Road To 10,000 Losses: Phils Go For Six

Road to 10,000 Losses is a countdown to the Phillies’ 10,000th loss, coming sometime later this year. With a five-game winning streak, the Phillies still stand at 9966 losses, only 34 away from 10,000.

The Phillies have been on a bit of a tear recently, winning five straight and improving their record to 9-11. They’ve hit six homers during the streak and the much-maligned bullpen has a 1.38 ERA during the last five games. Morning Glory fan Chase Utley went 5-for-5 last night.

Now, these wins have come against three subpar teams, the Reds (2), Astros (1) and Nationals (2). But, hey, a win’s a win, and the Phils have five games left in April to attempt to get to .500.

The Phillies go for a series sweep and third-straight series win (duh, they already won the series) with 23-year-old Cole Hamels on the mound, who had 15 strikeouts in a complete-game win last Saturday.

Yes, it’s a day game, and the Phillies are still not at 10,000 losses, so you know what that means: Liveblogging! Head after the jump for Chris Wheeler jokes, references to old Phillies you forgot were on the team and, hopefully, Ryan Howard home runs.

3:07 - Oh, and Cole Hamels strikeouts! The lefty gets Josh Wilson looking on a changeup on a 3-2 count.

3:12 - Nats go down 1-2-3. Jimmy Rollins hits it hard to start the bottom of the first, but it dies right in front of the warning track.

3:13 - Fun stat alert! Last night, Chase Utley came into the game last night hitting .251. After going 5-for-5, he’s hitting .296.

3:17 - More fun stats: The Nationals haven’t scored a run in the first inning all year.

3:23 - Let’s just continue on this stat pack: Cole Hamels has thrown 24 pitches. Four of them were balls. He didn’t throw a ball in the second inning. Three of his first four pitches were balls. (Thanks, Jake.) It’s still scoreless, though Hamels gave up a single last inning.

3:37 - Hamels update: He threw a ball last inning, so he’s up to five. One day, Cole Hamels will pitch a perfect game without throwing any balls. OR strikes. He’s that good.

3:40 - Chase Utley ad: “The Phanatic’s just like us. Only a little green.” While saying this, he appears to be wearing something to keep his hair back, or the top of his sunglasses.

3:41 - The camera shows a little girl being attacked by the Phillie Phanatic and then breaking into tears.

3:42 - Meanwhile, it’s been fixed, but the front page of Philly.com did read at one point: “Phillies 0, Senators 0.”

3:45 - Hamels gives up a homer to right and nearly gives up another one to left, but it hits the top of the fence and ends up a double. It’s 1-0, Senators/Nationals/Grays/Minnesota Twins.

3:48 - Despite giving up three straight hits, it only leads to 1 run and the Phils are up.

3:53 - And they’re down. Utley got a hit, but Ryan Howard grounded into a double play.

3:59 - Actual conversation between Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews a little bit ago.

W: “In case… you are wondering… the Powerball… jackpot right now… is sixty-eight… million…. Nice little payday.”

M: “Yup.”

(longish pause)

W: “You could buy a few golf balls with that.”

M: “Yup.”

4:02 - The May 13 Sunday afternoon game is giving out free Chase Utley fleece blankets to all women. Discrimination!

4:06 - While making fun of Wes Helms with a friend on IM… he gets his second hit of the day. I think Wes Helms is just an earlier release version of Jim Thome. You know, before they perfected it.

4:09 - And Helms forgets there’s only one out and gets doubled up on an Aaron Rowand pop-up.

4:14 - And now it’s second and third with nobody out for the Nationals. Hey, the regular Phillies are back!

4:18 - And it’s 3-0.

4:23 - Cole Hamels walks in a run with the bases loaded. It’s 4-0 in the top of the sixth and Hamels is coming out of the game.

4:32 - Geary gets them out of the inning without any more runs. It’s still 4-0, but Rod Barajas and Geoff Geary/pinch hitter are up next, so it’s sure to be 4-2 soon.

4:39 - The Phillies go down 1-2-3. Pinch-hitting for Geary was Michael Borun, which means sense, since Bourn is 3-for-14 this year.

4:46 - Ryan Madson shuts down the Nats and it’s stretch time. I’m sorry. The McDonald’s i’m lovin’ it® Seventh Inning Stretch, I mean.

4:50 - Chase Utley is hit by a pitch. It’s the eighth time this season he’s been plunked. Second place is the NL is three. I believe the record is 50. Come on Chase!

4:59 - The Phillies get two guys on but… but… right. Wes Helms lines out to end the inning.

5:06 - Hey, there we go. Aaron Rowand hits a bomb to left-center to keep his hitting streak alive. (It’s now at 14.)

5:08 - In a cunning move, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel pulls Greg Dobbs out of the on-deck circle in order to bat… Abraham Nunez! Who grounds out. J-Roll does, too, and the Phils are gonna need three in the ninth to tie. Ah… yeah.

5:21 - Shane Victorino walks and the Nationals put in closer Chad Cordero. Nobody’s out, so until this double play here they’re still in it.

5:23 - Utley hits a drive to center and it falls about two inches short of being a two-run homer. But Howard rips a double to right and the Phillies have second and third with one out and the tying run (Pat Burrell) at the plate.

5:27 - AGH! Burrell hits it to right and it misses being a game-tying homer by a few feet. Gah.

5:29 - Wes Helms strikes out, and it’s loss #9,967. 33 to go!

5:47 - Why is John Marzano back on my Post Game Live? AGH!