Utley Hits 100th Homer, Phillies Win 2nd

2nd baseman Chase Utley, playing in his sixth MLB season, hit a milestone in game 4 of the new season with his 99th AND 100th homers in leading the Phillies to an 8-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday to even their season record at 2-2.   The Reds’ record also stand at 2-2.

For Utley, his hot hitting against the Reds has continued into the new season.  AP sportswriter Joe Kay reports for Yahoo sports;

In his last six games against them, Utley has gone 13-for-22 with seven homers and 13 RBIs. His last two multihomer games came against Cincinnati.

The Phillies had their hitting shoes on as leftfielder Pat Burrell also chipped in with a 2 run homer in the first inning as they jumped on Reds’ starter  Josh Fogg for 3 first inning runs and 2 more third inning runs on Utley’s first homer of the game, also a two run job scoring shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and another in the fourth.  Utley, Rollins and Burrell each had two hits for the game.  Fogg was pulled after four innings having thrown 83 pitches.

Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick was knocked around some giving up 4 runs on 8 hits over five innings and leaving after throwing 93 pitches.  The offense, however, built up a 7-4 lead giving Kendrick all the support he needed to notch his first win.  Fogg was charged with the loss.

AP’s Joe Kay also notes;

Ken Griffey Jr. drove in a pair of runs with a single and a double, passing Reggie Jackson for 16th on the career list with 1,702 RBIs.  Frank Robinson is next at 1,812.

The Phillies bullpen was excellent shutting down the Reds totally over the final four innings on but one hit.  Ryan Madson pitched 2 innings giving up only a harmless single in the sixth.  New acquisition Rudy Seanez set the Reds down in order in the eighth inning and J.C. Romero put the lights out on Cincy in the ninth.

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                    Reds Even Series on Walk-off Single

Adam Eaton went 7 2/3 innings giving up 3 runs on 6 hits in what was arguably one of his better performances since coming to the Phillies before last season.  However the Phils wasted Eaton’s effort through lack of offense and through Charlie Manuel’s judgement lapse in the Reds’ ninth inning in their 4-3 loss to the Reds. 

The Reds scored single runs off of Eaton in the first and second innings before he settled down held the Reds to a single and a walk from the third through the seventh innings.  In the meantime, Chase Utley, who continued his red-hot hitting against the Reds with two more hits, doubled in a run in the third and Pat Burrell doubled in a 2nd run in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2 as Eaton and Reds starter Aaron Harang dueled through seven.

In the eighth inning, the Big Man, 1st baseman Ryan Howard put the Phillies up by 3-2 with a one-out solo homer, his first of the season, hit off of reliever Kent Mercker.  In the Reds’ eighth inning, after Eaton gave up a single and got a doubleplay, it looked like the Phillies had their third win within grasp.  However, the Reds tied the game as leadoff hitter and centerfielder Cory Patterson clubbed a solo shot to deep left-centerfield.  Then, after an ensuing double and an intentional walk, Eaton was lifted for  Tom Gordon who got the final out of the inning on a strike out.

In the ninth inning, Reds closer Francisco Cordero set the Phils down in order.  In the Reds’ ninth, however, Manager Manuel blundered sending Chad Durbin out to face the Reds even though Yahoo sports reported that closer Brad Lidge had been activated for the game, having been on the disabled list after having had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

The AP game recap for Yahoo sports tells the rest of the story regarding Manuel’s flawed move;

Durbin (0-1) walked Adam Dunn and Edwin Encarnacion to start the inning.  Ryan Freel pinch-ran for Dunn, and both runners moved up on pinch-hitter Norris Hopper’s sacrifice. The Phillies then brought in their infield and outfield, and  [Paul] Bako hit a twisting bouncer that shortstop Jimmy Rollins backhanded, but couldn’t get out of his glove in time to throw out Freel at home.

Cordero was credited with the win, while Durbin took the loss. 

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Friday’s and Saturday’s games, click here and here.

The Phillies try to even their record again on Sunday as Brett Myers opposes Edison Volquez for the Reds.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Sunday’s games, click here.

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 5th, 2008 at 4:52 pm and is filed under Real-Time Baseball News and Commentary
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