By Joe Capozzi
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Updated: 4:53 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Posted: 4:36 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, 2011
PHILADELPHIA â€" The pitching-challenged Marlins knew Elih Villanueva had a tough challenge in facing the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in his major-league debut.
But they certainly expected more than he gave them today. Villanueva lasted just three innings in the first game of a doubleheader, allowing eight runs and walking five batters in an 8-1 loss to the Phillies.
The Marlins, who have lost five in a row, have lost 13 of their past 14 â€" the first time since June 1999 that the Marlins went 1-13 in a 14-game stretch. The 1998 team that finished with 108 losses had two 1-13 stretches.
It doesn’t get easier. The Marlins face Roy Halladay in the second game at 7:10 p.m.
After being 10 games over .500 after sweeping the defending World Series champions Giants in San Francisco, the Marlins are 3-16 to drop their record to 32-35. They started the day in fourth place, just 1 1/2 games ahead of Washington.
Villanueva was expected to be optioned back to Class AAA New Orleans before the start of the second game.
The Marlins wound up using four pitchers in the first game, including Edward Mujica, who left the game in the seventh inning with a right wrist sprain. Mujica, who collided with Wilson Valdez while covering first base, is day to day.
Mujica was the Marlins’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2010 after going 14-4 with a 2.26 ERA for Class AA Jacksonville. He’s 4-5 with a 5.23 ERA in 13 starts for New Orleans this year.
The Marlins took a 1-0 lead on Logan Morrison’s home run off Kyle Kendrick in the first inning. Villanueva gave it right back, allowing doubles to Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard in the bottom of the first.
After walking Ben Francisco to open the second, he retired the next two batters before walking Kendrick. Jimmy Rollins followed with a single that gave Philadelphia the lead for good.
The Phillies piled on Villanueva in the third. They sent nine batters to the plate and scored six runs â€" on a bases-loaded triple by Wilson Valdez and a three-run homer by Rollins.
Over their past three games, Marlins starters (Ricky Nolasco, Chris Volstad and Villanueva) have allowed 24 runs in 11 2/3 innings.
The Marlins went into Wednesday with an NL-worst 5.16 ERA in June. Their 21 home runs allowed in the month was the worst in the NL.
joe_capozzi@pbpost.com
Tags: Beach, doubleheader, First, Florida, Game, Marlins', Palm, Philadelphia, Phillies, Post, rout â€"
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