Phils Salvage Get-Away Game With Mets; Need Pitching to Hold Leads …
|
|
|
|
|
First, the good news; the Phils didn’t lie down after blowing leads and losing tough heartbreakers in the first 2 games against the Mets. This time, the Phils ended on top by a 5-3 score.
The bad news is that the consistent inability of Phils pitching to hold leads is causing shell-shock among the fans. Fortunately, the pattern didn’t follow in this game although Arthur Rhodes (0-1) and Tom Gordon (2-1, S14) gave us fits of anxiety and scares which evolve from being shell-shocked in what has seemed to be most recent games. In the end, Gordon was credted with the save in protecting starter Brett Myers’ (3-2) 1st win in over a month as Myers gave up the 3 Met runs in his 7 innings of work. “He has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his 10 outings this season.”
Offensively, the Phils have gotten some timely hitting over the past few days from Chase Utley (9 HRs, .328 BA), Ryan Howard (15 HRs, .295 BA) , Bobby Abreu (6 HRs), Pat Burrell and David Bell as well as a great fielding play on a grounder in the hole between short and 3rd by Bell and a great scoop by Ryan Howard for the 2nd out of the Mets 9th in today’s game.
But consider these stats;
1/ May 17; Blown 4-1 lead for starter Gavin Floyd who gave up 5 in the 6th as the relievers also proved unreliable giving up 3 runs as the Brewers ended on top 8-7.
2/ May 18 vs Milwaukee; Blown 4-0 lead for starter Cole Hamels who pitched 5 shutout innings, gave up one in the 6th before being clubbed for 3 in the 7th and Ryan Madison’s blown save/loss; final Milwaukee 5, Phils 4.
3/ May 23 vs Mets; Blown leads of 6-2 and 8-5 as starter Gavin Floyd and Ryan Franklin could’t hold leads as the Mets scored 1 in the 5th, 2 in the 6th and 3 in the 8th to come even with the Phils. The Mets won the game on a Carlos Beltran solo homer in the Mets’ 16th inning off of Ryan Madison who put in the best performance of anyone on either staff in the game pitching 6 scoreless innings before being tagged with the loss, the Mets winning 9-8.
4/ May 24 vs Mets; Blown lead of 3-1 as Jon Lieber gave up 4 runs in 6 innings and Rheal Cormier couldn’t close out the 7th giving up what ended as the winning run as he was tagged with the loss, the Mets winning 5-4.
Winning teams, teams contending for psot-season play in October don’t consistantly blow leads, and they also know how to win ugly.
The Brewers are back at the Phils in a return 3 game series Friday thru Sunday at Philly’s Citizens Bank Park. Let’s hope that the Phils can shore up their pitching, start winning the close ones and rise to overtake the Mets.
The Phils open against the Brewers with Cory Lidle (4-4) going against Chris Capuano (5-3).
For previews, scores, recaps and box scores of today’s and tommorrow’s games throughout both leagues, click here and here.
del.icio.us |
digg |
Furl |
Reddit |
YahooMyWeb |