CHICAGO — Ben Brown has recorded more than 12 outs only once in his four starts this April.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell didn’t mince words about that run — especially after the right-hander lasted just 3.2 innings in a 10-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, allowing six runs on nine hits.

“We need better, frankly,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after the loss. “And to be a starter, it’s the length in the game that we need more from. Whether it’s pitches within innings that kind of get you in trouble or an inning like today.”

“As a starter, you got to be able to navigate and kind of limit damage. Give up runs? Yes, it’s going to happen. But you got to be able to navigate the damage to get your way into games.”

[MORE: Cubs takeaways: What we learned in 10-4 loss to Phillies]

The Cubs’ rotation needs length right now. They lost their co-ace, Justin Steele, to season-ending elbow surgery and just fully stretched out his replacement, Colin Rea. Early in the game, it appeared Brown would be able to help in that regard.

The 25-year-old had five strikeouts through three innings, and his pitch count was at a solid 45. He still looked in control in what proved to be his final frame, the fourth inning.

Brown jumped ahead on a 1-2 count to Kyle Schwarber but then plunked him. The next batter, Nick Castellanos, fell behind 0-2 but laced a 96-mph single to put runners on first and second base.

The wheels fell apart for Brown after that. The Phillies hit three more singles before Brown recorded the first out, a Johan Rojas sacrifice fly that extended their lead to 3-0.

Brown surrendered another three runs — on a Bryson Stott single and a Bryce Harper double — before Counsell pulled him.

“I like to roll the dice, and some days they’re going to go your way, some days it’s not,” Brown said after the game. “But ultimately, those first two [hitters] right there, those are the two mistakes, and then the rest just kind of snowballed.”

[READ: Cubs trade Gage Workman, DFA’d after slow start, to White Sox]

Rea was just stretched out to 92 pitches Friday, so having two starters — especially on back-to-back days — who aren’t pitching deep into games can have a trickle-down effect on the bullpen. The lack of length means Counsell must use his relievers more frequently, and that could leave him short-handed later in a series.

“There’s been some bright spots, and there is clearly some good things there,” Counsell said. “But 3.2, four innings — fortunately, we’ve had off days — but during the course of a normal part of [the season], that’s going to hurt you.”

Brown knows that, too.

“Even last week with the four innings against [the] Arizona [Diamondbacks], like the team needs better out of me, the bullpen needs a break when they can get it,” Brown said. “And I think I was cruising toward that today. And what happened, just didn’t seem like there was an end in sight, which is unfortunate. Just got to keep making good pitches.

“But ultimately, I’ll wake up tomorrow and do my best to get out there in six days and give that length that the bullpen needs and that the team needs. And that starts now with how I recover and how I go about reviewing my outing, and just getting better.”