Roy Halladay Shelled (Again), Phillies Lose To Marlins 14-2 And Drop Series

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Saturday was one of the more painful Phillies games to watch, that I can ever remember. Watching the 8-22 Marlins one hit the Phillies, led by Jose Fernandez, felt like hitting rock bottom. And then Roy Halladay took the mound today.

Halladay had appeared to turn the corner after a slow start, before getting roughed up by the Indians Monday. So once again, Phillies fans were left with a wait and see, (and pray), approach with Doc. And while last night was painful to watch, today was on a whole other level because watching this game just depressed you. Roy Halladay loaded up the bases in the first inning, walking two batters and hitting one. The bases were promptly unloaded on a Marcell Ozuna RBI double, that missed being a grandslam by inches. But Roy Halladay doesn’t give up grandslams. Halladay at that point had only given up two runs, and got within one strike of getting out of the first inning, and keeping the game within reach. But Halladay missed his spot as he tried to escape the first inning, and a pitch ran back right over the middle of the plate, and Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria took advantage of the pitch and drove it into the gap in right-center field to score three more runs. Halladay was able to escape the first, and he appeared to settle in setting the Marlins down in order in the second. Appeared.

The third inning is where sh*t really hit the fan. Halladay hit Justin Ruggiano, threw a pitch behind Marcell Ozuna, and loaded the bases up with only one out. And again Adein Hechavarria came to the plate. Hechavarria is a top prospect that the Marlins got back in the Jose Reyes to the Blue Jay deal the made in the Winter, so there is no doubt that he can play. However, entering Sunday Hechavarria only had 10 RBI’s on the season. He had three on the day already, and Halladay’s final mistake of the day was allowing Hechavarria to line a grandslam into the leftfield stands, to put the Marlins up nine to nothing, and give Hechavarria 10 RBI’s on the day.

That was the end of the day for Roy Halladay, mercifully. His line for the day ended up being 2.1 IP, 4 H, 9 ER, 4 BB. His ERA now sits at 8.65 for the year, and something has to give from here. The Phillies can’t continue to trot Halladay out every five days, and just hope things work themselves out, because they have tried that since spring training and it obviously isn’t working.  I would be shocked if the Phillies don’t place Roy Halladay on the DL either tonight or tomorrow. What would they put him on the DL for? Who knows, but it’s obvious something isn’t right, because this isn’t Roy Halladay. Either something is truly wrong and the Phils can use that as a reason to place Halladay on the DL, or they need to make something up, and try to figure out how Halladay can readjust his mechanics to become even somewhat successful in 2013.

May 5, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay (34) looks at the ball after hitting Miami Marlins center fielder Justin Ruggiano (20) with a pitch during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

As for the rest of the game, the trio of Raul Valdes, Chad Durbin, and Jeremy Horst managed to allow five more runs, and allow the Miami Marlins of all teams, to put up a 14 spot on the Phillies.

The Phillies bats didn’t wake up today either, as Kevin Slowey continued his stellar 2013, by tossing seven scoreless innings. The Phillies did score two on the Marlins late, but only one was earned.

Dropping back to back games against the Marlins, and the series as a whole, really makes me question whether we should even be looking at this Phillies team with playoff expectations. The Marlins had only won eight games coming into the series, and yet within two days the Marlins one hit and dropped a 14 spot on the Phillies. I don’t have a good feeling on the direction of the season from here.