Phillies Offense Breaks Out to Beat Braves in Opener
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1st baseman Ryan Howard is back, the numbers 2 to 4 in the Phillies lineup drove in 5 runs, Jamie Moyer rebounded from two previous poor starts, the bullpen; lefthander Mike Zagurski in his MLB debut and Yoel Hernandez were absolutely perfect in the 8th and 9th innings and the Phillies offense broke out to beat Atlanta by an 8-3 score in their series opener.
The Phillies belted Braves starter and losing pitcher Tim Hudson for 5 runs on 10 hits in 7 innings. Hudson walked 3 and struck out 3.
AP Sports Writer Charles Odum gives more background on Hudson’s performance for Yahoo sports;
Hudson (5-3) threw 122 pitches while giving up 10 hits and five runs in 6 2-3 innings. He issued three walks — two intentional — and had three strikeouts.
“It seemed like I was working out of jams most of the night,” Hudson said.
The Braves bullpen didn’t stem the tide as the Phils scored 2 runs in the 8th inning off of reliever Tyler Yates and 1 more in the 9th inning on Jayson Werth’s pinch homer to right centerfield off of Peter Moylan. And despite the offensive breakout; 8 runs on 13 hits, the Phils still left 10 on base.
Rightfielder Shane Victorino had a big day; 3 for 5 with an RBI, 3rd baseman Greg Dobbs; 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs along with shortstop Jimmy Rollins back at lead off; 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2nd baseman Chase Utley and Ryan Howard 1 for 4 with an RBI each.
Moyer had another fine outing after being belted around in his last 2 appearances. In 7 innings, he gave up 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4.
Inquirer Staff Writer Todd Zolecki provides more background on Moyer’s performance;
Moyer (5-3) returned to form after he allowed seven runs in 31/3 innings Saturday in a 13-2 loss to Toronto. Moyer allowed five hits, three runs (two earned), and one walk in seven innings against the Braves.
The last time Moyer beat Atlanta? He pitched 41/3 innings of relief in a 7-6 victory in 16 innings at Wrigley Field. Phillies broadcaster Gary Matthews had a pinch-hit single and scored in that game.
Moyer, as always, kept his cool. He found himself in trouble for the first time in the sixth. The Braves had Prado on second and Johnson on third with one out when Edgar Renteria hit a ball to third baseman Greg Dobbs. Johnson stopped and turned back toward third while Prado ran to third.
Phils manager Charlie Manuel said Dobbs should have taken care of the lead runner with him so close, but Dobbs threw to first instead.
Then with Johnson suddenly running home, Howard spun and hesitated before he threw to the plate. Howard never had a chance to get Johnson, who scored to make it 3-2. But Howard’s throw was wide and bounced. The ball got past Carlos Ruiz and allowed Prado to score to tie it.
“I had more time than I thought and I probably shouldn’t have made the throw,” Howard said.
But the tie wouldn’t last long. The Phillies loaded the bases in the seventh when Dobbs singled to right off Braves starter Tim Hudson (5-3) to score Utley and Howard.
Zolecki also reports on Ryan Howard’s 1st game back after being on the diabled list and on rookie reliever Zagurski’s debut appearance;
“I didn’t feel anything,” Howard said of his quad. “I was going all out. To some people like Mike Bourn, it might be slow motion, but I was going hard enough to try to feel something and I didn’t feel anything.”
Manuel said he felt Howard’s presence in the lineup last night. Maybe he’s what the Phillies need to finally get a winning record.
Howard’s and Moyer’s efforts allowed Zagurski to make his big-league debut in the eighth inning. With a fan section of about 20 family and friends behind home plate cheering every pitch, Zagurski got Willie Harris to fly out to right, Kelly Johnson to ground out to first, and Martin Prado to bounce out to second.
Easy, right?
“[Geoff] Geary made a point to tell me before I ran out there, ‘Take a minute after you get out there to step off and take a look around because it’ll be your only major-league debut,’ ” said Zagurski, who was pitching for single-A Clearwater two weeks ago. “When I got out there, my warm-up pitches were a little wild, but then I stepped off and it kind of cleared my head and I went back to work.”
For the scores, boxscores and recaps of this and all of Friday’s games, click here.
Adam Eaton faces Atlanta’s Buddy Carlyle who starts his first major league game in 8 years on Saturday.
On Sunday, lefthander Cole Hamels opposes Kyle Davies in the get-away game.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps of this and all of Saturday’s games, click here.
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