LOS ANGELES - Michael Saunders battled for eight pitches on Friday night, fouling off pitch after pitch into the stands behind third base. Lefthander Luis Avilan, who was brought in to face the lefthanded Saunders with a runner on third and two outs, would not crack.
Saunders finally did on pitch No. 9 as his valiant at-bat ended with him whiffing on a nasty Avilan change-up, ending the Phillies rally and sealing a 5-3 loss at Dodger Stadium.
The loss snapped the Phillies' six-game winning streak as they start a seven-game road trip against the Dodgers and the Cubs, two of the National League's heavyweights.