Phillies Beat Reds in Final, Take 3 of 4 in Series
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Phillies bats came alive again scoring 7 runs, including solo homers by 2nd baseman Chase Utley and rightfielder Jayson Werth against Micah Owings and another 2 against the Cincinnati bullpen. The Phils overcome 3-0 and 6-4 deficits in rescuing veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer and beating the Reds by a 9-6 score in the final to take 3 of 4 games in the series.
With the win, the Phillies remained 2 games ahead the NL East division over the Florida Marlins who pounded Arizona with a 10 run eighth inning. Altanta dropped to 5 games back in 3rd place with their lost to Colorado while the Mets, who were pounded by the L.A. Dodgers, dropped to 5 1/2 games off of the pace.
Chase Utley and Jayson Werth each pounded their 20th homer of the season to join 1st baseman Ryan Howard (21 HRs) and leftfielder Raul Ibanez (22 HRs) at the 20+ homer plateau making the Phils only the second team in major league history to reach have 4 players reach that plateau before All Star break. The only other team to accomplish the feat was the 2000 Toronto Blue Jays.
Also, as Phillies Nation reports, centerfielder Shane Victorino clinched the final voted spot on the NL All Star team and leftfielder Raul Ibanez plans on being in the lineup on Friday as the Phils open their 3 game series with Pittsburgh.
Moyer was roughed up for the first time since being belted for 6 runs on 10 hits in mid-June by Toronto, 5 starts ago. 3rd baseman Edwin Encarnacion was the Red’s big gun hammering Moyer hard with a 2 run triple as the Reds took a 3-0 lead in the second inning and pounding a 2 out solo homer to leftfield in the fourth. 2nd baseman Brandon Phillips also reached Moyer for a 1 out, 2 run shot to leftfield in the fifth to break a 4-4 tie.
But Owings was pounded harder as the Phillies kept on him throughout his 4 1/3 innings. Utley stroked a third inning 2 out centerfield inside-the-park solo shot and Ryan Howard followed with a double, also to centerfield. The Phils kept centerfielder Willy Taveras very busy running after futility in the inning. Werth followed Howard with yet another shot to center, an RBI double as the Phils narrowed the Red’s 3 run lead to 3-2.
Phillies Nation’s Amanda Orr picks up the game recap from here:
Encarnacion’s home run gave the Reds a little cushion. …Shane Victorino[’s]…. two-run single off the glove of Brandon Phillips tied the game at four. Phillips wanted those runs back, so he hit a two run shot giving the Reds a 6-4 lead. The first five innings were like a see-saw.
Moyer was done after five. He allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks. The Phillies relied on Chan Ho Park to keep the game close, and he pitched three hitless innings.
[Pedro] Feliz’s RBI single made it a one run game, so the Phillies called on Paul Bako after Carlos Ruiz left the game with an apparent injury. It looked like Bako grounded into an inning-ending double-play, but the pitcher covering missed the bag on the relay to first. Bako was safe, and the tying run scored. Jimmy Rollins followed with a RBI single, bringing in the go-ahead run.
Werth hit his 20th home run of the season. He homered in every game of the series.
In winning his team-leading 8th game, Moyer threw 102 pitches in five innings while giving up 6 runs, including the 2 homers, on 8 hits and walking 1 and striking out 4.
Losing pitcher Owings went 6 innings throwing 97 pitches and giving up 7 runs, including Utley’s and Werth’s homers, on 8 hits while walking 4 and strking out 1.
Reliever Park struck out 4 in three innings as the only Red to reach against him did so on a sixth inning walk. Closer Brad Lidge came on to pitch the ninth striking out 2 and walking 1 to earn his 17th save of the season.
In other related news, there have been a flurry of reports throughout Thursday night and Friday indicating that the Phillies have either signed, or are close in negotiations to sign free agent former Met pitcher Pedro Martinez. The first clue that something serious may be going on was this Facebook wall note late Thursday from Phillies Nation’s CEO, Brian Michaels. Then, among other reports, was this Twitter from Scott Lauber:
Phillies don’t announce free-agent signings until player passes physical. Asked if Pedro is coming for a physical, Amaro said, “No comment.”
Hmm, where there’s smoke, there’s fire? Blogging Baseball is watching this story closely.
For the scores of all of Thursday’s games, click here.
The Phillies now entertain the Pittsburgh Pirates for a 3 game weekend series leading up to All Star break.
Joe Blanton, off of a brilliant outing in his last start — a 7 1/3 inning no run, 4 hit performance against the Mets, is opposed by lefthander Zach Duke in Friday’s series opener.
On Saturday, ace lefthander Cole Hamels, coming off a masterful 1 run, 3 hit 7 inning effort in the Cincinnati opener, is opposed by Ross Ohlendorf in game 2.
For all of Friday’s and Saturday’s games, click here and here.
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