PHILADELPHIA _ As Jake Thompson's pitch count mounted, with almost as many balls as strikes, the Phillies bullpen did not stir Wednesday in the fifth inning. Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner hit a two-run homer to left, and Los Angeles was on its way to a commanding 7-2 win over the Phillies. Thompson, a 22-year-old rookie making his third start, walked Adrian Gonzalez.
Still, no movement.
Yasmani Grandal shattered his bat on a 92-mph fastball _ Thompson's 103rd pitch of the night _ and the inning ended. For the 19th straight game, a Phillies starting pitcher could not reach seven innings. Thompson had to make it through five.
Right now, they would even settle for a six-inning start. The Phillies have played eight straight games without a starter logging six innings. That ties a team record, last done in 1999.
Has the young rotation, riddled with injuries and uncertainty, hit a wall?
"I don't think so," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I wouldn't think so."
Mackanin said he has not detected signs of fatigue; velocities have not declined and the current rotation members have minor pains. The starters have thrown strikes all season long, one of the redeeming qualities of this rebuilding team, but that skill has betrayed them in the last three weeks.
The starters have a 7.06 ERA in that 19-game stretch without a seven-inning outing. That is the worst in baseball.
Thompson was behind more hitters than not. He eluded trouble in the first three innings, but the powerful Dodgers lineup clobbered him with its second look at the young righthander.
The Phillies expected hiccups from their young rotation. They wished for health. With Aaron Nola and Zach Eflin gone for the season, the margin is thinner. Both Adam Morgan and Jeremy Hellickson are dinged, but they are expected to make their scheduled starts Friday and Saturday.
Thompson is at 144 innings for the season, between the minors and majors. That is a career high. He may not make it through the last seven weeks because the Phillies plan to monitor innings limits for their youngest pitchers.
Even without a promising start Wednesday, the Phillies had a chance at drama. Tommy Joseph started the sixth with a solo homer to trim the Dodgers' lead to three runs. Three teammates followed with three singles to load the bases.
The next three batters flied out without a run crossing the plate.
