Matt Strahm collected a career-high 11 strikeouts on Thursday, but the Phillies failed to produce in a 5-0 loss to the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies have now been shutout three times over their last six contests.
“It's baseball. That's just the way it rolls sometimes,” said Phillies' skipper Rob Thomson. “You'd like to have six or seven [runs] every night -- that would be the ideal thing. But baseball doesn't allow you to do that. We just have to come back tomorrow and have consistent at-bats."
Strahm tossed 5 1/3 frames on Thursday, throwing 82 pitches while surrendering three runs on three hits. Two of those three runs came via a C.J. Cron two-run homer in the first. He settled down nicely though and didn't surrender another hit until the sixth inning.
“That was basically his pitch count right there,” Thomson said. “I just have to go get him. The player's health is the most important thing to me.”
The Phillies are now 8-12 on the year and sit 6 1/2 games off the pace in the NL East behind Atlanta.
The two clubs resume their four-game set on Friday with Aaron Nola taking the rubber for the Phils. The right-hander has struggled this year, posting a 5.91 ERA over four starts.
The Rockies will counter with right-hander Noah Morris. The 25-year-old was solid in his previous outing, tossing five scoreless frames.
