PHILLIES NEWS

Coming into today the Phils again needed to win both sides of a doubleheader in order to pull into a 1st place tie in a playoff race, this time the wild card race with Brewers. In the first game, Joe Blanton got the start and went 7 strong innings, allowing just 3 runs on 5 hits. Meanwhile, the Phils did likewise to Dave Bush through 6 innings, so it would come down to some late game heroics. Now onto the game. In the top of the 1st, Ray Durham slammed a 2 run homer for a 2-0 Brewer's lead. In the bottom of the 4th, Chase Utley doubled and scored on a fielder's choice to cut the lead to 2-1. In the top of 5th Mike Cameron crushed a solo homer for a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the 6th Ryan Howard slugged a 2 run homer to knot it up at 3. In the bottom of the 8th, Pat Burrell slapped an RBI single and the "Flyin Hawaiian" Shane Victorino broke it open with a 3 run homer for a 7-3 lead. Finally in the top of the 9th, Brad Lidge closed the door again retiring the Brewers in order for the 7-3 win. So heading into game 2 the Phils were 1 game behind the Brew Crew. In game 2 Brett Myers got the start and tossed another brilliant complete game, allowing just 1 run on 2 hits. Meanwhile, the Phils bat's roughed up Jeff Suppan for 6 runs on 8 hits so it was a pretty one sided affair. Now onto the game. In the bottom of the 1st, Jimmy Rollins doubled and scored on a fielder's choice for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the 2nd, Myer's himself singled in one run and JRoll slapped a 2 run single for a 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the 4th, "the Bat" Pat Burrell crushed a solo homer and Jayson Werth forced in a run with a bases loaded walk for a 6-0 lead. In the top of the 7th, the Brew Crew finally got on the board on a solo shot by Prince Fielder, cutting the lead to 6-1. Myer's took it from there finally retiring the Brewers in order in the 9th to close out the 6-1 win. So the Phils move to 83-67 overall, now tied with the Brewers for 1st in the wildcard and just 1 game behind the Mets in the NL East.