lotta hanging breaking balls tonight and they did what was supposed to be done to them," Bowa said about Telemaco's performance. "We need our starters to go longer than that."

Fortunately for the Phils, they didn't roll over and take the beating. In fact, they methodically slugged their way back into the game.

Down 10-9 in the ninth, the Phillies manufactured a two-out run thanks to a little bit of hustle and a whole lot of luck. Rookie Jimmy Rollins slapped a one-out single to right off closer Curtis Leskanic, picked up his 10th steal of the season as Bobby Abreu struck out and then came around to score on a little, nubbed single to the pitcher by Scott Rolen. Rollins scored when Leskanic's throw to first baseman Sexson was too hot to handle and trickled into foul ground. Had Sexson held onto the ball, Rolen might have been called out even though both he and the ball arrived at first at the same time.

"It was one of those balls going 110 miles per hour," Sexson said. "It hit the tip of my glove and the ground at the same time. I apologized for it."

An inning later, however, the Brewers offensive juggernaut was rolling once again. They scored four runs in the 10th off reliever Ricky Bottalico (2-3, 4.07), highlighted by an RBI double by Sexson and another one by Ron Belliard to wrap it up.

But the fact that the Phillies were able to tie it up in the bottom of the ninth and send it to extra innings is no small feat. Deuces were wild in the second as two two-run homers — one by Travis Lee and another by Marlon Anderson — got the comeback ball rolling. In the third, Bobby Abreu launched a long, solo homer into the seats in right to make it 8-5 and then a three-run, pinch-hit shot from Brian Hunter in the fourth made it 9-9.

Meanwhile, Bowa had to turn to the bullpen early and often. Nelson Figueroa, called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when Vicente Padilla was placed on the disabled list, made his Phillies debut in the second and pitched 2 2/3 allowing a run on four hits to go with five whiffs.

While Figueroa was effective in his outing, Chris Brock, who lasted just 1/3 of an inning in relief of the youngster, wasn't. The first batter Brock faced was the most indicative of the pitcher's evening, which happened to be a line drive homer to left-center by Raul Casanova that barely cleared the fence. Still, the shot made it 10-9.

Brock faced five batters. He gave up the homer, retired one batter and gave up a double, a single and then hit White before being removed. Eddie Oropesa came in to get an inning-ending double play to prevent further damage.

Oropesa gave up just one hit in 1 2/3. Rheal Cormier followed his fellow lefthander with two hits and two strikeouts in two innings before turning the ship over to Bottalico.

But if you think Bowa finds solace in the game because his team fought back, forget it. You're wrong. The fact that the Phils had a chance and let it slip away makes the loss that much more frustrating for the skipper. Add a Braves win over Colorado into the mix and the 22-15 Phils lose a game in the standings and lead the NL East by five games.

"A loss is a loss," Bowa said. "I don't care what the score is. I hate to lose."

Telemaco, on the other hand, wasn't able to find the words to describe his poor performance. He says he felt good in the bullpen warming up before the game and felt like he had good stuff when he took the mound. For some odd reason, he couldn't keep the ball down in the zone.

"The only thing I can do is come back tomorrow and go back to work," Telemaco said.

Notes: Third-base coach John Vukovich returned to Veterans Stadium on Tuesday, one week after surgery to remove part of a benign tumor from his brain. Vukovich said he feels good and is looking forward to returning to the team. ... Mike Lieberthal, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a game Saturday night, said he would get another opinion Wednesday. Team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti recommended season-ending reconstructive surgery. ... Brewers third baseman Tyler Houston ripped out five hits (5-for-6) and had eight straight hits before being retired in the 10th. ... Catcher Johnny Estrada made his major league debut and went 2-for-5. He hit a single in his first at bat. ... Burnitz and Belliard's three doubles tied a Brewers club record. The team's 40 total bases and 12 extra base hits establish a team record.

John R. Finger
ComcastSportsNet.com