PHILLIES NEWS

Well, the Phils just aren't meant to get above .500 this season. Tonight for the 4th time they had a chance to do so, and for the 4th consecutive time they failed and are once again one game under .500. The game began with an 85 minute rain delay, and the Phils then came out firing. Aaron Rowand doubled and the Phils went up early 2-0 in the first inning. Jon Lieber had bit of a rough outing though, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits in only 5 innings of work, and by the 6th inning the Marlins had rallied ahead 3-2 behind clutch hitting and the left arm of Dontrelle Willis. Willis starting getting wild in the 6th, walking the bases loaded and the Phils used a sac fly to tie it up at 3, but could do no more damage. Florida took the lead again in the bottom of the 6th on a double by Jeremy Hermida, but again the Phils rallied back in the 8th as Shane Victorino singled in the tying run. They had a chance for more earlier in the inning, but alas after a boneheaded move to send him Micheal Bourn was gunned down at home trying to score from first on a double by Greg Dobbs. Dobbs of course was the runner who later scored on Victorino's single. Anyway, the Phils bullpen somehow kept it going until the 11th. There they watched a golden opportunity slip away and then watched the Marlins celebrate. In the top of the 11th, they loaded the bases with one out, only to watch Greg Dobbs strike out, and Victorino ground out. Then in bottom of the inning Hanley Ramirez singled and Miguel Cabrera doubled to score him and end the game in a 5-4 marlins win. So life sucks again and the Phils are back under .500 as they head to Atlanta for the weekend, where Ryan Howard should finally return to the team.