4 Twelfth Inning Runs Push Phillies Past Nationals
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Both Phillies starter Joe Blanton and Washington lefthander John Lannan were both hit hard with Blanton particularly wild issuing 6 walks. But after both teams exhausted their bullpens and the Phillies pressed into sevice J.A. Happ, who had been scheduled to start in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, leftfielder Raul Ibanez and 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz combined to drive in 4 twelfth inning runs to push the Phillies past the Nationals by a 10-6 score in Friday’s series opener.
The Phillies had their hitting shoes on in this beginning a series with a Nationals team which could be just what the doctor ordered to shake the club out of their offensive duldroms. Ibanez and Feliz had 4 hits each, catcher Carlos Ruiz had 3 hits and 1st baseman Ryan Howard pounded an important 1 out, 3 run seventh inning homer as the Phillies rallied from a 4-1 deficit after the Nationals pounded Blanton for 3 third inning runs.
Feliz, and Ruiz who had gotten the Phils on the board with an RBI single in the first, drew the Phils to within 4-3 with RBI singles in the sixth before Howard’s shot off of lefthanded reliever Joe Beimel gave them a 6-4 lead which they took into Nationals’ ninth inning as 3 relievers shut down the Nationals in the sixth through eighth innings.
The Phillies sent out closer Brad Lidge to nail down the game, but Lidge, whose ERA has reached astronomical heights at 9.19, continued his attrocious string being scored upon in 7 of his last 10 appearances, including 6 in a row.
Lidge got shortstop Cristian Guzman to ground out to 2nd base for the 1st out in the ninth. But then he walked 1st baseman Nick Johnson walked and 3rd baseman Ryan Zimmerman singled. Leftfielder Adam Dunn followed grounding into a fielder’s choice moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd base with 2 out. Centerfielder Willie Harris, pinch-hitting for Elijah Dukes, solved Lidge for a 2 run double to rightfield and moved to 3rd on 2nd baseman Chase Utley’s throwing error. Lidge struck out rightfielder Austin Kearns swinging to finally retire the side. Game tied 6-6.
Relievers Clay Condrey and lefthander J.A. Happ held the Nationals off the board the rest of the way with Happ only giving up 1 hit and issuing a walk while striking out 3 in 2 innings to gain the win.
Reliever Joel Hanrahan held the Phils off of the board in the ninth and tenth innings and Kip Wells held the Phils off in the eleventh despite issuing a walk, giving up a single and facing a 1st and 3rd situation with 2 out.
AP sports writer Howard Fendrich describes the Phillies twelfth inning winning rally against losing pitcher Wells for Yahoo sports;
Raul Ibanez delivered a two-run single after Kip Wells, Washington’s eighth pitcher, walked the bases loaded in the 12th. That broke a tie and sent the Phillies to a 10-6 victory.
Philadelphia tacked on insurance runs with Pedro Feliz’s RBI double—also his fourth hit—and catcher Wil Nieves’ throwing error on a double steal.
Neither starter figured in the decision but Lannon, who threw 100 pitches giving up 3 runs on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 2, faired slightly better than an errativ Blanton who threw 102 pitches while giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and walking 6 while striking out 4. Both starters managed to keep the ball in the park.
For all of the results of Friday’s games, click here.
In Saturday’s doubleheader, Brett Myers faces another lefthander, Scott Olsen in the day game. Since lefthander J.A. Happ relieved and won Friday’s game, the Phils called up 24 year old righthander Andrew Carpenter to make his first major league start opposing Daniel Cabrera in the nightcap.
For all Saturday’s games, including the Phillies, Nationals day/night doubleheader, click here.
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