Major League Baseball

Phillies Notebook: Phillies can't connect with runners in scoring position

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:15 a.m. ET

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SAN FRANCISCO - Wanted: One ball in play, preferably produced by solid contact. Must love open spaces and come with men on base. Timeframe: ASAP.

Three games into this best-of-seven National League Championship Series, the Phillies have mustered just two hits with runners in scoring position. Both of those hits came in the seventh inning of Game 2, when Jimmy Rollins cleared the bases with a double and Placido Polanco drove in Roy Oswalt with a single.

In the few opportunities that Giants righties Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain have allowed, the Phillies have failed to take advantage.

In a 3-0 loss to Cain and the Giants yesterday that left them trailing the series two games to one, the Phillies stranded a runner on second base in the third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings.

The Giants, meanwhile, went 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position, all three hits producing runs with two outs.

"Whoever is up there with an opportunity to drive in a run, that's going to be the guy to jump-start it," Rollins said.

In 39 at-bats with runners in scoring position this postseason, the Phillies have mustered just seven hits. In last year's NLCS, when they beat the Dodgers in five games to advance to the World Series, they went 11-for-44. The year before, they went 12-for-30 in a five-game win, again against the Dodgers.

Yesterday, Chase Utley twice grounded out to strand a runner on second. Shane Victorino did so once. And Rollins and Raul Ibanez flew out and struck out in the fourth inning to strand runners on first and second.

"We don't score runs, I'm always concerned," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We came in the series and everybody built us up as a pitching series and so far in the three games, that's what we've seen. I mean, it's definitely been pitching. That's what's dictated the game."

Still, Manuel downplayed the idea of making rash lineup changes. One thing he might consider is starting righthanded-hitting reserve outfielder Ben Francisco against Giants rookie lefty Madison Bumgarner tonight. Ibanez is 0-for-11 with five strikeouts and a walk in three NCLS games.

Utley is 1-for-10 with three walks. Victorino is 2-for-11 with one walk.

"[Ibanez] has been hitting lefties good the second half of the season," Manuel said. "I'll think about it. He's got some big hits off lefties. Francisco hasn't played since we left [Atlanta] at the end of the season. I'll think about all that. But at the same time, it's getting kind of late to be trying to make moves, isn't it?"

Rollins singled off the wall in rightfield against Giants closer Brian Wilson in the ninth, but Ibanez grounded into a doubleplay that ended the game.