Before we get started, let me ask you a question.
How deep into this game do you want to get?
Because I can go in depth. I could tell you about every single one of the 14 hits that Aaron Harang gave up this evening. That's right. Aaron Harang gave up 14 hits. Three of those hits were to Kyle Lohse, who was the Brewers' starting pitcher. If you thought that the calendar changing from June to July would help mentally repair Aaron Harang and his 7.28 June ERA, then this proves you wrong. Harang was putrid. Say, did you know that coming into June, Aaron Harang had a 2.02 ERA? And that when June ended, his ERA was 3.56? And that after tonight and the EIGHT RUNS he gave up, his ERA is 4.08? DID YOU KNOW ANY OF THAT? WELL NOW YOU DO. I'm sorry I had to tell you that. But I feel that we all should share in the pain of Aaron Harang's graceless downfall.
But I'm not going to go in depth because I don't think any of us wants that.
It was just a mess. Harang gave up pairs of runs in the first, third, fourth, and sixth innings. First he was elevating the ball, and then he was too low in the zone. The best thing that Harang did all night was hit a single in the third inning. Tonight marks Harang's eighth consecutive loss, which according to Scott Franzke is the longest consecutive string of losses for a Phillies starter since Jim Nash lost eight in a row in 1972. Tonight, Harang tied that 43 year old record.
It wasn't all bad, event though it was mostly bad. The Phillies managed to squeeze 10 hits and five runs out of Milwaukee, but they left eight men on base. Maikel Franco went 3-for-4 with three doubles and a walk, and he was responsible bringing in two runs. One was with two outs in the ninth, and it teased all of us into thinking that the Phillies could somehow roar back. But of course, it was not to be. Odubel Herrara got a rare start in center tonight and had two hits. Cesar Hernandez had one hit, but it was his first triple of the year.
The Phillies have lost three games in a row to the second-worst team in baseball, and two of the three games weren't even close. They are the worst team in baseball by five games, and they're the only team that hasn't won 30 games yet. That 2016 #1 pick better be worth it.