PHILLIES NEWS

Lately the Phillies have been living and dying by the long ball, well okay mostly dying and die they did again tonight. The Phillies launched 5 homers in tonight's game, 4 alone off Mets starter Tom Glavine, yet still lost 9-7. Why you ask? porous defense and shaky pitching by yet another young Phillies starter, this time Ryan Madson. The game was close for 5 innings with the two teams trading homers for a 4-4 tie, in fact the Phillies had a chance to break the game open. In the bottom of the fifth following a lead off homer by Jimmy Rollins(his second of the game) the Phillies loaded the bases with only one out, but both Aaron Rowand(on a pop up) and David Bell(on a ground out) produced weak outs to end the inning. In the top of the 6th inning however, the Mets were presented with a similar opportunity and did not let get it away. They loaded the bases with no outs, three Phillies errors followed , and the Mets managed to scratch out 5 runs for a 9-4 lead. David Dellucci briefly ressurected the Phillies hopes with a three-run homer in the bottom of the 8th inning to cut the lead to 9-7 , but Billy Bleeping Wagner then entered the game and retired the side. The Phillies had one last opportunity to pull out the win in the bottom of the 9th inning. With Bobby Abreu on first and nobody out Pat Burrell hit what appeared to be a line-drive double, but David bleeping Wright made an incredible catch and turned it into a double play, effectively ending the Phillies chances. If the Phillies are to start winning games again they are going to have to find a way to drastically improve their defense. Otherwise they are going to continue playing the way they are now, inconsistent, and utterly exasperating to watch.