Phillies End Shutout String, Even Pirates Series
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The Phillies wasted no time breaking the shutout string against them as shortstop Jimmy Rollins and centerfielder Shane Victorino combined for 2 first inning runs off of losing pitcher Ian Snell and Brett Myers turned in his 3rd straight solid outing, 7 2/3 innings of 1 run, 5 hit ball, as the Phils added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to beat the Pirates by a 4-2 score.
With the win, the Phillies 1st place lead in the NL East remained at 1 game over the Mets and grew to 2 1/2 games ahead of the Marlins as the Mets edged the Marlins in the 2nd of their 3 game series. The 4th place Braves, who again defeated Arizona, remained 8 games back in the division. The Phillies must take Sunday’s final from the Pirates lest the they drop into a possible tie for the lead with the Mets.
Brett Myers followed on the heels of Joe Blanton’s brilliant outing on Friday night with another fine performance of his own and, while the offense didn’t score often, they scored enough to break a 23 inning scoreless string and then to plate the winning run in support of Myers’ 5th win of the season, his 2nd win in 4 starts since returning from a minor league stint. From all appearances, he seems to have recovered his stuff and his feistiness.
Myers was less than happy about leaving the game with 2 outs in the eighth inning and a runner on 2nd base. But lefthanded reliever J.C. Romero retired 1st baseman Doug Mientkiewicz on 5 pitches, on a ground out to 2nd base.
AP sports writer Rob Maaddi describes the game’s scoring for Yahoo sports;
[Jimmy] Rollins led off with a line-drive triple down the right-field line and Shane Victorino followed with a double off the scoreboard in right. {1st baseman] Ryan Howard’s one-out RBI single made it 2-0.
The Pirates sliced the lead in half in the fourth on Nate McClouth’s RBI double.
Rollins tripled off the wall in right leading off the seventh and scored on Victorino’s single through a drawn-in infield for a 3-1 lead.
“We have to set the table for the bug guys,” Rollins said of himself and Victorino.
[Rightfielder] Jayson Werth led off Philadelphia’s eighth with a triple off Romulo Sanchez and scored on Greg Dobbs’ single to make it 4-1.
Brandon Moss’ RBI single in the ninth capped the scoring.
Snell allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings. It was just his eighth quality start in 23 games.
Rollins, by the way, had a perfect day at the plate going 4 for 4, his first perfect day since July 17, 2004 when he also went 4 for 4 in a Phils win over the Atlanta Braves. Myers was also the starter that day although he was not in on the final decision.
Chad Durbin completed the ninth for his 1st save of the season despite giving up the Pirates’ 2nd run on 3 hits. Closer Brad Lidge, who has 28 saves this season in 28 opportunities, was unavailable for closing duty Saturday.
MLB.com’s Kevin Horan reports;
Manuel opted to send reliever Chad Durbin to the mound, instead of Brad Lidge, the team’s regular closer. Lidge had run up high pitch counts in Thursday and Friday’s games, and was experiencing “some stiffness” on Saturday, Manuel said. The skipper added that Lidge’s health posed no long-term concern.
I just hope that Phillies management is leveling with the media and the fans as to Lidge’s condition. It doesn’t take a long memory to recall Rollins’s sprained ankle or Tom Gordon’s numerous health woes, just ot name a couple previous discounted instances which became serious down-time.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Saturday’s games, click here.
In Sunday’s final, veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer tries again for his 11th win opposed by Jason Davis.
Thee Phils leave for a 7 game West Coast road trip facing the L.A. Dodgers and their new acquisition Manny Ramirez for 4 games and the San Diego Padres for 3. Kyle Kendrick is opposed by Derek Lowe who was pummelled by the St. Louis Cardinals in his previous start.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Sunday’s games, click here.
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