Eaton Pummeled as Phillies Lose Big to Arizona
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Arizona’s 44 year old veteran lefthander Randy “Big Unit” Johnson had just enough left in the tank to go six innings while helping his cause with the stick. The D-backs offense hammered Adam Eaton (for a change) for 8 runs in 3 1/3 innings and the Diamondbacks bullpen took over to shut down the Phillies as Arizona won by a 10-4 score.
With the loss, the Phillies NL East lead dropped to a mere 1/2 game over both the Florida Marlins and the Mets, who are tied for 2nd place, both won again. The Mets won their 8th straight as Pedro Martinez and 4 relievers combined to toss a one hit shutout at Colorado. Florida beat the Dodgers in extra innings. 4th place Atlanta beat the San Diego Padres to pick up a game on the Phillies and are 6 1/2 back.
The Diamondbacks broke in front on Eaton in the first inning as 1st baseman Chad Tracy got the first of his 3 hits, and 3 RBIs for the game, a 1 out, RBI single to rightfield after the first 2 hitters of the game signled. With Tracy at 3rd base, 3rd baseman Mark Reynolds brought Tracy in with a fielders choice grounder. Reynolds, although going 1 for 4, drove in 4 runs. 2-0 D-backs.
Eaton got through the second and third innings easily as the Phillies tied the game in the bottom of the third on centerfielder Shane Victorino’s 1 out 2 run homer to leftfield. The Flyin’ Hawaiian had a perfect day hitting 2 homers and a single and batting in 3 runs while walking in his 4th plate appearance.
But then the roof caved on Eaton in the fourth inning after he retired the first 2 hitters. Rightfielder Alex Romero followed singling to center and catcher Robby Hammock drew a walk from Eaton.
The AP report for Yahoo sports describes what happened next;
A career .125 hitter, Johnson (6-7) laced a double to the left-field wall in the fourth inning to give Arizona a 4-2 lead. The Diamondbacks went on to match a club record for runs in an inning. In 573 career at-bats, Johnson now has 15 extra-base hits—14 of which are doubles.
“You’ve got to be able to help yourself and put the ball in play. It helped and, more importantly, it got us going a little bit,” Johnson said of his double, which came on a 3-2 fastball. “Every once in a while I’m lucky enough to put the ball in play. I take pride in it.”
Johnson’s trip around the bases caused a cramp in his calf that forced him to leave the game after warming up in the seventh inning. The 44-year-old Johnson departed after allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three and walking one.
“His base-running escapades took something out of him,” Arizona manager Bob Melvin said, adding that the calf injury isn’t serious. “But I was impressed (with the double). He was grinding through the at-bat and finally got a ball that he could handle.”
Mark Reynolds’ three-run homer to left-center capped the inning that saw eight Diamondbacks score and every batter reach base. Arizona scored all eight runs with two outs.
In between “Unit’s” double and Reynolds’ homer, leftfielder Conor Jackson doubled driving in a run chasing Eaton who was charged with his 8th loss. Charlie Manuel went to 25 year old lefthanded reliever R.J. Swindle who made his 3rd appearance since being called up from the minors. 1st baseman Tracy greeted him with a 2 run single followed by Reynolds’ 3 run blast.
Only 4 other Arizona hitters reached after the fourth inning as Swindle, Rudy Seanez and Clay Condrey shut off the D-backs over the final 5 innings of the game.
The Phillies looked as if they could yet climb back into the game as 2nd baseman Eric Bruntlett, subbing for Chase Utley who was given the day off, doubled to rightfield to open the fifth inning. Catcher Carlos Ruiz grounded to shortstop as Bruntlett took 3rd base. Swindle grounded out to 2nd base as Bruntlett scored the the 3rd Phillies run. Victorino followed with his 2nd homer of the game, again to leftfield. But then Johnson got rightfielder Jayson Werth to ground out to end the inning.
Johnson retired the Phillies in order in the sixth, and only 1 other Phillie hitter reached the rest of the way, on an eighth inning walk, as reliever Leo Rosales and a demoted Micah Owings totally shut down the Phils. Owings struck out 3 in his two innings of work.
Johnson threw 84 pitches through six innings while giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and walking one while striking out 3 to win his 6th game vs 7 losses.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Saturday’s games, click here.
The Phils are in a must-win situation in Sunday’s finale before the All Star break with the Mets and Florida breathing down their necks at merely 1/2 game behind. It won’t be easy as ace lefthander Cole Hamels at 9-6 is opposed by possible NL All Star starter Brandon Webb who sports a 13-4 record.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Sunday’s games, click here.
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