Phillies Belt 4 HRs to Win, Gain Split
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Young lefthander Cole Hamels survived a scary and potentially damaging 2 run first inning, settling down to win his first game by pitching a solid 7 innings. Leftfielder Pat Burrell belted 2 homers, with shortstop Jimmy Rollins belting a game lead-off homer and rightfielder Geoff Jenkins also chipping in with a dinger — all off of Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo as the Phillies salvaged a split with the Reds winning the final game Monday by a 5-3 score.
In winning the final, the Phillies go into their early season three game Tuesday to Thursday showdown and rematch with the Mets with some momentum and a bit of steam. 45 year old veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer opposes another lefthander, 27 year old Oliver Perez in Tuesday’s opener.
The Phils roared out of the starting blocks with Jimmy Rollins’ 27th career leadoff homer. Then with two out, 1st baseman Ryan Howard doubled to right-centerfield and Burrell followed with his first of two homers for the game and the Phils had a quick 3-0 lead.
But the Reds rebounded in their half of the first with 2 runs on Hamels on a leadoff double by centerfielder Ryan Freel followed by a walk and a fielding error followed by a single by 1st baseman Jeff Keppinger who killed the Phils throughout series.
The lead remained at 3-2 until the third inning when Burrell and Jenkins went yard back-to-back on Arroyo as the Phils lead mounted to 5-2.
Meanwhile, Hamels held Cincinnati in check spreading out 3 hits and 2 walks over his remaining 6 innings. For Hamels, who struggled in spring training, it was his second consecutive fine outing. His line for the game was 2 runs, 5 hits, 3 walks and 4 strikeouts.
Losing pitcher Arroyo lasted 5 2/3 innings and had to be bailed out of a 2 out, 2nd and 3rd 6th inning jam by reliever Jeremy Affeldt who got centerfielder Shane Victorino to ground out to end the inning.
Only 2 other Phillies reached base on the Cincinnati bullpen over the last 3 innings.
Set-up man Tom Gordon opened the eighth inning in relief of Hamels who tossed 100 pitches, 65 pitches for strikes. “Flash” set the Reds down in order.
Things got a bit dicey in the ninth inning as closer Brad Lidge entered his first save situation as a Phillie.
After getting the first two Reds hitters of the inning on a fly out and ground out, Lidge walked catcher Paul Bako, another thorn in the Phillies’ side throughout the series. Then late-game replacement in centerfield Corey Patterson was safe at first as normally sure-gloved leftfielder So Taguchi bobbled his liner after a long run.
With runners on 1st and 2nd base, Ken Griffey Jr. pinch hit for Freel and was intentionally walked to load the bases. Then, while pitching to pinch hitter Javier Valentin, Bako scored on a Lidge wild pitch. However, the threat and the game ended as Valentin took a third strike.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.
AP Sports Writer Joe Kay relates the Phillies thoughts as they head to New York, as summed up for Yahoo sports by leftfielder Pat Burrell and manager Charlie Manuel;
“I enjoy going to New York and playing,” said Burrell, who has been Philadelphia’s hottest hitter. “There’s always a little extra excitement there. Especially with what happened last year, I’m sure they’re gunning for us. And that’s the way it should be.”
“When we play them, it’s always kind of like a rivalry to us,” said ailing manager Charlie Manuel, who sniffled and coughed. “Them, too. They make a big deal out of it. As long as we put the whip on them, we’ll let them make a big deal out of it. They’ll talk, we’ll hit. That’s how I see it.”
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Tuesday’s games, click here.
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