CINCINNATI _ Nick Pivetta looked toward left field on Friday night and flapped his arms wildly toward the ground as the pitcher tried anything he could do to alter the flight of a fly ball and keep it from leaving Great American Ballpark.
It worked as the ball fell into the glove of Rhys Hoskins on the warning track to end the third inning of a 6-4 loss. But an inning later, there was nothing Pivetta could do to keep a three-run homer from flying to right field. He didn't even turn to watch as the ball soared off Mason Williams' bat. No flapping would help.
It was the second homer Pivetta allowed and it put the Phillies in a three-run hole. He struck out 12 batters in six innings and issued two walks. It was his second straight start with nine or more strikeouts. But it was the homers that were maddening.
Friday was Pivetta's final start before Tuesday's trade deadline. He has a 6.70 ERA in 10 starts in June and July and has completed six or more innings in just three of those 10. His strikeouts, seven of which came via his fastball, offer so much promise. But those strikeouts have been matched with inconsistency. Both of his homers came off breaking pitches.
The Phillies will have to determine by Tuesday how they plan to attack the season's final two months. They will likely roll with Pivetta since general manager Matt Klentak said last week that he would prefer to stay out of the starting-pitcher market. Every game matters as the Phillies chase a playoff spot and try to maintain their first-place lead. They are still 13 games over .500. One bad night does not spoil a playoff run. They just have to hope Pivetta can grow.
Jake Thompson pitched a scoreless seventh inning before allowing a run in the eighth. It wasn't pretty, but Thompson managed to keep the Phillies alive as he left the bases loaded in both innings.
Odubel Herrera hit a two-run homer in the third for his 19th round-tripper of the season and Hoskins singled in a run in the fifth. The Phillies didn't have another hit until the ninth inning, when they tacked on another run. They struck out 10 times and totaled just seven hits a night after having 18.
Maikel Franco went 0-for-4 after hitting two homers on Thursday. Roman Quinn, who was promoted earlier in the day from Triple-A, grounded out in the seventh as a pinch-hitter. The Phils will welcome new addition Asdrubal Cabrera before Saturday's game.
Eugenio Suarez homered off Pivetta in the second before Herrera's homer put the Phillies ahead by a run.
Scooter Gennett tied the game with a RBI single off Pivetta in the third before Williams crushed his homer to right. Williams circled the bases and Pivetta received a new ball from Jorge Alfaro as fireworks rattled the ballpark. The pitcher walked to the back of the mound in frustration as a maddening night continued.
