ST. LOUIS — Starting pitching hurt the Phillies again in a 9-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday afternoon.
The Phillies won the first game of the series behind Cole Hamels on Monday then lost three straight by a combined score of 26-10.
In those three games, Phillies starting pitchers were tagged for 27 hits and 19 earned runs in 13 innings.
David Buchanan took the loss Thursday. He allowed four hits and three runs in the first inning. His mates came back to tie the game with two runs in the third, but Buchanan allowed a walk and a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to put the Cards back on top to stay.
Phillies pitchers have walked a major-league high 95 batters, including 19 in the series, seven Thursday. The Cardinals scored 27 runs in the series. Nine of those runs started as walks and another came on a bases-loaded walk.
The Phillies are 8-15. St. Louis is 15-6.
MLB
Starting pitching report
Buchanan was tagged for eight hits and seven runs over 4 1/3 innings. He also walked three, raising his season total to 15 in 24 2/3 innings. He has given up 32 hits. His 1.91 WHIP is the highest in baseball.
Buchanan is the first pitcher in team history to go 0-5 in the month of April. His ERA is 8.76.
Malvern Prep grad Tim Cooney had a rugged big-league debut for the Cardinals. He did not make it out of the third inning in giving up seven hits and three runs.
Bullpen report
Luis Garcia struggled in one inning of work. He gave up two runs.
Right-hander Carlos Villanueva was a lifesaver for the Cardinals. He retired all 10 batters he faced after picking up Cooney in the third.
At the plate
Darin Ruf, making his first start in a week, homered and singled off the lefty Cooney.
Ryan Howard returned to the cleanup hole. He doubled and flied out to the wall.
Jeff Francoeur was hitless in three at-bats and is 0 for his last 18.
Matt Adams put the Cards ahead with a 435-foot, two-run homer off Buchanan in the third.
The Phillies were 8 for 26 with runners in scoring position in the series. The Cards were 19 for 40 in those situations in the series.
Lineup stuff
Chase Utley did not play. He ended April hitting .114, which ranks last in the majors among 184 qualifying players.
Rehab road
Chad Billingsley, recovering from a pair of surgeries on his elbow, had a strong start for Lehigh Valley on Thursday. He went 5 2/3 innings, allowed five hits, two runs and a walk. He struck out six. He threw 99 pitches. Afterward, Billingsley told reporters that his arm felt “normal” and he was “really happy with it.”
It’s not clear what the next step is for Billingsley. He could make another minor-league start or join the big-league rotation during the Phillies’ homestand. Billingsley is expected to take the rotation spot currently being plugged by Severino Gonzalez, who is scheduled to pitch Sunday in Miami.
Up next
The Phillies move on to Miami for a three-game series against the Marlins beginning Friday night.
Here are the pitching matchups:
Friday night: RHP Jerome Williams (2-1, 3.80) vs. RHP Tom Koehler (2-2, 4.50)
Saturday afternoon: LHP Cole Hamels (1-2, 3.19) vs. RHP Dan Haren (2-1, 3.38)
Sunday afternoon: RHP Severino Gonzalez (0-1, 23.65) vs. RHP Jarred Cosart (1-1. 2.49)