The day began with so much fanfare. By the end of the day, there had been nothing to cheer about. From the beginning to the end, it was not a celebration, it was a nightmare.
The Marlins played exactly the type of game you'd want the Phillies to play. They scored when they had to. They pitched well. They got the job done on all fronts. The Phillies didn't do much right.
Cole Hamels continued his string of rough starts in his season debut, and the offense remained in its anemic state, as the Marlins jumped all over the Phillies weaknesses.
The Marlins wasted no time getting on the board. Jose Reyes and Emilio Bonifacio led off the game with singles. After a double steal moved both runners into scoring position, Reyes scored on an RBI groundout by Hanley Ramirez.
For the next few innings, Hamels was dealing. He retired the next nine Marlins in order.
In the fourth, the string ended with a lead-off double by Ramirez. Gaby Sanchez drove him home with an RBI single.
Omar Infante led off the fifth with a solo home run through a heavy wind.
In the sixth, a two-base error by Hamels on a bunt eventually led to another run, as Sanchez doubled home another run.
Hamels exited after 5 1/3 innings allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.
Joe Savery finished off the sixth for Hamels, but allowed a lead-off home run to Infante in the seventh. It was Infante's second of the day and third in two games.
The Phillies, meanwhile got nothing much going off of Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez. Jimmy Rollins hit a two-out single in the first. Hunter Pence hit a two-out single in the fourth. Rollins got another two-out single in the sixth.
Finally, in the seventh, the Phillies got on the board. Shane Victorino and John Mayberry Jr. led off the inning with single. Carlos Ruiz moved Victorino to third while reaching on a fielder's choice that retired Mayberry. That brought rookie Freddy Galvis to the plate, and he finally got his first major-league hit, a two-run double, getting the Phillies on the board.
David Herndon pitched a scoreless eighth and Jonathan Papelbon debuted at home for the Phillies in the ninth. He allowed a solo home run to Austin Kearns to lead off the ninth before retiring the side.
That hit chased Sanchez, but the Phillies couldn't get anything off the Marlins bullpen as they lost their third straight game by a final of 6-2.
Another day, another painful game to watch. The Marlins early run was deflating. Yet, with Cole Hamels dealing through the third, there was a feeling that if the Phillies could manage even just two runs today, it would be enough.
They managed the two runs, far too little too late. Hamels lost that mojo in the fourth, and struggled with a high pitch count through his final inning or so of work. The Phillies were silenced for much of the day offensively, held to just three hits through the sixth. It wasn't until they got a lead-off hitter aboard that they finally put together a rally. It fell far short and the Phils never gained momentum back.
There's nothing good about the way today's game went, and if it wasn't the first week of the season, it would probably be acceptable if you panicked as a Phillies fan. The Phillies have played four games of a similar style. Only once has the pitching met the needs of the offense.
That's honestly the way you have to look at things. For right now, the Phillies will go as far as the pitching carries them and as far as the offense will stretch the lead.
Of course, there isn't much looking up for the Phillies on the horizon. They face one of baseball's best in their next game, as the Marlins rotation turns over.
The Phillies are back in action on Wednesday night when they host the Marlins again. Roy Halladay makes the start against Josh Johnson.
Kevin Durso is a contributor for Philliedelphia. You can follow him on twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.
