Overbay Homers, Toronto Edges Phillies After Rain Delays
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Phillies 1st baseman Ryan Howard pounded a 2 out, two run 1st inning homer sandwiched in between Toronto’s Shaun Marcum’s striking out the side after Kyle Kendrick retired the Blue Jays in order. But then the rains came. And when the rain subsided, 2 hours later, it was Shawn Camp vs Chad Durbin as the Phils scored 1 in the fourth and Toronto tied the game in the fifth on Lyle Overbay’s homer and overtook them in the sixth inning enroute to a narrow 6-5 win.
In losing 2 of 3 to Toronto, the Phillies remained 1 game behind NL East leading Florida who lost, but fell into a 2nd place tie with the Mets who again pounded the Yankees and fell to 1 game ahead of 4th place Atlanta who also won.
This game is another bummer to write about. The Phils had scoring opportunities in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, loading the bases in the fourth and fifth, but could only push home single runs in the fourth and sixth.
It is particularly poignant to me that after Overbay tied up the game with his homer off of Durbin, the Phils looked primed, against lefthanded reliever Brian Tallet in their at bat in the fifth, to put Toronto back in a 3 run hole.
After Tallet got 2nd baseman Chase Utley on a pop up, 1st baseman Ryan Howard, leftfielder Pat Burrell and rightfielder Geoff Jenkins all singled to load the bases. But then Toronto manager John Gibbons went for Jason Frasor, sending Tallet to the showers. Frasor then got behind in the count to Pedro Feliz, but got him to pop out to shallow rightfield and then got catcher Carlos Ruiz, who singled in the Phillies’ 3rd run in the fourth inning, to ground out to 2nd base to retire the side.
The fifth inning seemed to epitomize the Phils’ offensive futility after the rain delay as they left 11 runners on base for the game.
Meanwhile, Rudy Seanez replaced Durbin to open the sixth inning. Seanez was pounded by the Blue Jays for 3 runs on 3 hits while walking 1 as leftfielder Shannon Stewart doubled in 2 runs. Catcher Rod Barajas once again disgraced Phillies pitching, after his grand slam and solo homer on Saturday, by applying the final hammer blow on Seanez, a single to left scoring Stewart with the 6th Toronto run. Seanez was charged with the loss.
After shortstop Jimmy Rollins walked sandwiched in between Frasor’s getting the first 2 outs in the sixth, the rains came again. After play resumed and after a pitching change, Utley doubled in Rollins with the 4th Phils run. With Utley on 2nd base, Gibbons went to starter Roy Halladay who got Burrell to pop out to 1st base to end the inning. Frasor, who pitched 1 1/3 innings was credited with the win.
The AP recap for Yahoo sports notes Halladay’s first relief stint in years;
A second delay of 39 minutes halted the game in the sixth inning. When play resumed, Toronto ace Roy Halladay made his first relief appearance since July 2, 2001. He pitched 2 1-3 innings giving up a hit. He struck out two. Halladay last pitched on Thursday.
Halladay put the clamps on the Phillies through the seventh and eighth innings. Closer B.J. Ryan pitched the ninth and was credited with his 9th save although the Phillies threatened as Burrell solo homered for the Phillies’ 5th run with 2 out followed by pinch hitter Chris Coste’s double. But with So Taguchi runnning for Coste, and Eric Bruntlett pinch hitting, Ryan got Bruntlett on a swinging 3rd strike to end the game.
The win left Toronto at the .500 level, for the first time since April 21, at 23-23. The Phillies now stand at 24-21.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Sunday’s games, click here.
On Monday, the Phils begin a road trip with 3 games against the Washington Nationals.
Brett Myers, who desperately needs a solid effort, is opposed by Tim Redding in Monday’s opener with the Nationals. On Tuesday, ace lefthander Cole Hamels, going for his 6th win, is opposed by Jason Bergmann. In Wednesday’s final, veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer faces youngster Shawn Hill.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.
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