Phillies rookie lefthander Cole Hamels (8-8) pitched another standout game and the Phils offense delivered 4 runs in the 7th inning and 3 more in the 8th enroute to a 7-2 victory over Houston.  The win helps the Phillies to stay 1 1/2  games behind the National League wild card leading San Diego Padres who plastered the LA Dodgers by an 11-2 score.  The Phils now move 2 games up on both the San Francisco Giants who again lost to the St. Louis Cardinals by a 6-1 score and the Florida Marlins who lost to the Atlanta Braves by a 2-1 score.

Both Hamels and Jason Hirsh had no-hitters going through 4 innings and the Phils broke through on losing pitcher Jason Hirsh (3-4) for 2 hits in the 5th but the Phils left the two runners stranded.

In the 6th inning, 1st baseman Ryan Howard (56 HRs, 139 RBIs, .315 BA) was the victim of an umpire’s blown call.  Howard clubbed what many though was homer #57 but replays appeared to show that a fan in the first row of the left-field seats was trying to catch the ball and dropped it.  Howard was awarded a ground-rule double on the play.  But after the game, Umpire Larry Poncino said that he got it wrong. 

“The play was the play,” Poncino said in a statement. “The ball was over the fence and that’s it.”

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel argued the call at the time, but not too vehemently.

“I was in the dugout and it was hard to see,” he said. “I couldn’t follow the ball all the way but some of the guys in the dugout said the kid leaned over and hit the ball. I didn’t see any of our guys really jumping up and down. Sometimes that really helps you know what happened.”

Howard wasn’t sure, either.

“I didn’t see where it hit,” Howard said after being told of Poncino’s remarks. “It’s a little disappointing, but there’s nothing you can do about it now unless they give me a home run when I hit a double sometime. It definitely would have been big at the time.”

As it turned out, Howard was one of seven Phillies left on base for the game.

In the 7th inning, the Phillies got to Hirsh and 3 relievers for 4 runs.  Rightfielder David Dellucci (13 HRs, 37 RBIs, .293 BA) led off with a solo homer.  Shortstop Jimmy Rollins (20 HRs, 70 RBIs, .275 BA) hit an RBI double.  Centerfielder Shane Victorino (6 HRs, 42 RBIs, .287) followed with an RBI single as did 2nd baseman Chase Utley (28 HRs, 90 RBIs, .301 BA).  The Phils were on the board with a 4-0 lead.

Winning pitcher Hamels lost his no-hitter in the 7th inning with 2 out as he walked Jason Lane (14 HRs, 44 RBIs) and shortstop Adam Everett (5 HRs, 55 RBIs) hit an RBI double to put Houston on the board and for their first hit off of Hamels.

In the top of the 8th inning, the Phils scored 3 more runs on reliever Brad Lidge (1-5, S31) as 3rd baseman  Abraham Nunez (2 HRs, 25 RBIs) clubbed a 2 run triple to rightfield and Jimmy Rollins followed with a sacrifice fly and the Phils led 7-1.

In the bottom of the 8th, 3rd baseman Morgan Ensberg (22 HRs, 55 RBIs) drove in the 2nd Houston run with a single.  Hamels was relieved by Geoff Geary (7-1, 2.93 ERA, S1) who retired the side.

Hamels’ line in another excellent performance was 2 runs on 3 hits, striking out 10 while walking 4.

Reliever Ryan Madison (10-9) finished the game pitching a scoreless 9th inning.

For a full recap including box scores and play-by-play on Saturday’s game  click here.

On Sunday, the Phillies try for a sweep of the Astros as lefthander Randy  Wolf (3-0) faces Houston lefthander Wandy Rodriguez (9-9).

For full coverage of all of Sunday’s games in both leagues; previews, recaps, box scores and play-by-play coverage click here.

Pat Burrell’s (25 HRs, 88 RBIs) grand slam homer, another solid pitching performance by Brett Myers (11-6) and a 9th inning great escape by closer Tom Gordon (3-4, 3.21 ERA, S30) from a potentially disasterous situation all contributed to a Phillies 4-3 win over the Houston Astros.

With the victory, the Phillies climbed back into 2nd place in the wild card race, 1 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres who lost to the LA Dodgers by a 3-1 score in a 2 hitter by Greg Maddux (13-13) and the LA bullpen, and a game in front of 3rd place San Francisco who got clobbered by the  St. Louis Cardinals by a 14-4 score.

The Phils benefited by 1st inning wildness by losing pitcher Roger Clemens (6-5, 2.52 ERA).  With 2 out, Clemens walked 2nd baseman Chase Utley (28 HRs, 89 RBIs, .301 BA) who then stole 2nd base.  Then Clemens intentionally walked 1st baseman Ryan Howard (56 HRs, 139 RBIs, .315 BA). Clemens then walked rightfielder David Dellucci (12 HRs, 36 RBIs, .293 BA) to load the bases.  Leftfielder Pat Burrell, who was hitless in his last 22 at-bats against Houston, ripped full-count fastball out to left field for a grand slam homer to put the Phillies up 4-0 on 1 hit.

Winning pitcher Myers later commented on Burrell, “We need him to get hot to win this thing.”

In his one rough inning, Myers gave up 3 runs in the 4th inning on a solo homer to leftfield by 3rd baseman Morgan Ensberg (22 HRs, 54 RBIs) and a 2 run shot to right centerfield by leftfielder Luke Scott (6 HRs, 22 RBIs, .376 BA) as Houston narrowed the score to 4-3. 

However, Myers whose splendid performance was marred only by the two dingers in the 4th inning toughened up allowing but 2 baserunners in his final 3 innngs, a walk in the 6th inning and a base hit in the 7th inning.  Myers gave 3 runs on 5 hits, striking out 4 and walking 3.

Clemens pitched 5 innings giving up 4 runs on 3 hits, striking out 4 and walking 5.  The Houston bullpen shut down the Phils the rest of the way on 2 hits and a walk.

The Astros had a chance to win the game in the bottom of 9th inning.
After relievers Geoff Geary (7-1, 2.93 ERA, S1) and Matt Smith (0-0. 0.00 ERA) combined for a scoreless 8th inning, closer Tom Gordon pitched the 9th inning.

Rightfielder Aubrey Huff (17 HRs, 58 RBIs, .266 BA) hit a double down the right field line that first baseman Ryan Howard couldn’t handle to lead off the inning. One out later, pinch-hitter Chris Burke (9 HRs, 40 RBIs, .288 BA) beat out an infield single to third advancing Huff to third base.  Then pinch-hitter Jason Lane (14 HRs, 44 RBIs) hit a fly ball that leftfielder Jeff Conine (10 HRs, 60 RBIs, .270 BA) dropped to load the bases.
 
Gordon then got pinch-hitter Humberto Quintero (2 RBIs) to ground into a double play to end the game and to record his 30th save.

For a full recap including box scores and play-by-play on Friday’s game click here.

In Saturday’s game, Phillies rookie lefthander Cole Hamels (7-8) faces  rookie Jason Hirsh (3-3) going for Houston.

For full coverage of all of Saturday’s games in both leagues; previews, recaps, box scores and play-by-play coverage click here.

The Phillies fell to 2 1/2 games behind the wild card front-running San Diego Padres, the result of Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Altanta as the Braves escaped a Phillies series sweep.

The Padres picked up a game on the Phils by beating Cincinnati by a 4-2 score.  The San Francisco Giants moved into a 2nd place tie with the Phils off of their 5-0 shutout of the Colorado Rockies.

Atlanta’s rookie lefthander and winning pitcher Chuck James (10-3, 3.33 ERA) had another excellent performance after shutting out the New York Mets by a 5-0 score 10 days ago.  James held the Phils scoreless through his 7 innings while giving up 5 hits, walkng 2 and strking out 7.

James and Phils starter and losing pitcher, lefthander Jamie Moyer (8-13) were locked in a scoreless pitcher’s duel until the Braves 5th inning when rookie 3rd baseman Martin Prado’s (1 HR, 7 RBIs, .281 BA) 1st Major League homer, 3 run shot off of Moyer with 1 out put the Braves on the board.

In the 6th inning, centerfielder Andruw Jones (34 HR, 110 RBIs) clubbed a solo blast off of Moyer to cap Atlanta’s scoring.

The Phillies scored their only run in the 8th inning on rightfielder Jeff Conine’s (10 HRs, 60 RBIs, .270 BA)  RBI single with the run charged to lefthanded reliever Macay McBride (4-1, 3.65 ERA) who pitched 1/3 of the inning.  Tyler Yates (2-4, 3.83 ERA), in relief of McBride, gave up Conine’s single before retiring the side to end the inning.

The Phils bullpen took over in the 7th inning and held Atlanta scoreless the rest of the way.   Atlanta closer Bob Wickman (1-5, 3.02 ERA, S29) gave up 2 Phillies hits in the 9th inning but managed to retire the side without damage and was credited with the save.

The Phils left 11 runners on base for the game as 2nd baseman Chase Utley (28 HRs, 89 RBIs, .303 BA) and 1st baseman Ryan Howard (56 HRs, 139 RBIs, .314 BA), who struck out 3 times, couldn’t come through at clutch moments with runners on.

For a full recap including box scores and play-by-play on Thursday’s game click here.

The Phils travel to Houston to play a 3 game series with the Astros with the opener on Friday as Brett Myers (10-6) faces veteran “Rocket” Roger Clemens (6-4, 2.27 ERA).

For full coverage of all of Thursday’s games in both leagues; previews, recaps, box scores and play-by-play coverage click here.

The Phillies kept their wild card chances very much alive with a sweep of Wednesday’s twin bill with the Atlanta Braves.  The Phils are hanging in at 1 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres.

In the opening game, the Braves jumped all over Phils lefthanded starter  Randy Wolf (3-0) for 5 runs in the first 2 innings.  But then the bullpen held the Braves hitless and scoreless the rest of the way as the Phils offense went to work climbing back into the game scoring 3 runs in the 3rd inning off of  Kyle Davies (2-5) and taking the lead with 3 more runs off of 2 Braves relievers enroute to a 6-5 win.

In the bottom of the 1st inning with 1 out, the Braves scored 3 runs as centerfielder Andruw Jones (33 HRs, 108 RBIs) doubled to score a run.  Then leftfielder Matt Diaz (6 HRs, 28 RBIs, .332 BA) drove in a run on a bases loaded fielder’s choice while the 3rd run scored on an errant throw by Phils 2nd baseman Chase Utley (28 HRs, 89 RBIs, .303 BA). Diaz went on to steal 2nd base but was left stranded as the side was retired.  The Braves scored 2 more runs in the 2nd inning as pitcher Kyle Davies led off with a solo homer and shortstop Edgar Renteria (12 HRs, 60 RBIs, .295 BA) drove in a run on a double.  5-0 Atlanta after 2 innings.  But the Braves would be held hitless and runless the rest of the way.

Eude Brito (1-2) took over in the 3rd inning and pitched 4 scoreless innings in long relief striking out 2 and walking 3.  Meanwhile, the Phils got back into the game with 3 runs in the 3rd inning.  1st baseman Ryan Howard (56 HRs, 139 RBIs, .313 BA) drove in the Phils 1st run with a sacrifice fly.  Rightfielder Jeff Conine (10 HRs, 59 RBIs, .269 BA) followed with a 2 run double which KO’ed Davies.  Oscar Villarreal (9-1) relieved Davies and got the side out in the 3rd inning. 5-3 Braves after 3 innings. 

Villarreal went on to pitch another 3 innings of hitless, runless ball before being replaced by Tyler Yates (2-4, 3.92 ERA) who pitched a scoreless 3 up, 3 down 7th inning.

Reliever and winning pitcher Rick White (4-1) pitched the 7th inning and 2/3rds of the 8th and was replaced by lefthander Aaron Fultz (3-1) who was brought in to pitch to the righthanded hitter.  Fultz got the 3rd out in the 8th inning.

In the meantime, MaCay McBride (4-1, 3.56 ERA, S1) was brought for Atlanta in to begin the 8th inning.  Centerfielder Shane Victorino (6 HRs, 41 RBIs, .293 BA) singled driving in the Phils 4th run. With 2 outs, Conine singled to left centerfield moving Victorino to 2nd base. Losing pitcher  Chad Paronto (2-3) relieved McBride and leftfielder David Dellucci (12 HRs, 36 RBIs, .293 BA) got aboard on a 2 base error on Braves leftfielder Diaz as the 5th and 6th runs scored for the Phillies.

Closer Tom Gordon (3-4, 3.29 ERA, S29) looked in top form in striking out 2 while getting the side out in the 9th inning in preserving the Phillies 6-5 win.

———————

In the nightcap, Phillies starter Jon Lieber (8-9) pitched another fine ballgame going 7 1/3 innings besting Atlanta’s Tim Hudson (12-11) as the Phils won the nightcap of the twin bill by a 7-2 score

Atlanta struck first as 1st baseman Adam LaRouche (31 HRs, 89 RBIs, .297) solo homered in the 1st inning off of Lieber.

The Phils then struck as shortstop Jimmy Rollins (20 HRs, 69 RBIs, .275 BA) clubbed a 2 run homer in the 2nd inning and catcher Carlos Ruiz (3 HRs, 7 RBIs) hit a 2 run shot in the 3rd as the Phils took a 4-1 lead on losing pitcher Tim Hudson.

In the 5th, the Phils added to their lead as Hudson gave up an RBI single to Carlos Ruiz who drove in 3 runs in the game.  In the 6th, the Braves scored their 2nd run as catcher Brian McCann (20 HRs, 76 RBIs, .332 BA) slugged a solo homer.  5-2 Phllies.

In the 7th inning, Abraham Nunez (2 HRs, 23 RBIs), who went 3 for 3 for the game and finally got his batting average to .201, singled in 2 runs to cap the Phillies scoring.

Lieber had another excellent outing, marred only by the 2 solo homers,
giving up 8 hits, walking none and striking out 2.  The bullpen held Atlanta to 1 hit in 2 2/3rds innings, that’s 1 hit given up to Atlanta by the Phillies bullpen over 9 innings for the doubleheader. 

For a full recap including box scores and play-by-play on Wednesday’s twin bill click here and here.

In Thursday’s get-away game, lefthander Jamie Moyer (8-13) goes for the Phillies vs Atlanta’s rookie lefthander Chuck James (9-3, 3.57 ERA).
The Phils then travel to Houston to play a 3 game series with the Astros with the opener on Friday night as Brett Myers (10-6) faces veteran  “Rocket” Roger Clemens (6-4, 2.27 ERA).

For full coverage of all of Thursday’s games in both leagues; previews, recaps, box scores and play-by-play coverage click here.

Tuesday’s rainout of the the Phils, Braves opener has resulted in another doubleheader today.

In the opening game, Tuesday’s scheduled starters, Phils lefthander Randy Wolf (3-0)  and Atlanta’s Kyle Davies (2-5) try again to go against each other.

In the nightcap, Jon Lieber (7-9) goes for the Phillies vs Tim Hudson (12-10) for the Braves.

For full coverage of all of Wednesday’s games in both leagues; previews, recaps, box scores and play-by-play coverage click here.

Tuesday’s Phillies, Braves series opener was postponed due to rain.  And so, welcome to Rain-0ut Theatre.

59 years ago on September 12, 1947, Ralph Kiner, a 2nd year leftfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates clubbed his 51st homer of the season, a record for a 2nd year player which stoods until September 4th of this year when  Ryan Howard plastered #s 50-52.  Howard’s mark is now up to 56 following his most recent homers as the Phils defeated the Florida Marlins on September 9.

During Kiner’s 51 home run year in 1947, on September 12, he clubbed a record 8th HR in 4 games as Pittsburgh topped the Boston Braves 4-3. Kiner’s HR mark topped the previous record 7 in 4 games hit by Yankees utility infielder Tony Lazzeri in 1936.  Lazzeri hit a total of 14 homers in 1936, and so his output in these 4 games represented half of his homer output for the entire season. 

Kiner also hit 20 home runs between August 14 through September 12th which set a record which Roger Maris tied in 1961 (between May 17 and June 17)‚ and Sammy Sosa topped (between May 25 and Jun 25th) in 1998.