Dodgers Rally to Edge Slumbering Phillies Offense
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The Phillies got 3 homers with men on in the first two innings before resuming their offensive slumber. Joe Blanton, excellent in his last few starts, couldn’t hold a 6-1 lead giving up 4 runs, normally consistent reliever Chad Durbin couldn’t hold a 6-4 lead and Clay Condrey got the 1st out in the ninth before shortstop Nomar Garciaparra belted a walk-off homer as the Dodgers rallied to edge the Phillies again by a 7-6 score.
With Wednesday’s loss, combined with the Mets’ 12-0 whipping of the Washington Nationals, the Phillies now sit in a 1st place tie with the Mets. Both teams remain 1 1/2 games ahead the Marlins who lost. The 4th place Braves dropped to 9 games back having been swept, no mauled in their doubleheader with the Chicago Cubs.
Question for this blog’s readers; Has anyone noticed a trend with the Phillies? Wednesday; 4 runs in the first inning, 2 in the second and then… nothing. Tuesday; 1 run each in the first, second and third innings and then… nothing. Last Thursday; 2 runs in the first inning and then nothing until they scored 1 run each in the seventh and eighth innings. Basically, I’m indicating a slumbering, inconsistent offense which awakens just long enough to score a few runs before resuming their slumber, the hibernation. The results are disastrous.
The offense looked primed early as they lit into starter Brad Penny. Both 1st baseman Ryan Howard and 3rd baseman Greg Dobbs homered, each with a man on as the Phils gave Blanton a 4-0 first inning lead to work with. Blanton gave away a first inning run as the Dodgers got 2 singles after Blanton struck out leadoff hitter centerfielder Matt Kemp. Leftfielder Manny Ramirez was walked intentionally to load the bases. 1st baseman James Loney, who killed the Phils in game one with 3 hits and 3 RBIs, was walked forcing in the 1st Dodgers run. Blanton then got a strikeout and fly out to end the inning.
The Phils came out and got 2 more runs for Blanton in the 2nd inning as centerfielder Jayson Werth belted the 3rd homer off of Penny in 2 innings; a 2 out, 2 run shot to left centerfield to stake Blanton to a 6-1 lead. Werth in centerfield? AP sports writer John Nadel notes for Yahoo sports;
Shane Victorino didn’t play because of lower back stiffness, but said he hoped to be back in the lineup Thursday night. He came out of Tuesday night’s game after six innings.
Blanton walked the leadoff hitter in the second inning before retiring the side on 2 trikeouts and a fly out.
The Phillies loaded the bases in the third inning with two outs on 2 hits and a walk before Penny struck out Blanton to end threat.
From there, the Phillies crept into their typical recent offensive shell depending yet again on pitching to preserve the lead rather then building on to it. They offered threats in the fifth and sixth innings, particularly mounting a bases loaded 2 out threat in the sixth. But Chan Ho Park relieved lefthander Joe Beimel and struck out leftfielder Pat Burrell struck out to retire the side. After that, it was 10 Phillies up, 9 Phillies down as the only Phil to reach was on a 2 out walk to Werth in the eighth.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers were creeping back into the game against Blanton. Manny Ramirez followed 2nd baseman Jack Kent’s third inning leadoff single with a two run blast to right centerfield to narrow the score to 6-3. Then rightfielder Andre Ethier pounded a 1 out solo shot in the fourth and the Phils’ lead was cut to 2.
Reliever Ryan Madson came on for the Phillies in the sixth inning and
retired the next 6 Dodgers in a row, 3 on strikeouts through the seventh inning.
AP’s John Nadel describes the Dodger’s eighth and ninth inning rallies;
The Dodgers, who trailed 6-1 after 1 1/2 innings, tied the game 6-all in the eighth on Jeff Kent’s two-out, two-run double off Chad Durbin. Kent had a season-high four hits and is 13-for-26 in seven games since being moved to the No. 3 spot in the Los Angeles batting order.
Garciaparra lined a 2-1 pitch from Clay Condrey (3-3) just over the fence in left field for his sixth homer and first since July 26. Garciaparra was playing his second game since coming off the disabled list. He has been on the DL three times this season, missing a total of 90 games.
By winning their third straight over Philadelphia and fifth in seven games overall, the Dodgers moved into a first-place tie with Arizona in the NL West.
Neither Blanton nor Penny figured in the final win/lose decision as Condrey, who pitched the ninth and gave up Garciaparra walk-off, was charged with the loss and Jonathan Broxton, who pitched the ninth inning and was credited with the save in the series opener, was credited with the win.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Wednesday’s games, click here.
In Thursday’s Must-Win final Brett Myers opposes rookie Hiroki Kuroda. With a loss, the Phils, having already been tied for the NL East lead by the Mets, could find the tables turned on them and be looking up 1 game behind.
The Phils next stop is the San Diego Padres for 3 games beginning Friday. 45 year old veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer is opposed by 42 year old Greg Maddux in the series opener.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Thursday’s games, click here.
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