PHILLIES NEWS

Ryan Howard had the game of his life tonight, going 3 for 3 with 2 homers (one into the third deck in right field) and a triple. All told he knocked in a career high 7 runs on the night, but alas those 7 runs were the only runs scored by the Phillies on this night and they were not enough, as the Yankees rallied to hand the Phillies a tough 9-7 loss. It is the Phillies bullpen that have themselves to thank for this loss. Thus far this season they had posted the NL's best bullpen ERA, but on this night they had no answer for the Yankee offense. Not once, but twice they were given a lead, and twice they failed to protect it. First, in the seventh inning with the Phillies leading 5-4 Rheal Cormier allowed the Yankees two base runners with only one out. Geoff Geary came in to replace him and got out of the inning, but not before allowing the Yankees to push across the tying run. The Phillies regained the lead in bottom of the inning on Ryan Howard's RBI triple and sent the normally reliable Arthur Rhodes to the hill in the 8th inning with a 7-5 lead. Rhodes had retired the Yankees in order just one night before, but on this night he could not get an out, giving up three runs before Charlie Manuel finally pulled him from the game and replaced him with Ryan Franklin. As Geary had done, Franklin got the Phillies out of the inning but not before giving up another run to give the Yankees a 9-7 lead heading into the 9th inning. In the 9th inning Ryan Howard got a final at bat and had a chance to produce an epic finish to his night with two on and two out, but revered Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, induced Howard into a weak first pitch ground out to end the game. Last night the Phillies played a complete game, with their offense, defense, and pitching all coming through for a 4-2 win, but tonight they were not able to repeat, as the defense and offense came through, but the pitching did not. Thus, what plagued the Phillies tonight is the maddening inconsistency that has plagued them all year. If the Phillies are to truly turn things around, they will have to figure out how to be more consistent.