Phillies Recap: September 25, 2009

Milwaukee Brewers 8, Philadelphia Phillies 4

W - Parra (11-10), L - Lee (7-3), S - Hoffman (36)

Cliff Lee gave up a big first inning and the Phillies were never able to make a full comeback. Lee settled down for a bit and allowed the Phillies to get close, but another big fifth inning befell Lee. Manny Parra pitched well for the Brewers, keeping the Phillies off balance and going deep into the game. By the time all of the scoring was done, the Brewers had won the game by a final of 8-4.

Cliff Lee had a shaky start and a shaky finish to his outing. He did toss six innings to help save the Phillies' pen, but did not have an effective start. The Brewers tagged him for four runs in the first inning to set the tone of the game. Lee gave up seven runs overall, over six innings, while allowing nine hits including two long balls. Lee struck out six on the evening, but it was not the kind of start he was looking for. Brad Lidge pitched an inning in middle relief, allowing an earned run, as it appears that he will no longer be used as the closer for the foreseeable future.

For the Brewers, their offense was the story. But Manny Parra pitched a very solid game, behind the scenes. Parra went seven strong innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits and a walk. He whiffed eight Phillies on the night and earned his 11th win of the season. The game got closer late, but the Brewers' bullpen hung on to lock up the victory. Ryan Howard was the offensive star for the Phillies, driving in three runs.

This was not what the Phillies were looking for. On a night when all of their closest competitors won, it was a big game for them. Cliff Lee had a rocky start and put the team in an immediate hole. The offense, which had been so efficient a night earlier, struggled to get anything going against Parra. For now, their magic number remains at four and they will try to bounce back tomorrow night.