The Phillies’ modest, two-game winning streak came to an end with a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
The loss was the Phillies’ 70th in 125 games, which is the earliest the team reached that many losses since 2000 when they went 65-97.
Against starting pitcher Tyler Cloyd, the Rockies posted three runs in the first and one each in the second and third innings. After the Phillies answered with three runs in the third, both offenses went quiet for the rest of the night.
Starting pitching report
Following a string of seven solid outings at Triple A, posting a 1.34 ERA over that span, Cloyd’s good fortune did not carry over in the big leagues. In six innings, the righty was roughed up for five runs on eight hits and a walk. He allowed a pair of homers with all of the runs coming in the first three innings.
Cloyd settled down a bit after a two-out single in the second. From that point he retired 13 of the final 16 he faced and had just two three-ball counts.
However, the Phillies put up very little resistance against Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa. In 6 1/3 innings, the lefty gave up just three hits and three walks for two earned runs. De La Rosa left the game with two on and one out in the seventh in picking up his 13th win.
MLB
Bullpen report
Zach Miner pitched a scoreless seventh inning, while lefty Cesar Jimenez pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth.
At the plate
The Phillies got all of their runs in the third inning, thanks in part to a one-out error from Todd Helton on a grounder hit by Carlos Ruiz. Otherwise, the Phillies summoned just three hits -- all singles -- to go 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position.
Chase Utley, John Mayberry Jr. and Cody Asche had the hits.
For the Rockies, Troy Tulowitzki’s two-run homer in the first got the Rockies on the board. Dexter Fowler delivered with a two-out RBI single in the second and Willin Rosario rounded out the scoring with a long homer to center in the third.
Rehab updates
Roy Halladay made his second rehab start in his recovery from shoulder surgery (see story). For Single-A Lakewood, Halladay allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and three walks. Halladay had four strikeouts and threw 90 pitches (52 strikes).
For Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Jonathan Pettibone pitched six innings and allowed three runs on 10 hits with one strikeout.
Up next
The series continues on Wednesday night when Cliff Lee (10-6, 3.19) faces right-hander Juan Nicasio (7-6, 4.94). Lee goes into the game searching for his first win since July 5. He is 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in three career starts against the Rockies, though he hasn’t faced them since last Sept. 7.
Nicasio faced the Phillies on June 14 at Coors Field, allowing five runs on seven hits and a pair of walks in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-7 loss.