PHILLIES NEWS

With Ryan Howard now on the DL the Phils needed someone else to step up fill the void left by his absence. Yesterday, that someone was Pat Burrell with two homers. Today, that someone was Greg "Roy Hobbs" Dobbs in a rare start at 1st base in place of Howard. Dobbs went 4-4 on the day racking up 4 hits and 2 RBIs including the eventual game winning RBI. Initially, it didn't look like Dobbs would need to be such a hero. Freddy Garcia went 6 innings allowing just 3 runs on 8 hits, while Chase Utley homered and the Phils took a 5-1 lead into the 7th inning. Then, all hell broke lose. The Cubs suddenly came to life in the top of the 7th, quickly scoring 4 runs to tie it at 5. Then with one out and 2 on the game went into a 1 hour and 5 minute rain delay. When the game returned from delay, the Cubs scored 2 more runs and nearly added a 3rd but Shane Victorino gunned down Jacque Jones at the plate to end the inning. The Cubs had thus taken a 7-5 lead. It would not last long. After two quick outs in the bottom of the inning, Aaron Rowand laced a single in rightfield. Then Chase Utley doubled to score Rowand but only after a bad relay throw from the pitcher. After a Pat Burrell walk, Dobbs already with 3 hits on the day, stepped back into the batter's box and delivered a triple, scoring both Utley and Burrell after another bad relay throw. Abraham Nunez then doubled to score Dobbs, Carlos Ruiz homered and suddenly the Phils led again 11-7. With the help of Brett Myers, who pitched a scoreless 8th and 9th inning , and the rain which returned in the 9th, the Phils hung on for the win, improving their record to 17-19 and moving back into 3rd place in the NL East, but still 7 games behind Atlanta for first. Life is still beautiful.