In Tight Game, Beltran's Late Homer Lifts Cardinals Past Phillies 4-3

By SAMUEL BOTWINICK  |  Staff Writer
@avdbkr20samuel

It has been hard for the Phillies this year to score runs late in games.  Thursday night proved to be no different as the Phillies fell to the Cardinals 4-3 at Citizens Bank Park.    

With Ben Revere at third and Erik Kratz at second, Freddy Galvis had the chance to play hero in tonight's game.  Instead he failed  by grounding out to second.


Getting runners into scoring position has been a rare feat recently for the Phillies, which might explain why they are so unfamiliar with coming through in the clutch.


The Phillies were unable to draw a single walk the entire game, which speaks to their lack of patience at the plate.  The Cardinals drew three.


The Phillies outhit the Cardinals 13-7, but still managed to lose the game. 


The Phillies' bullpen has had a hard time holding leads this year, which is another reason for concern.

Mike Adams surrendered the crucial go-ahead run to Phillies' rival, Carlos Beltran, on an opposite field solo shot to put the Cardinals ahead 4-3.

The game was tied at 2 until the top of the seventh, when the Cardinals regained the lead on Pete Kozma's sacrifice fly to right, scoring David Freese from third to push them ahead 3-2.


The Phillies were able to re-tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Kratz lined an RBI single to left, scoring John Mayberry from third to even the game at 3. 


Cole Hamels  tossed seven solid innings, striking out a season high eight batters, while surrendering three earned runs on five hits and walking two in a no decision.

Hamels has not won a single game this year.


The Phillies will try to bounce back at 7:05 tomorrow night when they send Roy Halladay to the mound to take on the Cardinals for game two.

-  Samuel Botwinick is a staff writer for the Philadelphia Baseball Review.  Contact him at sbotwinick@philadelphiabaseballreview.com or @avdbkr20samuel on twitter.