Phillies Rout Cubs Behind Lopez’s Pitching, Three Homers
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Recent Phillies acquisition Rodrigo Lopez provided a six inning 1 run, 5 hit quality start on Monday and rightfielder Raul Ibanez, catcher Carlos Ruiz homered as the Phils scored 9 runs in the 1st four innings off of Cubs’ lefthander Ted Lilly. 1st baseman Ryan Howard capped Phillies scoring with an eighth inning solo shot as the Phillies routed the Cubs by a 10-1 score behind Lopez’s pitching and 3 homers to win their 9th straight game.
With the win, the Phils maintain a 6 1/2 game lead over 2nd place Atlanta in the NL East division race. Florida remains 7 games out in 3rd place with the Mets 9 games back in 4th place.
Lopez, who might get displaced from the starting rotation in August by a healthy Pedro Martinez, is keen on making the club’s decision as difficult as possible.
AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston’s game recap for Yahoo sports discusses Lopez’s status and the possible dilemma with Martinez:
The Phillies scored five in the first two innings to stake Lopez (2-0) to early lead and he never let the Cubs rally. Lopez, who left his last start with right shoulder inflammation, allowed one run over six innings.
His solid effort helped his cause to stay in the rotation once Martinez, a three-time Cy Young winner, is deemed healthy enough to join the Phillies. Martinez signed a free-agent deal last week and was medically cleared to pitch a simulated game on Tuesday. He might take Lopez’s turn in the rotation in August.
“I would think as long as I’m doing my job and everything, I think there’s going to be a spot open for me. Somewhere,” Lopez said. “I’m just going to work on that and be more consistent. I can’t control what will happen in the future. I’ve got worry about my next start.”
With Martinez signed to a $1 million deal loaded with incentives, manager Charlie Manuel realizes something’s got to give.
“I like decisions,” Manuel said. “When people are doing good, I like that.”
The Phils, who on July 2 were 13-22 at home, have evened their mark at Citizen’s Bank Park to 23-23 first by going 9-1 in the last homestand before sweeping Florida in Miami and opening their current homestand with Monday’s win.
Gelston’s game recap continues:
Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a single, Shane Victorino followed with a double, and Ibanez connected off Lilly two batters later for his 25th homer, well over the 401-foot sign in dead center.
Ibanez moved into second place in the NL in homers, and Howard is right behind him with 24.
Lilly had pitched at least six innings in 14 straight starts and had allowed only six runs in his last three outings (21 1-3 innings). The All-Star lefty gave up five runs after two—Ruiz connected for a two-run shot in the second— then completely unraveled behind a defensive gaffe in the fourth.
Ruiz’s double and Rollins’ sacrifice fly stretched the lead to 7-0. Victorino hit a deep fly to the warning track in left, and the ball bounced off the heel of Alfonso Soriano’s mitt and onto the dirt for an error, and another run scored.
The catch would have ended the inning. Instead, Chase Utley followed with an RBI single for a 9-0 lead that capped the inning.
Two of the runs charged to Lilly in the inning were unearned. He gave up nine runs and eight hits in four innings.
Howard’s solo shot in the eighth made it 10-1.
Lopez threw 97 pitches in six innings giving up the 1 Cubs run in the
fifth inning. He gave up 5 hits while walking 3 and striking out 5 in recording his 2nd win with the Phillies. Reliever Chad Durbin came on in the seventh inning to throw three effective innings giving up only 1 hit while striking out 2 to record his 1st save of the season and his 2nd as a Phillie.
In other related news, Phillies Nation reports that the Phils are scouting Arizona’s reliever Chad Qualls and that Brett Myers’ recovery from right hip surgery is “way ahead of schedule” and that Myers may yet return this season in a bullpen role down the stretch. Phils Nation’s Amanda Orr notes:
Myers has a bullpen session on Saturday, and if that goes well, he could report to Clearwater by Monday.
For the scores of all of Monday’s games, click here.
In Tuesday’s game 2 against the Cubs, Joe Blanton, who pitched 1 1/3 innings in Saturday;s rained out game against Florida, goes against Rich Harden.
For all of Tuesday’s games, click here.
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