The Phillies battled back in the middle innings but collected just two hits over the final four frames on Wednesday night in a 5-3 loss to the Brewers at Citizens Bank Park.
Cristopher Sanchez tossed five innings for the Phillies, surrendering three runs (one earned) in the second inning. He scattered six hits, walked one, and whiffed three. He's allowed three earned runs or less in his last six starts since being recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley on June 17. He's also carrying a 2.61 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP.
"I'm not satisfied with the results because you obviously expect more out of yourself," Sanchez said. "I don't take [tonight] as a bad start, but obviously there is something more to be done to get better."
Trailing 3-0 in the fourth, Nick Castellanos clubbed his 14th homer of the year on a Colin Rea pitch down and in the middle of the zone. The Phillies added another two runs in the fifth to even the contest as Kyle Schwarber cracked a two-run single to centerfield that scored Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh. Bohm opened the inning by reaching on an error, and Marsh followed with a single to left.
Marsh finished the night 2-for-3 and moved his average to .284.
The Brewers jumped ahead with the eventual winning run in the seventh with Blake Perkins reaching on a walk before Matt Strahm surrendered a double to left by William Contreras, pushing Perkins across the plate.
Milwaukee added an insurance run in the ninth as Joey Wiener hit a leadoff double before eventually scoring on a Contreras double.
Jeff Hoffman took the loss for the Phils, surrendering one run over 1 1/3 innings.
With his two-run single in the fifth, Schwarber has collected at least one RBI in a career-high five straight games.
The Phillies had an opportunity to mount a comeback in the ninth as Bryce Harper opened the frame with a single. Bryson Stott then delivered a one-out single pushing Harper to third, but he later was gunned down on an attempted steal of second base as the second out. Milwaukee closer Devin Williams then proceeded to whiff Bohm to secure his 24th save of the season.
The two clubs will conclude their three-game set with an afternoon contest on Thursday. The Phillies will have righty Taijuan Walker on the bump while the Brewers counter with right-hander Corbin Burnes.
