Samardzija hit hard, Cubs fall to Phillies 12-1
PHILADELPHIA — Jeff Samardzija has often been the victim of poor run support throughout the 2013 season. As evidenced, he was one of six pitchers who entered Thursday with an ERA under 4.00 despite a double-digit loss total.
On Thursday, he wasn't quite the victim.
In his shortest outing of the season, Samardzija allowed nine runs on 11 hits as the Chicago Cubs were clobbered by the Philadelphia Phillies 12-1.
"They came out with a game plan to attack me, and it worked," Samardzija said. "They put the bat on the ball. ... I threw too many ball up in the zone. My slider was good, but it was just one of those days."
Samardzija (6-11) lasted just 3 1-3 innings and couldn't escape the fourth inning in which the Phillies scored six runs. His saw his ERA swell from 3.78 to 4.23.
"His fastball was flat and he was getting hit pretty hard," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "His split-finger hasn't been there for him. Getting ahead in the count is huge so he can use the split. ... Unfortunately, things didn't go well for him."
The loss was the Cubs' ninth in 11 games.
"A couple of mistakes could have changed the game too," Sveum said.
Ethan Martin earned his first major league win and Cody Asche hit his first home run for the Phillies.
Asche's two-run drive capped the six-run burst in the fourth inning that made it 10-1. He had three hits and fellow rookie Darin Ruf also homered.
Martin (1-1) got more than enough support. He pitched five innings and allowed one run and four hits, striking out four and walking three. Nate Schierholtz homered in the fourth.
Chase Utley delivered an RBI double on the day the Phillies announced a new contract with the star second baseman that goes through the 2015 season.
The Phillies took two of three from the Cubs for their first series win since the All-Star break.
The game was delayed by rain for 22 minutes in the seventh inning.
Ruf got the first of four consecutive Phillies hits in a two-run second inning. John Mayberry Jr. and Michael Martinez each had RBI singles.
Ruf launched a two-run homer in the third, connecting on an 0-2 pitch. It was his second drive of the series and fifth home run of the year.
Carlos Ruiz's bunt single drove in the first run in Philadelphia's fourth. Domonic Brown added a two-run single and Asche hit a line-drive homer to right field.
John McDonald hit his first homer of the year, a two-run shot in the eighth.
NOTES: Anthony Rizzo doubled for the Cubs. Of his 102 hits this season, over half (52) have been for extra bases. ... The Cubs have an extra-base hit in 31 consecutive games. ... The Cubs will be in St. Louis on Friday to begin a three-game set with the Cardinals. Chris Rusin (1-1, 3.98) will get the ball in the first game.