Phillies Beat Reds With Solid Pitching
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Phillies veteran lefthander and winning pitcher Jamie Moyer made another solid spring training start lasting 7 innings, catcher Rod Barajas slugged a solo homer in the 3rd inning, leftfielder Pat Burrell followed suit with a solo blast in the 4th inning and went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs, and Geoff Geary and closer Tom Gordon were nearly perfect in the 8th and 9th innings as the Phils beat the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday by a 6-2 score. Not too much more can be said — this is the way this Phillies is supposed to look to overtake the Mets for the NL East.
The Phils’ biggest concern going into spring training, the bullpen, appears rounding into consistent shape in time for Opening Day – at least off of the recent performances of Ryan Madson, Geary, Antonio Alfonseca and Gordon..
AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi’s reports in his Yahoo sports recap of the game;
Geary and Gordon gave manager Charlie Manuel reason for optimism.
Geary hadn’t pitched in a game since March 15 because of a hamstring injury. He showed he should be ready for the opener against Atlanta.
Gordon, the 39-year-old closer who was hampered by shoulder problems in the second half after going to the All-Star game, has pitched every other day his last four outings after taking it slow early on. He’s allowed one earned run in 6 2-3 innings this spring.
“He’s close,” Manuel said. “He was pretty good, but he can be better.”
The Phils also got four 2 hit performances; shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the leadoff spot, leftfielder Burrell in batting behind Ryan Howard, 3rd baseman Wes Helms who drove in a run and rightfielder Greg Dobbs who also drove in a run. It is reported that Dobbs, who has hit well throughout spring training, appears to have cliched a place on the Opening Day roster.
For the Reds, starter Kyle Lohse pitched 4 1/3 innings giving up single runs to the Phils on the homers, but former Phils reliever Rheal Cormier surrendered the 4 Phillies runs in the 7th inning and was tagged with the loss.
Reds 3rd baseman Edwin Encarnacion clubbed a 2 run homer in the 2nd inning off of Moyer for their only 2 runs of the game.
For boxscores and recaps on this and all of Tuesday’s games, click here.
Team injuries and keeping the team healthy seems to have supplanted concerns about the bullpen and about Pat Burrell’s hitting as the Phillies’ top concern.
Inquirer staff writer Todd Zolecki reports;
Pat Gillick’s top concern this week is not Pat Burrell’s swing.
It’s the Phillies’ health.
“We want to get healthy,” the team’s general manager said Sunday. “We were pretty healthy until the last week. We have a few nicks and bruises, so consequently this last week we need most of our people that are nicked up to get healthy.”
Regarding the rapidly approaching arrival of Opening Day and the Phillies’ injuries, Philly.com sports wirter Paul Hagen reports;
Righthander Freddy Garcia (biceps tendinitis) threw in the bullpen yesterday afternoon. While the results were encouraging, indications are that he’ll open the season on the disabled list.
He’ll most likely be joined on the DL by righthander Jon Lieber (pulled side muscle) and catcher-infielder Chris Coste (hamstring).
Team officials were encouraged that catcher Carlos Ruiz (shoulder) and righthander Geoff Geary (hamstring) will be available when the season opens Monday against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Ruiz went 3-for-7 with two doubles and three RBI in minor league games yesterday afternoon. Geary pitched a perfect inning in last night’s 6-2 win over the Reds at Bright House Networks Field.
Garcia, who was penciled in as the No. 3 starter before being forced to leave his start on March 21 after one inning, was throwing off a mound for the first time since. He was limited to 30 fastballs.
“He popped some,” pitching coach Rich Dubee said. “He’s feeling better, which is good. We’ll see how he responds.”
Because of Tuesday’s open date on the schedule, the Phillies shouldn’t need a fifth starter until April 8. So the logical move would be to let Garcia start the year on the DL and have an extra roster spot available in the meantime.
Lieber will throw, probably off flat ground, today.
“He’s going to miss some time,” manager Charlie Manuel said.
Maaddi’s game recap also reports that “Brett Myers takes the mound for the Phillies against Tampa Bay on Wednesday in his final tuneup before pitching opening day.”
For scores, boxscores and recaps on all of Wednesday’s games, click here.
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