PHILADELPHIA -- Well, the Phillies finally lost a series under interim manager Don Mattingly.
Not a big deal -- it was bound to happen at some point. So the fact that the Phillies dropped two of three to the Reds after winning their first six series under Mattingly obviously isn't a problem in and of itself.
However, the manner in which they did so brought some early-season concerns back to the forefront. Though winning -- which the Phillies have done plenty of lately -- can help mask many things, the club's season-long woes against left-handed starters haven't exactly gone away.
Nor have Aaron Nola's struggles.
Both were on full display in Wednesday afternoon’s 9-4 loss in the series finale at Citizens Bank Park, where Reds southpaw Andrew Abbott held the Phils in check for a good chunk of the afternoon.
The Phillies pushed across an unearned run in the bottom of the first, but they didn't tally their first hit until Brandon Marsh legged out an infield single with one out in the fourth. He was promptly doubled off on an Edmundo Sosa line drive to end the inning.
The only real damage the Phils did against Abbott came when Alec Bohm hooked a home run down the left-field line that just barely cleared the wall. That extended Bohm’s hitting streak to 11 games and also ended Abbott's day, but not before the Phillies were in a 5-2 hole on a day when Nola gave up four runs over five innings.
Nola's ERA increased to 6.04 in 10 starts this season. He has a 6.02 ERA in 27 outings going back to the start of last year. That ranks 120th out of 122 pitchers with at least 25 starts in that span.
Just as concerning, though, is what the Phillies have done -- or not done -- against left-handed pitching.
Excluding openers, the Phillies have faced 15 left-handed starters this season. Those southpaws have combined for a 2.24 ERA over 84 1/3 innings in those 15 outings.
The only left-handed starter to take a loss against the Phillies this season is Colorado's Kyle Freeland, who allowed six runs over five innings on May 9. If you remove that one offensive outburst, the other lefties have a 1.70 ERA in 14 starts against the Phils.
Overall, the Phillies are hitting just .217 (26th in MLB) with a .676 OPS against left-handed pitching this season.