Volquez frustrated after Pirates' 4-game winning streak snapped in Philly

PHILADELPHIA — Edinson Volquez was as frustrated as he has been following a start this season after the Pirates' 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.

Volquez typically is affable with reporters. He laughs and smiles often in the clubhouse. On Tuesday, he took longer than usual to meet with reporters, and when he did make himself available, he was stone-faced and short with his answers.

Maybe it was giving up a home run and double to light-hitting Freddy Galvis — who entered with an .085 batting average — bothering Volquez. More likely it seemed Volquez was irked by not being allowed to go out for the seventh inning in a meaningful September game as the Pirates' bullpen once again faltered.

In the seventh inning against Pirates reliever Justin Wilson, Galvis tied a career-high with his third hit of the game. Galvis stole second — just the second steal of his career — and scored the go-ahead run on a single by Phillies rookie Maikel Franco, ending the Pirates' bid for their first five-game winning streak of the season.

“Only 90 pitches,” said Volquez, who allowed six hits and three runs over six innings. “I was ready to go. I threw 82 in my last one. I threw 90 today. I was more than ready to go.”

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle being conservative with a starting pitcher's workload is nothing new.

Pirates' starting pitchers average 94 pitches per start this season, tied for the fourth fewest in baseball. The Pirates' starters averaged 90 pitches per start last season, the fewest in baseball.

Hurdle defended the work of Wilson in the seventh.

“An infield single and a ground-ball, seeing-eye single, basically,” Hurdle said. “I thought he attacked, he was aggressive. One ball found a hole and got into the outfield.”

Volquez also had reason to be frustrated with himself, leaving several fastballs elevated over the plate.

Galvis laced a mistake fastball for a double in the second and scored on a single by pitcher David Buchanan to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead.

The Pirates had taken a 3-2 lead on a two-run double by Russell Martin in the third, scoring Neil Walker and Starling Marte.

Marte continued his torrid play with two hits, including a double in the fifth that initially was ruled a home run but upon review was found to have fallen short of the deep left-center railing and was touched by a fan.

In the bottom of the inning, Volquez elevated another pitch out over the plate to Galvis, who launched the ball into the right-field seats to tie the score at 3-3. Galvis had as many extra-base hits — two — Tuesday as he did in his first 24 games of the season, spanning 57 at-bats.

Hurdle cited the elevated pitches by Volquez after the game. Volquez was asked about Hurdle's assessment.

“You got your answer,” Volquez said. “He already said it.”

Volquez had reason to be frustrated early in his start.

With one out in the first inning, Franco skied a fly ball to shallow right field. Walker was unable to see the ball in a difficult, twilight sky, and Gregory Polanco, who has had issues defensively in right field, did not to arrive in time to catch the ball. Franco scored on a single by Chase Utley.

Polanco made his first start Friday since his brief demotion to Triple-A. Josh Harrison also returned to the lineup. They combined for two hits in eight at-bats.

One element of Polanco's game that never slumps is his speed. Polanco walked in the second inning and scored from first on a Jordy Mercer double into the left-field corner. Polanco also legged out an infield single in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon, but the rookie right fielder was stranded at third on a night of frustration and missed opportunity for Volquez and the Pirates.

Travis Sawchik is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at tsawchik@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Sawchik_Trib.