Big Disaster for the Phillies

The designated hitter has become a certified disaster for National League teams in the World Series.

Chris Coste and Greg Dobbs, manager Charlie Manuel’s choices to serve as DH for the Philadelphia Phillies, each stranded five base runners in the first two games of the 104th World Series. The inability to deliver in the clutch has become contagious.

The Phillies are a staggering one for 28 with runners in scoring position, but rather remarkably escaped Tropicana Field with a split.

The Phillies fell 4-2 Thursday night, their first run coming on an eighth-inning home run by Eric Bruntlett, who was pinch-hitting for Dobbs and had hit just two home runs in 212 at-bats during the regular season.

The second came in the ninth and was unearned, the result of an error by Rays rookie third baseman Evan Longoria.

Phillies cleanup batter Ryan Howard, who has struck out four times with runners in scoring position, rolled out to second to end the game against rookie left-hander David Price, who also caught Howard looking at a called third strike with two runners on to end the seventh.

“I don’t think anybody’s panicking, or anybody’s worrying, but we just know we’ve got to do a better job,” said Howard “I’m not sure exactly what it is – 0 for 20-something with runners in scoring position – but we’re 1-1 and going home.

We’ve got to look that as a positive thing.” Dobbs came up for the first time with runners on second and third with one out and looked at a called third strike.

In the fourth, the Phillies had runners at first and third and one out when Dobbs went down swinging. In the sixth, he blooped a two-out single to center, sending Shane Victorino, who had singled, to third, but Feliz hit into a force play to end that threat.

“It’s not like they haven’t played,” said Manuel, whose pitcher, Brett Myers, had four hits during the NL playoffs, matching the number of hits he had in the regular season, but had the bat taken out of his hands here.

“We had more guys on base than they had,” We’ve had more chances to score than they had, but we just didn’t execute and score the runs.” Finished Manuel