PHOENIX — The hottest team in baseball has taken the polar plunge.
The Phillies suffered an ugly 13-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.
What’s more, they may have lost third baseman Maikel Franco for several days. He was hit on the left wrist by a pitch in the first inning and exited the game in pain. X-rays were negative and Franco was diagnosed with a contusion (see story).
Starting pitcher David Buchanan gave up 11 runs in the second inning.
The Phils came into the series sporting the best record in the majors — 16-5 — since the All-Star break. However, they’ve lost the first two games of the series against Arizona by a combined score of 26-4.
The loss dropped the Phils to 45-69. They once again have the worst record in the majors.
Rookie Aaron Nola will try to stop the intense bleeding in Wednesday afternoon’s series finale.
Starting pitching report
Buchanan faced 14 batters in the second inning and only got two outs. He gave up two walks, five singles, two doubles and two home runs in the inning. One of the homers was a grand slam.
Before the game, manager Pete Mackanin talked about the need to get more innings from his starting pitchers because he feared wearing out the bullpen. That’s why Mackanin hung with Buchanan as his struggles mounted. Finally he had to go to Hector Neris for the final out of the second inning as the Diamondbacks had built an 11-1 lead.
Buchanan’s last two starts have been miserable. He gave up 10 hits and seven runs over four innings in a 10-8 loss to the Dodgers in his previous start. In those two games, the opposing pitchers, Zack Greinke and Jeremy Hellickson, combined for four hits (and a homer) and four RBIs.
Buchanan’s ERA is up to 9.00 in 10 starts. Because of off days, Buchanan’s turn in the rotation does not come up again until next Tuesday at home. That might be a good time to take a look at right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who was acquired in the Cole Hamels trade. He has allowed just one run in 14 innings in two starts at Triple A since the trade.
Hellickson pitched eight innings and gave up just one unearned run. He also drove in three runs with a pair of hits in the second-inning uprising.
Historical perspective
The last pitcher to give up 11 runs in an inning was Houston’s Jason Jennings on July 29, 2007.
The record for most runs given up by a Phillies pitcher in one inning is 12. Hal Kelleher allowed 12 runs in one inning on May 5, 1938. It was his last major-league game.
At the plate
Chase Utley batted leadoff and had a pair of hits. He has hit in all five games (7 for 17) since coming off the disabled list. Utley has cleared waivers and is eligible for a trade, which he must approve. The Giants have scouted Utley extensively. The Yankees and Cubs could also be fits. Both had scouts at Tuesday night’s game.
David Peralta highlighted the Diamondbacks’ 11-run explosion with a grand slam. Aaron Hill added a two-run homer.
Up next
The series comes to a close on Wednesday afternoon with Nola (2-1, 3.65) opposing Arizona lefty Robbie Ray (3-6, 3.01).