PHILLIES NEWS

The Phils went for the sweep of the Brewers today and they came oh so close. They got a solid effort from Freddy Garcia who went 5 and 2/3rd innings allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits, while striking out 5. Both runs came on solo homers by Gabe Gross who was batting only about .190 coming into today. Meanwhile, for the Phils Pat Burrell hit a solo homer but that would be about all the Phils would get for most of the day as they were dazzled by Brewers ace Ben Sheets to the tune of 7 and 2/3rds innings, only 2 runs on 5 hits, and 8 strikeouts. Not until the 8th inning did the Phils finally get to him as Aaron Rowand doubled and scored to pull the Phils within a run at 3-2. Then in the bottom 9th inning with Brewer closer Francisco Cordero on the hill for the first time of the series, Pat Burrell stepped up again with one out and cracked one and it was going, going, outta here!!!! or so everyone thought. Unfortunately replays and the blank stare of the umpire clearly showed the ball hitting off the top of the wall, just inches short of Citizens Bank's designated homerun line and Burrell was forced to stop at second for a double. Micheal Bourn quickly replaced him as a pinch runner, but he wound stranded there as Wes Helms and Abraham Nunez both hit weak groundouts. So the Brewers salvaged a game, and the Phils lost to fall back under .500 at 20-21. Life Sucks again.