Utley’s Homer Leads Phillies Rally over Pirates
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45 year old veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer kept the Phillies in the game through six innings. Greg Dobbs drilled his major league-leading 21st pinch hit, a seventh inning game-tying RBI double and 2nd baseman Chase Utley followed with a 2 out, 2 run homer as newly acquired lefthanded reliever Scott Eyre paid instant dividends winning his first game in Philly as the Phillies topped Pittsburgh in their final by a 6-3 score.
With the win, the Phillies increased their 1st place lead in the NL East jumped to 2 games over the Mets, while remaining 2 1/2 games ahead of the Marlins even though Florida pounded the Mets in the final of their 3 game series. The 4th place Atlanta Braves dropped to 9 games back after losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Phils were very lucky to have a net gain in their lead despite a 3-3 homestand.
The AP report described the game’s scoring for Yahoo sports;
After [1st baseman] Doug Mientkiewicz’s double in the second gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead, the Phillies went ahead in the third in a bizarre sequence of events. After [catcher] Carlos Ruiz walked to lead off the inning, Jamie Moyer put down a sacrifice bunt in front of home plate. [Jason] Davis made an errant throw wide of first base, allowing Moyer to advance to second.
Moyer knocked down first base umpire Randy Marsh on his way to second and then advanced to third on another throwing error by Michaels from right field. A sacrifice fly to center by Jimmy Rollins scored Moyer.
“I was looking for the oxygen tank at third base,” Moyer joked.
The Pirates took a 3-2 lead with two outs in the sixth on a two-run double by Jason Michaels off 45-year-old Moyer, who gave up seven hits and three earned runs in six innings.
Utley snapped a 3-3 tie with his 29th home run, a two-run shot to right off Pittsburgh’s Tyler Yates in the seventh.
Greg Dobbs added his… 21st pinch hit with an RBI double, setting a new club record. Dobbs is 21-for-51 as a pinch-hitter this season. His double tied the game before Utley homered.
Recently-acquired left-hander Scott Eyre (3-0) picked up the win for Philadelphia by throwing four pitches in one-third of an inning. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save in two opportunities.
In the eighth inning, the Phillies scored their 6th run as rightfielder Jayson Werth led off with a walk, advanced to 2nd base on a ground out and moved to 3rd base on a wild pitch by reliever Craig Hanson. With 2 outs, Werth scored on a second Hanson wild pitch. Hanson would walk to more hitters in the inning without further damage.
Pittsburgh starter Jason Davis had a quality six inning outing giving up 2 runs, neither of them earned and both attributable to his third inning throwing error. Neither he, nor Moyer, who also had a quality outing, were in on the final decision. Reliever Yates, who gave up the tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh inning, was charged with the loss.
Closer Brad Lidge was once again unavailable for duty in Sunday’s game due to a sluggish right shoulder.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Sunday’s games, click here.
The Phils leave for a 7 game West Coast road trip facing the L.A. Dodgers and their new acquisition Manny Ramirez for 4 games beginning Monday and the San Diego Padres for 3 games beginning Friday. In Monday’s opener, Kyle Kendrick is opposed by Derek Lowe who was rocked by the St. Louis Cardinals in his previous start.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.
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