ATLANTA _ The door to the visiting bullpen at SunTrust Park swung open Saturday night in the third inning of a 15-2 loss to the Braves and for the third-straight game a Phillies reliever was making an early entrance. Except this time, the pitcher _ left-hander Hoby Milner _ jogged to the mound without having the chance to properly warm up.
The second loss of the Gabe Kapler Era was marred by an oversight as the manager waved Milner into the game before the reliever had the chance to throw any pitches in the bullpen. It was Milner's third straight game and his only chance to prepare was a few brief tosses in the bullpen with a standing catcher.
Kapler, after lifting Vince Velasquez, stood on the mound and chatted with his infielders, seeming to delay Milner's arrival and give him some additional time in the bullpen. He would not reach the mound for another 90 seconds. Braves manager Brian Snitker barked from the dugout and would later be ejected. Freddie Freeman waved his hands in disgust as he waited on-deck.
The Phillies, Atlanta argued, were stalling. Once Milner arrived, crew chief Jerry Layne met him and docked the reliever warm-up pitches because he took too long to reach the mound. It was an unfortunate lapse in an opening series that was not the best start for Kapler.
Kapler called on six relievers, including utilityman Pedro Florimon, who was pushed into duty as the Phillies relied on their bullpen for 152/3 innings in the first three games of the season. Florimon reached 88 mph and gave up a two-run homer to Lane Adams. The 31-year-old infielder/outfielder wasn't even the team's worst pitcher.
The Phillies had to turn to bullpen after Vince Velasquez threw 69 pitches to record just eight outs. The right-hander was marred in his first start by the high pitch counts that have troubled him the last two seasons. He allowed seven runs, four of which were earned, in 22/3 innings. He struck out four, walked two, and allowed nine hits.
Velasquez will start Thursday in the team's first game at Citizens Bank Park. But his spot in the rotation feels far from secure after he could not even complete the third inning. He opened spring training by saying he believed he was in for a big year and he learned from the struggles he faced last season. But those struggles have yet to go away.
Milner, despite not being warmed up, pitched fine. He jammed Freeman with an inside fastball but the grounder was misplayed at third by Maikel Franco. He then forced Nick Markakis to pop up to left by Rhys Hoskins could not get there in time. The ball dropped in and two runs scored.
The bullpen roulette continued. Jake Thompson followed Milner but was only able to pitch two innings on a night the Phillies needed more. He allowed six hits and five runs, four of which were earned. The rout was on. Yacksel Rios pitched the sixth and Victor Arano handled the seventh.
The Phillies spotted Velasquez a 2-0 lead behind a single from Hoskins, who has driven in a run in each of the first three games, and an RBI from Aaron Altherr. Scott Kingery had two hits as he started his career with multiple hits in his first two games. That early lead was quick to fade away. The Phillies were trailing an inning later. And then they were down by three. That is when Kapler called to the bullpen for a pitcher that was not quite ready and a miserable loss had an unfortunate moment.
Ender Inciarte was 3-for-6 with four RBIs for the Braves.
