On the day the Phils found out they could be without Utley until at least September and Polanco for another three weeks, the lineup showed its weaknesses.
Werth was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. Ibanez was 0 for 4 with four runners stranded. Victorino was 1 for 5. Jimmy Rollins doubled but left three runners on base.
"We've done it before," Victorino said. "Guys have gotten hurt. You can't sit back because those guys are hurt and not want to get rolling."
The solace for these wounded Phillies was this: They came here to face the Pirates, the team with the worst record in the National League, and righthander Daniel McCutchen, he of an 11.00 ERA and an 0-3 record in five games.
Even that didn't matter.
"We're not stringing hits together," said bench coach Pete Mackanin, who filled in for Manuel. "We're not getting the big hit when we can. It's been very disappointing. We're not clicking. That's the key. We need to click for a week and I think we'll get on a roll."
Of course, it wouldn't be a Phillies game without another injury. Backup-turned-starting catcher Brian Schneider was hit with two stray balls in the second inning and left with a hyperextended left thumb.
After the game, Schneider said the injury had improved, but the Phillies will wait to see how it feels Friday before deciding upon further tests.
With catcher Carlos Ruiz already on the disabled list (and having suffered a setback in his recovery from a mild concussion), if Schneider is forced to sit, the new Phillies catching tandem could be a pair of IronPigs - Dane Sardinha and Paul Hoover.
No, things are not well right now.
