By Morris Phillips

Cast Monday’s opener in Philadelphia as the real start to what figures to be a challenging road trip for the resurgent Giants.

The Phillies returned to their bashing, pitching early-season ways–after six losses in their previous eight games–routing the Giants 11-0 on Monday night. Zach Elfin pitched into the seventh inning, striking out nine, Odubel Herrera bashed, hitting a pair of homers. Jeff Samardzija took the loss for the Giants, allowing five runs in four innings, which included Hererra’s three-run homer in the first inning.

“He’s got to have his command. He was up and not hitting spots,” manager Bruce Bochy said of Samardzija. “It was just an off night for everyone.”

After a breezy weekend in Atlanta, the Giants found out what the NL East youth movement is all about, as the Phillies and Braves have–at least for the moment–moved ahead of the Mets and Nationals.  While Herrera is fast becoming the slugger the Phillies envisioned, the Philadelphia pitching is a more recent development. On Monday, Elfin won for the first time this season after starting the season in the minors.  Now Elfin has a pair of consecutive, strong starts after a six inning, no decision against the Marlins last week.

“I was happy that I kept my head on straight and just pounded the zone,” Elfin said, explaining his approach to pitching with such a commanding lead.

The Giants experienced a comical moment when Gorkys Hernandez saw Carlos Santana’s powerful drive bounce out of his glove and over the wall for a three-run homer in the fifth. That put the Phillies up 8-0, and lowlighted a rough pair of innings in relief for D.J. Snelten. The rookie pitcher allowed six hits and five runs in two innings, ruining a perfectly good sub-4.00 ERA in the process.

The Giants hit on all cylinders over the weekend in suburban Atlanta in sweeping the Braves, but the Phillies displayed that their rebuilding effort may be on a different plane than the Braves. With three games remaining at Citizens Bank Park before three in Pittsburgh over the weekend, the Giants must be weary.

Derek Holland gets the ball for the Giants on Tuesday. Holland has never faced the Phillies home or away in his 10-year, big league career.