Phillies' offense falters anew

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - If Cameron Maybin hadn't made that three-base error allowing the Phillies to score the lone run of Saturday's perfect game, who knows, Roy Halladay may still be pitching.

The Phillies were shut out again Sunday, 1-0, by Anibal Sanchez and the Florida Marlins. That makes five shutouts in the last eight Phillies games. They have scored just three earned runs in the last 54 innings.

So much for Halladay's perfect game becoming a rallying point.

"I thought the perfect game would really get us fired up and make us come out today and put together some offense," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "But we didn't do it."

Jayson Werth struck out four times Sunday. Three came with runners in scoring position. In the eighth, with runners on the corners and two outs, Werth went down looking against righthander Clay Hensley.

Manuel said he did not consider pinch-hitting for Werth. Werth declined to speak to reporters after the game.

The rightfielder is 0 for his last 19 with 11 strikeouts. His batting average (.295) dipped below .300 for the first time since the second game of the season.

"He's opening up," Manuel said. "He's striding quick. His head is over in the dugout, and he's underneath everything. We have quite a few guys doing that."

True, Werth is far from being the only culprit. In a week, Chase Utley's batting averaged dropped 30 points, from .307 to .277. Ryan Howard has gone eight games without an extra-base hit. He has five total in the entire month of May.

"I don't have the faintest idea," Howard said when asked about the offense's malaise.

The Phillies haven't hit a home run in 54 innings, the longest such streak since Manuel became manager in 2005.

And without the entire left side of the infield due to injury, the light bats of Wilson Valdez and Juan Castro aren't helping.

Manuel said the absence of shortstop and leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins is having an effect on his lineup. But excuses won't help, he said.

When asked if he'd do something radical, like bat Werth leadoff or shake up the lineup, Manuel shot down the idea.

"I'm a guy who thinks if you're going to get a hit, you're going to get a hit," Manuel said. "We can try all the things you want. We can put names in a hat. We can go out there and flip coins. Anything you want to do. That doesn't matter."

The lone run of the game scored in the sixth when Marlins catcher Ronny Paulino - who made the final out in Halladay's perfect game Saturday - singled through the right side. Hanley Ramirez scored from second.

It spoiled a fine outing by 47-year-old lefthander Jamie Moyer. Moyer allowed the one run on four hits and two walks in six innings. His record evened to 5-5 with an ERA of 4.26.

On Monday, the Phillies begin a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves, who stand a half game behind the first-place Phils.

"I hear [the media] and fans talk about how great a team we've got," Manuel said. "This is a good chance to see how great we are."