Phillies Bash Cincinnati as Offense Awakens
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The sleeping giant known as the Phillies offense started to awaken on the Cincinnati Reds, staking starter Freddy Garcia to a 4-0 lead after 3 innings. The Reds narrowed the lead temporarily, but never got close, only threatening in the 4th and 6th innings as the Phils pulled away in the 9th for a 9-3 win in Sunday’s get-away game.
In taking 2 of 3 games from the Reds, the Phillies took their series of the 2007 season and are in the midst of their first winning streak of the season. In the meantime, the New York Mets were dumped by the Atlanta Braves by a 9-6 score as shortstop Edgar Renteria and 2nd baseman Kelly Johnson struck late inning 3 run homers off of the inconsistent Mets bullpen.
Through 3 innings, Garcia had allowed one hit, a two-out triple to centerfielder Ryan Freel in the 3rd and a hit batsman in the 1st as the Phils scored 2 in the first inning on 1st baseman Ryan Howard’s sacrifice fly to center and 3rd baseman Wes Helms’ RBI single and two more in the 3rd on 2nd baseman Chase Utley’s RBI double to left and Greg Dobbs’ sacrifice fly to left centerfield. All runs scored off of starter Matt Belisle who pitched 5 innings giving up 4 runs on 8 hits while walking 1 and striking out 6.
The first 5 hitters in the Phillies order supplied 9 of the teams’ 12 hits in the game with 3rd baseman Helms going 3 for 5 and Shane Victorino and Utley each getting 2 hits. Howard put the icing on the cake with a 2 run homer to straight-away centerfield amidst the Phils 4 run outburst in the 9th inning off of Reds relievers, lefthander Mike Stanton and Victor Santos. Centerfielder Aaron Rowand also went 2 for 4 for the game and scored a run on catcher Carlos Ruiz’s 9th inning 2 run RBI double to centerfield.
Garcia pitched 5 full innings with his line being 2 runs on 4 hits with no walks and 3 strikeout to gain his first Phillies win. He had given up a run in the 4th inning on catcher Javier Valentin’s sacrifice fly to leftfield.
But things got dicey for Garcia in the 6th as 1st baseman Scott Hatteberg led off with a double to right followed by 2nd baseman Brandon Phillips being hit by a pitch. Garcia was the replaced by lefthanded reliever Matt Smith who struck out the next hitter but then made things even more dicey by walking leftfielder Adam Dunn. Smith got the second out as Valentin lined out to 1st baseman Ryan Howard. Geoff Geary replaced Smith and while 3rd baseman Edwin Encarnacion singled driving in a run, Phillips was nailed at home for the final out on the same play.
The Phils got their 5th run on a fielding error and Geary pitched a 3 up, 3 down 7th as Cincinnati never seriously threatened again.
Reliever Antonio Alfonseca pitched a scoreless 8th inning and while Brett Myers, in a closing role, gave up a run in the 9th on Ken Griffey Jr.’s one out pinch hit double, the final two Reds hitters went out on ground balls.
The Phils clubhouse greeted Ryan Howard’s 9th inning 2 run homer with cheers and high spirits, including Howard himself. Yahoo sports’ AP report gives Phillies reactions to the blast;
Howard, who missed the last three games with a sprained ligament just below his left knee, hit a sacrifice fly, drew a walk, struck out and flied out to center field before hitting his second homer of the season, a 410-foot, two-run shot to center in the ninth.
“I felt good,” the first baseman said. “I hit in the cage the last couple of days but the real test was getting out on the field for nine innings. Hitting the ball to center field is where you want to be.”
Howard hit 58 homers last season, but has struggled along with the Phillies in the early going.
“It was good to see Ryan pop one out,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “The fly ball to center field says he’s about ready to break loose. I have a feeling he’ll hit a few more.”
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on this and all Sunday games, click here.
On Monday, the Phillies return home for as 7 game homestand beginning wih their make-up game with the Houston Astros followed by two 3 games sets; against the Washington Nationals Tuesday thru Thursday and against the Florida Marlins on Friday thru Sunday.
On Monday, Adam Eaton matches up against Houston’s Chris Sampson.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on this and all Monday games, click here.
In Tuesday’s opener with the Nationals, veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer is opposed by Jason Bergmann.
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