The Phillies bullpen totally shut down the Washington Nationals over the last 3 1/3 innings allowing no hits and issuing only one walk and centerfielder Aaron Rowand unknotted a 3-3 tie by ripping a two out solo homer to leftfield as the Phillies edged the Nationals by a 4-3 score in their series opener.  Rowand went 3 for 4 for the game, scoring the tying run in the 6th inning, while nailing opposing pitcher Jason Bergmann at the plate on a two out 3rd inning single by 2nd baseman Ronnie Belliard.

In winning, the Phils stayed even, 5 games behind the NL East leading Mets who defeated Pittsburgh by an 8-4 score as John Maine won his 11th, and 2 games behind Atlanta who edged San Francisco by a 7-5 score in 13 innings. 

Catcher Carlos Ruiz opened the scoring for the Phillies in the 2nd inning with a two out RBI double to left-centerfield.

In the 3rd inning, the Nationals threatened to tie the game.  With two outs and opposing pitcher Jason Bergmann on 2nd base after reaching on a fielder’s choice.  Belliard singled to center and Bergmann was waved home only to be nailed at the plate by Aaron Rowand’s bullet relay.  It was Rowand’s 10th assist of the season as Phillies outfielders own the major-league lead with 31 such assists.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins led off the 3rd inning with a solo blast to rightfield for his 20th homer of the season as the Phils upped the lead to 2-0.

Apparently, Bergman injured himself running on the play where Rowand threw him out at the plate as AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston explains for Yahoo sports; 

The Nationals lost starter Jason Bergmann in the third inning with tightness in his left hamstring from running the bases. He walked Chase Utley with one out in the third. Then trainer and pitching coach Randy St. Claire came out for a visit and soon signaled for the left-handed Billy Traber.

The Nationals went ahead in the 4th inning after loading the bases with one out on a double, a walk and a hit batsman.  Catcher Brian Schneider then clubbed a bases-clearing double deep to centerfield off of rookie Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick.

Kendrick then settled down and retired the side in the 4th inning and
and got through the 5th inning allowing no hits and avoiding further damage despite walking shortstop Felipe Lopez who he later picked off of first base.

Kendrick began the 6th inning getting the first two hitters out.  But after rightfielder Austin Kearns singled to right, Manuel brought in lefthanded reliever J. C. Romero to pitch to Brian Schneider who had burned Kendrik in his previous at bat.  Romero got Schneider on strikes to end the inning.

Rowand got things going in the 6th with a one out double and took 3rd base on a wild pitch.  He scored the tying run on leftfielder Pat Burrell’s sacrifice fly to rightfield.

Romero got the first out of the 7th inning before being lifted as manager Manuel wanted a match-up of righthander Ryan Madson facing righthanded pinch-hitter Tony Batista.   Batista popped out to the catcher, but Madson hit Felipe Lopez.  He recovered to retire Belliard on a grounder to the pitcher.

Madson followed breezing through a one-two-three 8th inning, after which Rowand made him the winning pitcher by resolving the issue with his two out solo homer off of Nationals reliever and losing pitcher Luis Ayala. 

AP Sports Writer Gelston describes the scene;

Rowand went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored. He hit a 2-2 pitch off Luis Ayala (0-2) into the left-field seats for his 14th homer of the season, sending the crowd of 40,110 into a frenzy.

Reliever Antonio Alfonseca issued a lead-off walk to Austin Kearns before nailing the game down by retiring the next 3 hitters for his 8th save.

For the scores, boxscores on this and all of Tuesday’s games, click here.

On Wednesday, in a battle of lefthanders, Cole Hamels seeks his 12th win vs Matt Chico.  In Thursday’s finale, Adam Eaton goes for his 10h win opposed by 29 1/2 year old lefthander and former Phillies farmhand Mike Bacsik.

The Phils then entertain the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three game weekend series.  For the Phillies to catch and overtake both the Mets and Braves, these games with 2nd division caliber clubs are MUST WINS.

Philly.com’s Todd Zolecki reports on the progress of Phillies pitcher Brett Myers in his rehab assignments;

Myers made his second rehabilitation appearance for single-A Clearwater last night, at Legends Field in Tampa, Fla.

In 11/3 innings against the Tampa Yankees, Myers allowed one hit and struck out three. Myers is tenatively scheduled to make another rehab appearance tomorrow night for Clearwater.

Myers has not pitched for the Phillies since May 23 because of a strained right shoulder. There is a chance he could rejoin the Phillies’ bullpen before the end of the week.

Myers’ return to the active roster will inevitably bring up questions concerning the roles of closer and set-up man.

Will closing be handled by way of committee; Myers and Tom Gordon?  Or will a committee determine the set-up role; either between Myers and Ryan Madson, or Gordon and Madson? 

For the scores, boxscores on all of this and all of Wednesday’s games, click here.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 at 5:56 am and is filed under Real-Time Baseball News and Commentary, All Time Fielding Highlights, Phillies and NL East, Analysis, Predictions, etc. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.