Latest Highlights

Saturday, September 18, 2010

PHILLIES NEWS

The Phils just kept it going against the Nats. Kyle Kendrick got what could be his last start of the season and was solid. He allowed just 2 runs on 6 hits over 6 innings. Meanwhile, the jumped on the Nats early again. Jayson Werth slammed a solo homer to lead off the 2nd inning. Carlos Ruiz and Raul Ibanez both followed with singles before Wilson Valdez doubled in a run with the first of his 3 hits on the night. Chase Utley led off the 3rd inning with a walk and then watched as Ryan Howard smashed a 2 run homer the other way. A couple batters later Raul Ibanez slammed a solo shot the other way and the Phils led 5-1.

Valdez slapped a 2 out double a couple batters later but was stranded when Kendrick popped up to end the inning. It didn't matter though as the Phils already had all the runs they would need. Kendrick kept them ahead 5-2 through 6 and from there both teams squandered scoring opportunities the rest of the way. Chad Durbin survived a lead off double in the 7th and Ryan Madson danced in out of a bases loaded jam in the 8th. Then Valdez slapped a 1 out single in the home half of the 8th and Shane Victorino followed a couple batters later with a walk to put 2 on with 2 out for Placido Polanco but he could only come up with another inning ending popup. Finally Brad Lidge retired the side in order in the 9th for his 23rd save and the Phils 6th straight win. The Phils remain 3 games up in the NL East and their magic number is now 11.

EAGLES NEWS

There is nothing new to report

FLYERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

SIXERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

Friday, September 17, 2010

PHILLIES NEWS

Tonight against the Nationals at the Bank, the Phils had one of those games that was over almost before it started. So far in his career Jason Marquis has been slaughtered by the Phils and he's had a horrid, injury plagued year thus far. It only got worse on this night as the Phils roughed him up for 6 runs in the first inning and forced him out of the game after retiring just 1 batter. It was as if he had never even been in the game and might as well as just stayed home. After Shane Victorino was retired to start the inning the Phils quickly loaded bases. What followed was horrendous luck for Marquis. Jayson Werth hit what could have been a double play but instead got threw the drawn in Nats infield for a run.

Next Raul Ibanez slapped a true single for 2 more runs and then advanced to 2nd, with Werth going to 3rd on a stupid throw home. Marquis then hit Carlos Ruiz with a pitch to load the bases. Wilson Valdez followed with another ground ball that would have been a double play except it hit off the umpire, making it a dead ball another run as with the bases loaded Werth had to be awarded home. Next Roy Oswalt singled for another run and that was it for Marquis. Shane Victorino followed with another ground ball but again Washington couldn't turn two and Carlos Ruiz scored the 6th run of the inning.

Finally after that Placido Polanco hit another ground ball to end the inning. With a 6-1 lead Roy Oswalt put the Nats way with 5 scoreless the rest of the way and the Phils tacked on 3 more on a solo shot by Werth in the 5th, and 2 run bomb by Ruiz in the 8th to roll to a 9-1 win. It's Oswalt's 13th and the Phils 87th as they reduce their magic number to 12 and stay 3 games up in the NL East.

FLYERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

SIXERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

EAGLES NEWS

There is nothing new to report

Thursday, September 16, 2010

EAGLES NEWS

It is official now. Micheal Vick will start for the Eagles on Sunday. Kevin Kolb just hasn't fully recovered from the concussion he suffered against the Packers. He has already failed 2 concussion tests so it was going to take a miracle for him to play anyway. Stewart Bradley has also failed 2 concussion but he has progressed further than Kolb so he can't be ruled out just yet. It is unlikely though that he'll play on Sunday either.

PHILLIES NEWS

There is nothing new to report

FLYERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

SIXERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

PHILLIES NEWS

With 2 of their starters suspended, the Marlins entered tonight's contest without a true to put on the mound. The Phils on the other hand had Roy Halladay going for them. So it figured to be easy pickings for the Phils tonight and a golden opportunity to extend their lead in the NL East, with the Braves having lost earlier. Halladay took care of his business limiting the Fish to just 3 runs on 10 hits while striking out 9 over 6 innings. Meanwhile the Phils took easy advantage of the Marlin's lack of pitching, pounding out 10 runs on 14 hits. So it was a pretty stress free night for the men in red pinstripes.

Right off the bat in the top of the 1st, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez made the Marlins pay for intentionally walking Ryan Hoard and Chase Utley, with an RBI single and an RBI double respectively. Later in the 3rd, Chase Utley crushed a a solo homer and Wilson Valdez and Shane Victorino each collected an RBI single to push the Phils to a 6-0 lead. In the 4th, Valdez slapped another RBI single and the Phils benefited from a wild pitch to plate another run for an 8-1 lead. In the 5th, Victorino tripled and scored on a singly by Placido Polanco for an 9-2 lead. Later in the top of the 9th, with the lead down to 9-4, Carlos Ruiz and Ross Gload combined doubles for a 9-4 lead. Finally in the home half of the 9th, after Brad Lide was unable to close it out, Jose Contreras came on to finish off the 10-5 win over the Fish and a key 3 game sweep. With the Aforementioned Braves loss the Phis, at 86-61, are now 3 games up in the NL East.

FLYERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

SIXERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

EAGLES NEWS

There is nothing new to report

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

PHILLIES NEWS

Cole Hamels came into tonight having tossed 25 consecutive scoreless innings. Florida ended the streak right off the bat on an RBI single by Dan Uggla in the bottom of the 1st. Hamels didn't fret through ,tossing 5 and 2/3rd's innings scoreless innings the rest of the way while allowing just 5 hits and striking out 13. The Marlins were simply no match for the Hamels express. Meanwhile the Phils managed to scratch out a couple runs in support of Hamels, just enough to give him a lead to work with.

Placido Polanco doubled in the first in the top of the 1st. Later in the 5th, Shane Victorino doubled, stole 3rd and scored on a fielder's choice to put the Phils ahead to stay 2-1. The Phils had several other opportunities to score and just couldn't capitalize. Thankfully it didn't come back to haunt them on this night. After Hamel's 6 and 2/3rd's of brilliance, Chad Durbin finished off the 7th with Wilson Valdez making the catch on a line drive to short. Next in the 8th, Ryan Madson danced around a single and a walk with a pop up, a strikeout, and a groundout to preserve the 2-1. Finally, Brad Lidge returned to the mound for the first time in a few weeks and retired the Marlins in order in the 9th for his 22nd save. With the win and a loss by the Braves earlier in the night, the Phils, at 86-51, move to 2 games up in the NL East.

SIXERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

FLYERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

EAGLES NEWS

There is nothing new to report

Monday, September 13, 2010

PHILLIES NEWS

It's nice when you're starter throws a complete game shutout to get you a win, but it's more fun to get a win by pounding your opponent into submission. That's what the Phils did to the Marlins tonight as they arrived in Miami for a 3 game set. Joe Blanton got the start tonight and was solid, allowing just 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 8 in 6 innings. The Phils bat's pretty much did the rest. Against Fish starter Andrew Miller alone, they racked up 7 runs on 9 hits and that was much more than Florida could recover from.

Jayson Werth got things started with a solo homer in the 2nd. Later in the 3rd Chase Utley slammed a 2 run homer. Then in the 4th Carlos Ruiz jacked another 2 run homer for a 4-0 lead. In the 5th Utley singled, stole 2nd, and scored on a single by Ryan Howard. Howard himself scored a couple minutes later on a throwing error by Logan Morrisson and then Ruiz knocked in another run with an RBI single to push the lead to 7-0. In the 6th Placido Polanco and Howard each ripped RBI singles and Ruiz walked with the bases loaded to the push the lead to 10-0. Finally in the 7th, Greg Dobbs, yes Dobbs, slammed the Phils for 4th homer of the night to cap off an easy 11-4 win over the Fish. Unfortunately the Braves won again too so the Phils remain 1 game up in the NL East

EAGLES NEWS

The Eagles signed TE Garrett Mills and FB Owen Schmitt to their 53 man roster, thereby filling the spots vacated by Leonard Weaver and Jamal Jackson who were both lost for the season. At the same time G Fenuki Tupuo was reacquired and added to the practice squad, thereby filling the spot vacated by Mills, who had been on the practice squad previously. Schmitt was highly touted coming out of college and could be just right guy to replace Weaver. No he won't be as versatile as Weaver was, but he'll block well at least. With no Jamal Jackson manning the middle the Eagles will need to bring in extra blockers as much as possible. That's where Mills comes in.

FLYERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

SIXERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

Sunday, September 12, 2010

PHILLIES NEWS

It was a worry free Sunday for the Phils as Roy Oswalt tossed a complete game shutout on just 4 hits while striking out 6 and walking 1. The Mets just never figured him out and probably didn't really care enough to do so anyway. All told Oswalt needed just 113 pitches to go all 9 innings which shows you just how dominating his stuff was. Considering how much the bullpen has worked lately it was really nice to give them a day off.

In the end the only worry for the Phils on the day was whether they would plate enough runs to get Oswalt the win. They did and then some. Chase Utley slapped an RBI single with nobody out in the first inning to plate what turned out to be the winning run. Later Placido Polanco doubled and scored on a single by Ryan Howard in the 3rd inning. Finally in the 7th, Raul Ibanez crushed a solo homer to put the Phils 3-0 and that was about all she wrote. Oswalt took from there, closing his out his 12th win of the season. With the win the Phils and a late loss by the Braves the Phils move back in the 1st in the NL East by 1 game.

EAGLES NEWS

It was not a positive season opener for the Birds today. Leonard Weaver and Jamaal Jackson were both likely lost for the season today. Meanwhile, Stewart Bradley and Kevin Kolb both went down with concussions and could be out for a few games. The Eagles also committed a whopping 10 penalties and struggled with their kick return coverage all the day long. Despite all that they actually had a chance at the end to tie the game and force overtime, which just goes to show you the true talent level on this team.

The story of the first half for the Birds was their defense which had them ahead 3-0 until late in the 2nd quarter. Then Stewart Bradley left the game and Packers were able quickly score 10 points to claim a 13-3 lead at the half. The Eagles' offense did very little in the first half. Kolb completed just 5 of 10 passes for 24 yards and the Birds never really even came close to the end zone. Desean Jackson and Brent Celek both had 0 catches in the 1st half. Kolb just couldn't link up with them. He had time to throw most of the time but he just seemed lost and unsure of who to throw to. Part of that was probably the untreated concussion he suffered and then strangely played through until half time, but on the whole he just wasn't sharp. David Akers did look good booting a 45 yard field goal, after Aaron Rodgers tossed the 1st of his 2 interceptions, but that was the only Eagle highlight in the 1st half.

Early in the 2nd half the Packers took advantage of the Bradley - less Eagles defense to run up another 14 points and a 27-10 lead. After that though, the Eagle defense strengthened and Mike Vick finally energized the offense with a pair of scoring drives. In the 3rd quarter Lesean McCoy capped off a 60 yard drive with a 12 yd TD run. Early in the 4th quarter Vick fired a 17 yard TD pass to Jeremy Maclin to cut it to 27-17. Then Nate Allen hauled Aaron Rodgers 2nd interception of the day, setting up another Aker's field goal to cut it to 27-20, after Vick and the offense were unable to punch it in from 1st and goal at the 10. The defense held again on the next drive, setting the stage for Vick to take the Eagles down the field for the tying score. He drove them down to the Packer's 42 yard line where the Eagles had a 4th and 1 with a little under 2 minutes left to play. Vick took himself on a QB draw but was stuffed short of the 1st down by Clay Matthews and Packers ran out the clock from there for the 27-20 win.

Ultimately the Eagles weren't expected to win today so isn't a total downer that they didn't. It really hurts though that they are once again without a proven center and fullback. It's going to be tough now for them to run the ball for the remainder unless Eldra Buckley learns how to block quickly, or they bring in another talented fullback. Mike Vick had a very good game, completing 16 of 24 passes for 174 yards and a TD and rushing for 103 more. It did look he could have run for a touchdown on 3rd and goal from the 5 with the Birds down 27-17, but he threw incomplete instead. That was really his only mistake of the game. If not for Vick if would have been an awful day for the Eagles' offense but he redeemed them somewhat. Still, Lesean McCoy was the leading receiver with 42 yards and Vick himself was leading rusher with 103yards, not exactly a winning formula. If nothing else the Eagles defense seems to be in good hands, as long as Stewart Bradley can stay on the field.

FLYERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report

SIXERS NEWS

There is nothing new to report