SAN DIEGO — Matt Beech pitched pretty well at times.
Still hasn't won in a long time.
This is not a recording.
The good news for the Phillies is that Beech, their 26-year-old lefthander, struck out nine San Diego Padres in five innings last night at Qualcomm Stadium.
The bad news is that five innings was as far as he could go because he had already thrown 101 pitches before the pitcher's spot came up in the sixth.
Frustration was evident all over the Phillies' clubhouse after the 3-1 loss to the first-place Padres.
Frustration because the loss was the Phillies' sixth straight, matching a season high, dropping them below .500 for the first time since July 3.
Frustration because they also fell 7 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the National League wild-card standings, and also trail the Giants, Mets, Dodgers and Brewers in the runners-up race.
But, mostly, frustration because Beech is 3-8 and still trying to get over the hump to become the pitcher the Phillies hope he can be.
``It seems like this conversation goes on every five days,'' manager Terry Francona said. ``We're not talking about confidence in him. We're talking about pitch count.''
What makes stomachs knot and foreheads furrow is that Beech throws a lot of quality pitches. He just doesn't do it consistently.
``How can he be so precise inside sometimes like he was and then, on the other hand, not get his breaking ball over?'' pitching coach Galen Cisco wondered.
``It's almost like, when he gets ahead, he has to play the string out, which eats up a lot of pitches.''
Said Beech: ``I got behind guys all night. To know you can get guys out if you make good pitches and then not do it, that's very frustrating.
``I know what I need to do. I have to go right at guys early in the count.''
Francona sat in the dugout before the game and tried to spin the chicken feathers of the 4-9 homestand that ended with Monday afternoon's loss to the Giants into chicken salad as the Phillies opened a potentially back-breaking trip that will see the team visit four cities and switch time zones five times in a matter of two weeks.
``On paper, this looks like as tough a trip as we've been on since I've been here,'' he said. ``But sometimes it's good to get up and get away. Sometimes you can get a little bogged down at home.''
