Missed chances, missed call cost Phillies in loss to Brewers

Kyle Kendrick was called out on this pick-off attempt to second base in the ninth inning.

For the second time in two weeks, a pitcher was asked to pinch-run in the ninth inning of a one-run game. For the second time, he was picked off. This time, it was by fault of the umpire.

Mike Estabrook called Kyle Kendrick out at second base on a pickoff attempt when shortstop Jean Segura dropped the ball on the tag. Instantly, the tying run was off the bases. Cesar Hernandez followed with a double that would have tied the game.

Instead he was left at second as Michael Martinez, into the game for Ryan Howard earlier, grounded out to end the game and the Phillies' third straight loss, a 4-3 defeat to the Brewers at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday afternoon.

That was hardly the leading reason for the final result, however.

The Phillies fell behind in the second inning. Two runs would score on a single by Logan Schafer. The single rolled into right field and Delmon Young throw to third got past Kevin Frandsen. That allowed a second run to score and Schafer to get to third.

The Phillies trimmed the lead in the fourth on a fielder's choice. Frandsen hit a potential double-play ball up the middle. Segura fielded it but his flip to second baseman Jeff Bianchi was mishandled and a run scored on the play.

The Brewers got the run right back in the fifth. With two outs, Norichika Aoki singled. That was followed by a high-fly ball to the warning track in right that Young dropped. It was ruled an RBI triple.

Again, the Phillies trimmed the lead with an RBI single by Erik Kratz in the sixth.

Tyler Cloyd was solid on the mound amid the circus on the field. He allowed three runs – two earned – on eight hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Mike Adams then allowed a solo home run with two outs to Jonathan Lucroy in the eighth. It was the second straight game Adams had given up a homer to Lucroy.

The Phillies mounted a rally in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez. Freddy Galvis led off the inning with a solo home run to cut the lead to one. Then Jimmy Rollins, who was out of the starting lineup, singled to put the tying run on base. Kendrick pinch-ran and would reach second on a bunt by Ben Revere before being picked off on a controversial call.

Hernandez followed with a double and Domonic Brown was intentionally walked for Martinez, who grounded out. 

The missed call at second hardly was the reason for losing. Young's play in the field – the throwing error in the second and the drop in the fifth – cost the Phillies two runs. Additionally, 10 runners were stranded by the Phillies in the game and they were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

The Phillies fell for the third straight game and to 26-30, while the Brewers, who entered the series on a six-game losing streak, won their second straight game and can go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon. Cliff Lee starts for the Phillies against Mike Fiers.

Kevin Durso is a contributor for Philliedelphia. You can follow him on twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.