Phillies Get Offensive in Win Over Florida
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Joe Blanton was effective enough for long enough as the Phillies unloaded on Anibal Sanchez for 5 runs in the 1st two innings, shortstop Jimmy Rollins went 3 for 5 with an RBI and 3 stolen bases and rightfielder Jayson Werth poked a 3 run seventh inning homer to seal Monday’s 8-6 win over the Florida Marlins.
With the Mets‘ day off, the Phillies win moved to within 1 1/2 the NL East division leaders. The 3rd place Marlins fell to .500 and dropped to 8 1/2 games behind in the division. The 4th place Braves also had the day off and remain 18 1/2 games behind.
The Phillies wasted no time in getting 2 quick runs on Anibal Sanchez in the first inning. Rollins singled and, after centerfielder Shane Victorino lined out to rightfield, stole 2nd base and took 3rd on catcher John Baker’s throwing error. 2nd baseman Chase Utley singled to rightfield scoring Rollins. 1st baseman Ryan Howard followed with a line double to right centerfield scoring Utley giving the Phils a 2-0 lead.
Florida tied the game in the 2nd inning as Blanton struggled with his control walking the first 2 hitters. Josh Willingham singled to load the bases. Baker’s sacrifice fly to centerfield scored 1 run and Alfredo Amezaga’s slow ground out to first base pushed the 2nd run across. Howard opted to chase down Amezaga who was not hustling to 1st base, rather than fielding the ball and throwing home thus saving a run. Howard’s move caused a bit of controversy in blogosphere.
The Phillies took a 5-2 lead in the third as AP sports writer Rob Maaddi describes for Yahoo sports;
At least Blanton helped himself at the plate in the bottom half of the inning.
After Carlos Ruiz doubled to put runners at second and third, Blanton lined a sacrifice fly to right for his first career RBI. Rollins and Howard had RBI singles to extend the lead to 5-2, but [Mike] Jacobs hit his 31st homer to get the Marlins within a run in the third.
Sanchez was chased after Rollins stole 2nd again, followed by Victorino’s strike out and a walk to Utley. Lefthanded reliever Mark Hendrickson replaced Sanchez and was greeted by Howard’s RBI single to center which scored Rollins with the 5th run. Sanchez was charged his 4th loss.
Blanton settled down and held Florida at bay in the fourth and fifth innings giving up 3 hits, 2 of the hits in the fifth with a doubleplay grounder sandwiched in-between to get the win, his 2nd in 15 outings as a Phil.
Hendrickson threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings at the Phils only allowing 2 hits while striking out 3.
Meanwhile, Chad Durbin replaced Blanton to start the sixth inning and tossed two scoreless innings to protect a 5-4 lead.
In the Phillies seventh, Werth broke the game open with a 3 run shot to straight-away centerfield to put the Phils up by 8-4.
AP’s Rob Maaddi again describes;
Werth drove reliever Joe Nelson’s first pitch off the brick batter’s eye in straightaway center to put the Phillies ahead 8-4 in the seventh. He earned a curtain call from an appreciative crowd for hitting his 22nd homer.
But then the Phillies went through what seems to be their regular eighth inning foibles on the way to Brad Lidge time.
Lefthanded reliever J.C. Romero got the 1st out and issued a walk before Pinch-hitter Cody Ross’s 2 run belt sliced the deficit to 8-6. Relievers Ryan Madson and Scott Eyre each recorded 1 of the final 2 outs of the inning.
Things got a bit dicey for closer Brad Lidge in the ninth after he recorded the 1st out. A double and a single put runners at 1st and 3rd base. But Lidge struck out 3rd baseman Wes Helms and 1st baseman Jorge Cantu to nail down the win and to record his 35th save in 35 opportunities.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.
In Tuesday’s Game 2, Kyle Kendrick is opposed by Chris Volstad. In Wednesday’s final, Brett Myers, who has given up but 2 runs in his last 31 innings over 4 winning starts, faces Ricky Nolasco. On Thursday, the Milwaukee Brewers come to town. Young lefthander J.A. Happ is slated to go against Ben Sheets.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Tuesday’s games, click here.
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