Phillies Blast Rockies, Utley’s Career-Best 6 RBIs
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The Phillies offense, behind a career-best 6 RBIs by 2nd baseman Chase Utley as well as 3 hit nights by catcher Chris Coste (4 RBIs) and rightfielder So Taguchi and a 4 hit, 4 RBI night by 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz, gave big-time run support to veteran 45 year old lefthander Jamie Moyer as the Phillies steam-rolled Colorado by a 20-5 score in their series opener.
With the win, the Phils remained 2 1/2 games behind the NL East leading Florida Marlins who belted the Mets and tied for 2nd place with the Atlanta Braves who bested the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both games ended in identical 7-3 scores.
The 20 runs scored by the Phillies was their highest run production in nearly 9 years. AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi notes statistics for Yahoo sports;
Philadelphia scored its most runs since a 21-8 win over the Chicago Cubs on July 3, 1999, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Phillies batted around three times and had season-highs in hits (19) and runs a day after beating Houston 15-6.
The 20 runs were the most the Rockies have ever surrendered on the road. They previously gave up 17 runs twice—at Arizona in 2002 and at San Francisco in 1993.
Utley finished 3-for-6, while Chris Coste added a three-run homer and Pedro Feliz had four hits and four RBIs.
The Rockies staked lefthanded starter Jorge De La Rosa to an early lead in the first inning as leftfielder Ryan Spilborghs solved Moyer for a 1 out, 3 run shot to centerfield. But Utley’s 3 run clout to right centerfield in the Phils’ first, which followed walks to both leadoff hitter shortstop Jimmy Rollins and centerfielder Shane Victorino and by a balk which moved both runners up a base, knotted the score at 3-3.
Utley’s homer tied Houston’s Lance Berkman and Florida’s Dan Uggla for the major league lead with 16.
After both clubs went down in order in the 2nd inning, the Rockies took a brief 4-3 lead in the third inning on 3rd baseman Jeff Baker’s sacrifice fly to centerfield. But the Phillies duplicated the Rockies in their half of the third as 1st baseman Ryan Howard drove in Victorino with a sacrifice fly to rightfield to tie the game at 4-4.
From there, the Phils pummelled De La Rosa and a parade of Rockies relievers for 16 runs with 6 run onslaughts in the fourth and sixth innings and 4 more runs for good measure in the eighth inning. To follow the play-by-playof the Phillies’ offensive eruptions, click here.
Meanwhile, Moyer settled down after the third inning and allowed only
two more Rockies base runners, both reaching on singles, through the
seventh inning. Moyer retired 9 of the last 10 hitters he faced and finished giving up 4 runs on 6 hits including Spilborghs’ first inning homer, while walking 1 and striking out a season high 7 in winning his 5th game of the season against 3 losses. ESPN notes with an accompanying list;
Beating the Rockies for the first time in his career on Monday made Jamie Moyer the sixth pitcher to get a win against all 30 MLB teams.
Reliever Clay Condrey replaced Moyer in the eighth inning and finished the game giving up the 5th and final Colorado run on 2 hits in the ninth inning.
It is great to watch the Phillies offense produce big numbers and a few laughers, but inevitably, some of the runs scored in these explosions could go unscored in the clutch, in close and/or crucial ballgames where they are needed to maintain momentum with the division race on the line.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.
On Tuesday, Ubaldo Jimenez faces Kyle Kendrick and in Wednesday’s final, rookie Greg Reynolds opposes Adam Eaton.
After the Rockies, the Phillies have the day off on Thursday before entertaining the Florida Marlins starting Friday for 3 games. After the Marlins, the Cincinnati Reds come to town for 3 games starting next Monday.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Tuesday’s games, click here.
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