Howard on a Tare, Phillies Pound Padres
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Phillies’ 1st baseman Ryan Howard is legitimately hot, maybe even in a zone. He’s hit 5 homers in his last 6 games, 2 in this one, with 11 RBIs and 9 hits in 20 at bats during the stretch, including a 3 for 3 in this game. That’s not to mention 7 walks. Howard’s big night, part of a 7 run mauling of Padres lefthander David Wells, a 2 out, 5 run 8th inning and 6 2/3 inning of “good enough to win this one” pitching by veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer brought the Phillies to a 12-4 mashing of the San Diego Padres in the 3rd game of their 4 game series.
With the win, the Phillies picked up a full game on the Mets who lost to the Dodgers, and remained 2 games behind the Atlanta Braves who won big over the St. Louis Cardinals.
In this matchup of ancient veteran lefthanders, where the combined age of the pitchers was nearly 89 years, Howard jumped on David Wells early with a first inning one out 3 run blast to centerfield to put the Phils up by a 3-0 score.
The Padres got a run back in the 3rd on catcher Josh Bard’s 2 out RBI single off of Moyer.
In the 4th inning, Howard led off with a solo clout to left centerfield followed by 3rd baseman Wes Helm’s one out, 2 run shot to centerfield to put the Phillies up by 6-1.
The Phils and Padres traded runs in the 5th inning as Howard drove in his 5th run of the game with a single and Padres 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Howard went 3 for 3 for the game driving his batting average to .274, a season-high.
Wells was driven from the game on Howard’s single after 4 1/3 innings and reliever Kevin Cameron retired the side in the 5th and held the Phils scoreless in the 6th inning. Wells had given up 7 runs on 7 hits, while walking 3, striking out 1 and serving up the 3 Phillies’ homers.
Winning pitcher Moyer, who had hoped to right his ship after his last two ragged outings, was pulled in 7th after giving up a single to rightfielder Brian Giles followed by leftfielder Milton Bradley’s one out, 2 run shot to narrow the Phils’ lead to 7-4. Moyer’s line for the game was 4 runs on 8 hits while walking 3, striking out 6 and surrendering Cameron’s homer. Reliever Jose Mesa got the final out of the 7th.
Reliever Royce Ring held the Phils in check in the 7th on despite walking one and giving up a single.
But any chance that the Padres might have had of catching the Phillies unraveled amidst their 5 run, 2 out 9th inning uprising against Padres reliever Cla Meredith.
Aaron Rowand’s RBI single drove in a run. Then pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs’ single drove in two runs followed by catcher Carlos Ruiz’s two-run double.
Closer Tom Gordon and newly called-up reliever Clay Condrey were nearly flawless in the 8th and 9th innings with Condrey only giving up 1 hit in closing out the Padres.
2nd baseman Chase Utley went 2 for 4 to drive his average to .339 for the season. If Howard continues as hot as he is at present and if the bullpen continues in its current trend, the 5 games of space which the Mets have over the Phillies could evaporate quickly with the Mets finding themselves looking up at the Phils before they know it.
For the scores, boxscores on this and all of Saturday’s games, click here.
In Sunday’s series finale, young J.D. Durbin goes against Jake Peavy.
The Phillies have an open date on Monday before headed home on Tuesday for 3 games each against the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rookie Kyle Kendrick opens the series by going for his 5th win vs 1 loss against Jason Bergmann for the Nationals.
For the scores, boxscores on this and all of Sunday’s games, click here.
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