PHILLIES NEWS

Before the game even started the Phils had to make a number of personnel moves just to prepare for it. With Shane Victorino and Micheal Bourn both placed on the 15 day DL, Jayson Werth was activated from the DL and Chris Roberson was recalled from triple A Ottawa. Since Werth couldn't rejoin the Phils until tomorrow, Roberson got the start in right field in place of Victorino. Also with the acquisition of Kyle Lohse from the Reds in a trade for minor league pitcher Matt Maloney, Clay Condrey was sent back down to triple A to make room for him. Finally, Ryan Madson also went on the DL a couple days ago, so the Phils sent a minor league position player to Seattle in exchange for young reliever Julio Mateo. For some reason, instead of adding Mateo to the roster in place of Madson, the Phils optioned him to triple A, apparently to be called up later. Anyway, getting to the game the Phils were forced to piece together their lineup tonight in a way they normally would not have. Greg Dobbs, who got the start at 3rd, was forced to lead off in place of either Victorino or Bourn, while Roberson was fit into the bottom of the lineup. While, Roberson went 4 for 4, he was hitting in front of the pitcher, so he failed to score any runs, and the Phils could manage only 3 runs all night, including a solo homer by Pat Burrell. The homer briefly put the Phils ahead 3-2, but Adam Eaton ran out of gas in the 6th inning, allowing 3 runs to put Chicago ahead for good 5-3. The Cubs eventually tacked on two more runs to put the Phils behind 7-3 heading into the 9th. There, they put runners on 2nd and 3rd with only one out, but Ryan Howard and Aaron Rowand both went down swinging, denying Pat Burrell the chance to tie it with another homer, as the Phils lost 7-3. The Phils thus, drop to 56-50, and as of now the Mets game has not been decided, but whether NY wins or not the Phils will remain in second place, either 3 or 4 games back. Life accordingly, sucks again.