PHILLIES NEWS

Just when you thought it couldn't get much worse for the Phils than last night it did today. While he managed to go longer than Jamie Moyer, lasting 4 innings, Joe Blanton was ultimately no better allowing 9 runs on 13 hits. At least he pitched a scoreless 1st inning. So the Phils at least had a chance early on. In fact they had the lead 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 2nd. Then Blanton allowed 5 in that inning, 3 in the 3rd and 1 in the 4th before the Phils were forced to remove him from the game with a 9- 2 deficit. Faced with an insurmountable deficit for the 2nd straight game the Phils didn't do much the rest of the way. The bullpen, with Chad Durbin J.C Romero, and Jose Contreras was again solid, allowing just 1 run the rest of the way. It didn't matter though as the Phils failed to score the rest of the way, despite racking up 5 of their 7 hits in the remaining innings.

Chase Utley had one of the Phils 7 hits which is a sign tht perhaps he is coming out of his slump. On other hand after a 3 hit night yesterday, Jayson Werth hitless again today with a strikeout. Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino were also hitless so the obviously the team's slump isn't over yet. While the Phil's best hitters were punchless Brian Schneider, playing in place of Carlos Ruiz, collected 3 hits and knocked in both of the Phils runs which makes him pretty much the only bright spot for the Phils tonight. To add insult to injury the big hitter for the Red Sox in this one was Daniel Nava, a rookie playing in his first MLB game. Shockingly he had a grand slam in his first at bat and a double in the next one. Without him the score would have been 5-2 most of the night and the Phils would at least have been in striking distance and who knows what would have happened then. Sometimes when it rains it pours.