The Phils took the field early this afternoon as they looked to finish a sweep of the Indians. Thanks to Joe Blanton's best start of the season thus far, and an offensive explosion they were able to do so quite easily. Blanton went 7 and 2/3rd's strong, while allowing just 3 runs on 6 hits and striking out 8. It wasn't necessarily that Blanton pitched all that well, though he did, but perhaps even more so than that Cleveland just had an awful night at the plate. Irregardless of why he was so successful in this one though, it was just nice to see Blanton still be able to cook up a good one for a change. Hopefully he'll keep it up. Though they didn't need to thanks to Blanton the Phils meanwhile crushed Cleveland's pitching staff. In the 2nd inning alone 3 straight singles to lead off the inning by error on the catcher produced 2 runs, a fielder's choice produced a 3rd run, a single by Placido Polanco plated a 4th run and finally a sac fly by Chase Utley pushed across a 5th run.
In the 5th back to back singles, a fielder's choice and a single by Jayson Werth produced 2 more runs and a 7-0 lead. Finally in the 6th, Dane Sardinha, the Phils 4th catcher behind the injured Carlos Ruiz, Brian Schneider, and the injured Paul Hoover, led off with a solo shot, the first of his career for an 8-0 lead. From there a Polanco single, a Werth sac fly, and Wilson Valdez single brought in another 4 runs for a laughable 12-2 lead. After that Nelson Figueroa, who recently came back up from AAA Lehigh to replace the injured Chad Durbin, tossed a scoreless final inning and a 3rd to close out a commanding 12-3 win. That coupled with a Braves loss, puts the 38-32 Phils back to within 2.5 games of 1st in the NL East. So they're definitely back on track now.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
SIXERS NEWS
The NBA draft was tonight at last and shockingly with 2nd overall pick the Sixers stayed true and selected Ohio State star Evan Turner. Considering the Sixers were only team Turner worked out for this probably should come as that much of a surprise but you never with the Sixers. At any rate taking was without a doubt the right move. He's already ready to be a legit scoring threat and is somebody who can be a superstar and leader for the Sixers. He was the college player of the year last year averaging 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists a game. He was also the Big Ten's leading scorer the last 2 years. So he can score, he can dish, he can create his own shots and he can even d up. Basically everything the Sixer's haven't had since AI, that's Allen not Andre, was in his prime. Together with Jrue Holiday he should help to form the Sixer's back court for years to come. It may take them season to mature together, but just having those two together instantly improves the Sixers from last season, maybe not into a playoff team but at least close. The only real question left with the team at this point is who will replace Samuel Dalembert as the defensive stopper at the basket. It will be interesting to see if the Sixers have any more moves up their sleeves to answer that question.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
PHILLIES NEWS
What a difference a Rollins makes. It wasn't the Phils best performance as a team tonight but thanks to Jimmy Rollins it was a memorable one. Kyle Kendrick got the start but lasted only 4 innings while allowing 5 runs on 6 hits. Thus the Phils were left chasing Cleveland for much of the early going. First they trailed 2-0 after one, but a fielder's choice in the 1st and a solo homer by Jayson Werth in the 2nd knotted it up at 2. Then it was 3-2 Cleveland after 3 but a 2 run double by Raul Ibanez rallied the Phils to a 4-3 lead in the 4th. 2 run bomb by Shin Soo Choo quickly put Cleveland back ahead though in the 5th 5-4. It wasn't until the 7th that Brian Schneider finally evened up the score again with a leadoff solo shot.
From there the Phils looked to the bullpen to keep things evened up until they could come up with the winning run. In the 8th the bullpen did just fine as Chad Durbin shutdown the indians for the 4 successive inning. Unfortunately Durbin got hurt during and is now on the DL. Then J.C Romero replaced Durbin for the 9th and couldn't quite hold off Cleveland for a 6th straight innings as Jimmy Rollins just missed maked a spectacular play at the plate on a fielder's choice, allowing the Indians to nudge ahead again 6-5. JRoll made up for it in the 9th. With one on and one out he tatooed Kerry Wood's 1-1 offering down the line in right for a stunning walkoff 2 run homer. So just like that the Phils went from a depressing 6-5 loss to an exhilerating 7-6 win. Moreover, the Braves dropped their 2nd in a row today so the Phils are suddenly back within 3.5 games of 1st in the NL East. You can only JRoll carries them even closer because he seems to be the only one who can at this point.
From there the Phils looked to the bullpen to keep things evened up until they could come up with the winning run. In the 8th the bullpen did just fine as Chad Durbin shutdown the indians for the 4 successive inning. Unfortunately Durbin got hurt during and is now on the DL. Then J.C Romero replaced Durbin for the 9th and couldn't quite hold off Cleveland for a 6th straight innings as Jimmy Rollins just missed maked a spectacular play at the plate on a fielder's choice, allowing the Indians to nudge ahead again 6-5. JRoll made up for it in the 9th. With one on and one out he tatooed Kerry Wood's 1-1 offering down the line in right for a stunning walkoff 2 run homer. So just like that the Phils went from a depressing 6-5 loss to an exhilerating 7-6 win. Moreover, the Braves dropped their 2nd in a row today so the Phils are suddenly back within 3.5 games of 1st in the NL East. You can only JRoll carries them even closer because he seems to be the only one who can at this point.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
PHILLIES NEWS
Looking to get back on track after a tough end to their weekend the Phils turned to their ageless wonder turned stopped Jamie Moyer to shut down the visiting Cleveland Indians. He did that and then some. He was simply brilliant for the 2nd time in as many starts, allowing just 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 5. Just like the Yankees, Cleveland never figured him out. Well, except for Russell Brunyan who crushed a solo homer in the top of the 2nd. Other than that Jamie was in control throughout. Meanwhile the Phils could only muster 2 runs of their own. Both came in the 1st inning on a single by Ryan Howard and a sac fly by Jayson Werth.
After that it was all Jamie through the 8th. Then J.C Romero came in to pitch the 9th. He got the 1st out but after that he got a little unlucky. First Shin Soo Choo beat out an infield single. Then Romero walked the next batter on a full count. So once again Brad Lidge had come in and clean up the mess. This time he did with back to back strikeouts of Austin Kearns, and Jhonny Peralta to seal the 2-1 win. After what the Phils went through on Saturday and Sunday it is nice to get back in the win column so quickly. It was also nice to see Jimmy Rollins back in lineup again at last. He was hitless but his defense and leadership were flawless. Really just having him around makes all the difference. With him the Phils are 11-3 but without him they're just 25-29. It really is that simple. Hopefully now that he is back they can begin to turn things around.
After that it was all Jamie through the 8th. Then J.C Romero came in to pitch the 9th. He got the 1st out but after that he got a little unlucky. First Shin Soo Choo beat out an infield single. Then Romero walked the next batter on a full count. So once again Brad Lidge had come in and clean up the mess. This time he did with back to back strikeouts of Austin Kearns, and Jhonny Peralta to seal the 2-1 win. After what the Phils went through on Saturday and Sunday it is nice to get back in the win column so quickly. It was also nice to see Jimmy Rollins back in lineup again at last. He was hitless but his defense and leadership were flawless. Really just having him around makes all the difference. With him the Phils are 11-3 but without him they're just 25-29. It really is that simple. Hopefully now that he is back they can begin to turn things around.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
PHILLIES NEWS
When you lose a game like the Phils did yesterday it is very hard to get over it and come back and win the next day. A loss like that just hangs with you and makes it difficult for you to perform at your best the next day. For the Phils today the loss really did hang with them and they were not at their best. Carl Pavano wasn't too shabby either as he quieted the Phils bats to the the tune of just 1 run on 4 hits in a complete game victory, just the 9th of his long injury riddled career. Wilson Valdez gave the Phils their only run and their only brief hope of victory with a stunning solo homer in the 5th inning. It was his 2nd in as many games to mark the shortest time span between homers in his career. Unfortunately it was also all the dejected Phils could muster.
Meanwhile Roy Halladay provided another quality start allowing just 4 runs on 11 hits while striking out 8 in 8 strong innings. On 2 of the 4 runs he was victimized by Citizens Bank homeruns which simply got caught in the right field wind and carried out. Other than that he was pretty stellar but it didn't really matter in the end. He could have avoided those homers and allowed just 2 runs over 8 and he still would have lost. At one point this season he was 6-1 and if not for the Phils run scoring troubles at the end of May and early June he would be having a career year by now. Hopefully will start scoring runs for him from here on out or could be a long season.
Meanwhile Roy Halladay provided another quality start allowing just 4 runs on 11 hits while striking out 8 in 8 strong innings. On 2 of the 4 runs he was victimized by Citizens Bank homeruns which simply got caught in the right field wind and carried out. Other than that he was pretty stellar but it didn't really matter in the end. He could have avoided those homers and allowed just 2 runs over 8 and he still would have lost. At one point this season he was 6-1 and if not for the Phils run scoring troubles at the end of May and early June he would be having a career year by now. Hopefully will start scoring runs for him from here on out or could be a long season.
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