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Phillies show little fight against Rockies as they lose seventh straight game

The Phillies will have to win three of their final four games to avoid a losing season before the final rings on Sunday. The Phillies are running out of time to show some fight.

Phillies' outfielder Roman Quinn stumbles after being tagged out at home plate while trying to score on a single hit by Dylan Cozens against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.
Phillies' outfielder Roman Quinn stumbles after being tagged out at home plate while trying to score on a single hit by Dylan Cozens against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.Read moreDAVID ZALUBOWSKI / AP

DENVER — The Phillies' surprising run to first place this summer was built around their resolve. The team, Gabe Kapler often said, could "take a punch and come out swinging." But a fighter can only assume so many punches. And the Phillies, who lost 14-0 on Wednesday to Colorado, seem to be ending their season on the canvas, waiting for the fight to be stopped.

"We're playing really bad baseball right now. Really bad baseball," Kapler said. "There's no excuse for it. None at all. We all have to look ourselves in the mirror individually and collectively and figure out how to be better. We have to do it right now."

The Phillies have lost seven straight games and have been outscored, 34-4, in the first three games at Coors Field. It was the first time since 1958 that they allowed 10 runs in three straight games. A loss Thursday would complete a winless eight-game road trip, which would be tied for the worst mark since the inaugural Phillies dropped all nine games of a trip in August of 1883. Kapler was asked after the loss if it was fair to ask if the Phillies had given up.

"It's fair to ask anything," Kapler said. "I don't believe there's a man in that room that's quit."

The first eight Phillies batters struck out. The ninth — pitcher Nick Pivetta — reached on an error. Carlos Santana would later strike out and the Phillies made their first nine outs by strikeouts. It did not take long to see that the slide was not quite ready to stop. Pivetta allowed six runs before being lifted in the fifth inning. Victor Arano allowed two homers and did not record an out. The Phillies used six pitchers and only one of them — Adam Morgan — did not allow a run.

"It started with me today," Pivetta said. "I just didn't do the little things. The little things got me. It's hard to swallow at the end of the year like this and it's not something that I really wanted to do. It's not something that I want to reflect on my character and how hard I work every single day and how much I put into this team. Making mistakes like that this late in the year is unacceptable."

They mustered just four hits, struck out 14 times, and walked twice. The Phillies will have to win three of their final four games to avoid a losing season. The Phillies are running out of time to show some fight.

"I feel like there's more fight in us. I feel like there's more energy. There's more grit," Kapler said. "I've seen it. I know it's in there. I believe in these guys. I believe in their ability to bring it out and I believe in their ability to bring it out tomorrow. But that doesn't take away from the fact that we have been playing really, really bad baseball for quite some time. No excuse for it."