The Phils continued their series with the Yankees this afternoon. J.A Happ got his first start of the season and delivered 6 strong innings, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits. Meanwhile, the Phils touched up Andy Pettitte for 4 runs on 5 hits, but he went an inning longer than Happ, keeping the game close for the potent Yankee lineup. So it came down to the bullpen to hold on for the win, just as they had done all last season. Brad Lidge though has not been mr.Automatic thus far this season and he wasn't again today, leading to another Yankee 9th inning comeback. Before that though the Phils played a great game. In the top of the 2nd Raul Ibanez slammed his league leading 17th homer for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning Robinson Cano doubled and scored on a fielder's choice to knot it up at 1. In the top of the 5th, in his major league debut, AAA call up John Mayberry Jr(Miguel Cairo just wasn't getting it done as the Phils top righthanded option off the bench) slugged a 3 run homer for a 4-1 lead. In the botttom of the 6th, Happ made his only real mistake of the day, serving up a solo homer to Derek Jeter, cutting the lead to 4-2. It was still 4-2 heading into the 9th, and after Lidge struck out Mark Teixeira for the first out, with only one on, victory seemed assured right? wrong. Alex Rodriguez crushed a 2 run homer 6 pitches later to tie it at 4 and then Cano singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Melky Cabrera for the 5-4 Yankee win and Lidge's 3rd blown save of the season. Now many will say it is time dismiss Lidge and move Ryan Madson to the closer's spot. First of all I don't think there is enough depth in the Phils bullpen to do that right now. A little over a week from now when J.C Romero returns from his suspension and can be a steady setup guy for Madson, it would be feasible to move Ryan to the closer spot, but right now I think it would be tough to do so. Secondly, I think it is too early to dismiss Lidge as the closer. He's really not that far off. The slider has been just fine, ie; the strikeout of Teixeira, and he pitched well his last 4 outings or so coming into today. Also he's not the first pitcher to get hit around at new Yankee stadium, I mean that A-Rod homer was off the end of the bat and probably would have been an out at the Bank. The only problem he's had this season is locating his fastball at times. I think if he can just figure it out with his fastball he'll be fine. On the other hand if he blows anymore saves like this, and doesn't start to show any improvement before long, the Phils may have no choice but to move Madson into the closer's spot. Anyway the Phils drop to 23-18 overall and now lead the Mets in the NL East by just a half a game.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
After taking two of three from the Reds the Phils traveled to the bronx tonight for an interleague matchup with the Yankees at new Yankee stadium. Coming in the Yankees had won 9 in a row, and looked unstoppable. Brett Myers cooled them down though, allowing just 3 runs on 8 hits in 8 brilliant innings. Meanwhile the Phils racked up double digits in hits again with 14, while scoring 7. So in all it was just another walk in the park for the Phils tonight. In the top of the 1st, Jimmy Rollins led off with a solo homer for a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 2nd Carlos Ruiz lined a 2 run homer into the seats for a 3-0 lead. In the top of the 5th Jayson Werth absolutely crushed another 2 run homer for a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the 6th A-Rod put the Yanks on the board with a solo shot to cut it to 5-1. In the top of the 7th Raul IBanez socked another solo homer for a 6-1 lead. In the top of the 8th Chase Utley singled in a run for a 7-1 lead. In the bottom of the 8th Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira each slammed a solo homers to cut it to 7-3. From there Ryan Madson came on in the 9th to close out the 7-3 Phils win. So all told that's 7 more homers at new yankee stadium. I mean there have been almost 80 homers hit at new yankee stadium so far and that's just ridiculous. Not even the Bank or Coor's field launches that many bombs. Hopefully the Phils will be able to use the homer party to their advantage, but the pitching will have to pick up where Myers left off with J.A Happ tomorrow and Hamels on sunday. I would think both are capable of performances like Myer's tonight and I hope they give them, because many pundits picked the Yankees to win this interleague tilt and I want to see us prove them wrong. Anyway the Phils move to 23-17 overall now and remain 1.5 games up in the NL East.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils completed their series with the Reds this afternoon. Joe Blanton got the start for the Phils and as advertised he was shaky. He looked good for 4 innings before running into trouble in the 5th inning. Somehow he managed to escape the 5th with the lead and thanks to a Phils offensive barrage the rest of the way, that was enough to earn him the win, just his second of the season thus far. The Reds simply couldn't stop the Phils tonight. In fact the Phils scored off the first 5 the pitchers the Reds brought in the game, before David Weathers became the lone member of the Red's pitching staff to silence the Phil's bats on the night in the 9th inning. In the top of the 1st Jimmy Rollins singled and scored on a fielder's choice for a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 2nd Chase Utley singled in a couple runs and scored on a double by Raul Ibanez for a 4-0 lead. In the top of the 3rd Greg Dobbs slammed a solo homer for a 5-0 lead. In the top of the 4th Utley slugged a solo homer for a 6-0 lead. Finally in the bottom of the 5th the Reds got to Blanton, as 2 runs scored on a single by Willie Taveras and a fielder's choice, before Brandon Phillips crushed a 3 run homer to cut the lead to 6-5. Blanton then induced a groundout though, to get out of the inning with the Phils still ahead. The bats took it from there. In the top of the 6th Utley sac flyed in a run for a 7-5 lead. In the top of the 7th Ryan Howard tatooed a solo homer, and Pedro Feliz socked a pinch 2 run double and scored on a single by JRoll for an 11-5 lead. In the top of the 8th Ibanez lined out another homer for a 12-5 lead and that proved to be the final score. So again Blanton was saved by the bats, but he can't expect that every night, he's going to have to pitch better. Let's forget out Blanton for a second though and talk about Ibanez. Are you kidding me? 35 years old and he nows leads the NL in homers with 15, RBIs with 40 and is 6th in BA. at .349. 35 year olds aren't supposed to be this good, but I'm glad he is. You have wonder though whether this will last all season, but why not, no one deserves it more than RAUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLL! Anyway so the Phils are now 22-17 overall and lead the NL East by 1.5 games over the idle Mets.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils continued their series with the Reds tonight as Jamie Moyer again went for his 250th win. This time he pitched well at least, allowing just 3 runs on 9 hits in 6 strong innings. Unfortunately Aaron Harang was just a bit better allowing just 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 9 through7 innings. The Phils simply couldn't figure him out and then ex-Phillie Arthur Rhodes and Francisco Cordero were lights out in the 8th and 9th innings, so you probably know how this one went. In the bottom of the 1st, Brandon Philips singled in a run for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the 2nd Bret Hanigan lined a solo homer into the bleachers for a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the 3rd Jay Bruce blooped a single to right to knock in another run for a 3-0 lead. In the top of the 4th Raul Ibanez slugged a solo homer to cut it to 3-1. In the bottom of the 7th Phillips tripled in 2 more runs for a 5-1 lead. From there as mentioned the Reds bullpen took over and the Phils fell 5-1, snapping their 5 game winning streak. Fortunately the Mets blew it again out in L.A, so the Phils at 21-17 now, remain in first in the NL East by a full game. Much has been said about the struggles of Moyer in his last few games, but I think after tonight he's going to be okay. Now if Joe Blanton, who starts tomorrow night, could only get himself back in gear, the Phils might have something because honestly I think the only thing that has held them back so far is the rotation.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils traveled to Cincinnati to begin a series with the Reds tonight. With Cole Hamels and Johny Cueto scheduled to be on the mound, the stage was set for a classic pitcher's duel. In the end it was not a classic duel, but a good pitching matchup nonetheless. Thankfully for the Phils, Hamels out dueled Cueto, allowing just 3 runs on 5 hits while striking out 7 in 6 strong innings. Meanwhile, Cueto lasted a inning longer than Hamels, but allowed 4 runs on 7 hits. So Hamels did just enough to get the game to the bullpen with the Phils ahead. As you might expect, although still not quite an automatic check in the win column, getting the game to the bullpen with a lead was adequate on this night to secure a 5th straight win for the Phils. It wasn't all about the pitching though. Ryan Howard got the Phils off to a resounding start crushing a solo homer in the top of the 2nd for a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the 4th Jay Bruce matched Howard with a solo shot of his own to knot it at 1. In the top of the 5th a double by Jimmy Rollins, a single by Chase Utley, and a sac fly by Raul Ibanez plated 3 runs for a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the 6th Jerry Hairston lined a solo shot into the seats and Brandon Philips tripled and scored to cut the lead to 4-3. From there Clay Condrey and the "the Bridge to Lidge" Ryan Madson kept the Phils ahead into the 9th. Brad Lidge then had another 9th inning adventure, allowing 2 on with one out before regrouping to retire the side and close out the 4-3 Phils win. Since the Mets blew another lead tonight against the Dodgers, the Phils at 21-16 overall, now lead the NL East by a full game. In other news the Phils finally pulled the plug, at least for now, on Chan Ho Park as the 5th starter in the rotation. Instead at this time Park will go back to the bullpen as the Phils long reliever, while J.A Happ assumes the 5th spot in the rotation for now. Park had been a picture of inconsistency thus far this season, terrible in his first few starts, than solid for a couple starts, only to come back and pitch terrible on Sunday. Happ on the other hand has consistently pitched well every time he has come out of the bullpen. Hopefully he will bring that consistency with him as the Phils 5th starter, because the Phils really need another reliable arm in the rotation, especially with Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton each struggling thus far this season.
Monday, May 18, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
No game today, as the Phils are headed out to Cincinnati to begin a series with the Reds tomorrow.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils completed their weekend series with the Nats this afternoon looking for the sweep. Chan Ho Park got the start but was roughed up allowing 5 runs on 5 hits in just an inning and a 3rd. Fortunately from there, the bullpen held the Nats in check and Phils were able to rally from behind late to steal another one from Washington. In the top of the 1st Jayson Werth singled in one run and the "Flyin Hawaiian" Shanve Victorino doubled in 2 more for a 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the 1st, Elijah Dukes and Adam Dunn each doubled in one run and a wild pitch by Park led to a 3rd run and a 3-3 tie. In the bottom of the 2nd, Dunn worked a bases load walk and Willie Harris was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, for 2 more runs and a 5-3 lead. In the top of the 4th Jimmy Rollins singled in one run and Chase Utley doubled in a 2nd run to knot it up at 5. In the bottom of the 6th Ryan Zimmerman sac flied in another run to put the Nats up 6-5. In the top of the 8th an error by Jese Colome caused two runs to score and Eric Bruntlett slapped a pinch double for a 3rd run and an 8-6 lead.Finally in the bottom of the 9th Brad Lidge came in and racked up yet another save to close out the 8-6 win. So the Phils move to 20-16 overall and now just .5 games behind the Mets in the NL East.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)