SHANE VICTORINO

The wind howled on Monday, the Phillies bats made a lot less noise as they fell to the Miami Marlins (nee Florida Marlins) 6-2 in the ninth home opener at Citizens Bank Park.

The Marlins put the pressure on the Phillies struggling offense – which has scored just 6 runs in the first three games of the season – and their starting pitcher Cole Hamels right away. Jose Reyes led off the first inning with a single, then Emilio Bonifacio singled. Then they executed a double steal and Reyes scored on a groundout to second by Hanley Ramirez. Only two strikeouts by Hamels prevented more damage.

Hamels retired nine-straight batters, before Ramirez doubled to leadoff the fourth inning, he scored on a single by Gaby Sanchez. The Phillies, who had one hit to this point, would get two on with two outs but John Mayberry flied out to end the inning.

Leading off the fifth, Omar Infante hit the first of his two home runs on the day. The Marlins would add another single run in the sixth. The first hitter – Bonifacio – bunted, Hamels fielded the ball but threw it into right field because Mayberry charged the ball instead of covering first and second baseman Freddy Galvis could not get to first in time to make a play. After he struck out Ramirez, Hamels day would end when Sanchez doubled home Bonifaco.

“John has to read that and get back to the bag,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. “Freddy Galvis has to come a long way to get there. It was just a mistake.”

Hamels allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in five and a third innings. He struckout nine and did not walk anybody.

“He pitched better than the score indicated” said Manuel. “Of course, we’re having trouble scoring runs.”

If you sense a trend, the Marlins leadoff hitter got on base in seven of the nine innings and they scored in six of those innings (three were home runs). They only time the Phillies leadoff batter got on base was in the seventh. In fact their first two men got on, Shane Victorino and Mayberry each singled and they would score when Galvis got his first major league hit – a double to left.

“I want the leadoff guy to get on every time,” said Victorino, “because it creates havoc. Unfortunately, we haven’t done it.”

The Phillies leadoff hitter has reached base just six times in the 37 times they’ve batted so far this season for an on-base percentage of .162. Of the six times the first batter reached, the Phillies scored in three of those innings.

“We’re four games in,” said Manuel, “and the bottom line is we haven’t been hitting the ball hard enough or consistent enough to score runs.”

Victorino is not ready to panic after four games.

“As an offense,” he said, “we just need to worry individually about what we need to do and keep battling. We’re way too good a team to even worry about it at this point.”

Game two of the series is Wednesday night with Roy Halladay on the mound for the Phillies and Josh Johnson pitching for the Marlins.

Rock Hoffman can be e-mailed at Rdvsports@yahoo.com