Howard Hits 3 Homers in 2 Games, Phillies Split With Braves
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The Phillies got 4 homers on Friday; 2 by 1st baseman Ryan Howard. They got back-to-back ninth inning homers by shortstop Jimmy Rollins and centerfielder Ben Francisco which broke open a close 5-3 game. Kyle Kendrick, who replaced rookie lefthander J.A. Happ who was pulled as a as precaution after three innings, was credited with the win for pitching 4 scoreless innings as the Phils took the opener of the 3 game series with Atlanta by a 9-4 count. In Saturday’s game 2, Phils starter Pedro Martinez left after three innings suffering from neck stiffness which is alleged to have occured during a second inning at bat. Martinez had given up 3 runs on 7 hits. Durbin came on in relief and gave up 3 more in 2 2/3 innings. Braves starter Javier Vazquez threw an impressive seven inning 3 hitter and the Braves led 6-0 going into the ninth before Howard belted his 3rd homer in 2 games before a double, a walk and 2 singles brought the Phils close although on the short end of a 6-4 score. Howard hit 3 homers in 2 games but the Phillies came away with a split of the first 2 games with the Braves.
With the split of Friday’s and Saturday’s games with the Braves, the Phils maintained their 7 game lead in the NL East division over 2nd place Florida and 7 1/2 over 3rd place Atlanta. The Phils magic number to clinch the division is now 8 games with 15 games left in the regular season.
In game 1, rookie lefthander Happ, who made his 1st start since September 2nd after suffering a strained oblique, was pulled as precaution after three innings and 51 pitches when manager Manuel saw that “he didn’t have didn’t have a lot on the ball.”
Meanwhile, Atlanta jumped out to an early 1-0 third inning lead as 2nd baseman Martin Prado solved Happ for a 1 out third inning solo shot to leftfield. But Howard answered in the fourth belting a 2 run shot to right centerfield with centerfielder Ben Francisco on board having singled. Francisco subbed for Shane Victorino in both Friday’s and Saturday’s games and collected 3 hits in 5 at bats on Friday, including his ninth inning homer, and driving in a run and scoring 2 runs. The Flyin’ Hawaiian came down with gastrointestinal illness and left Thursday’s game in the seventh inning.
Howard belted his 2nd homer of the game, a solo short for his 40th round-tripper of the season, with 2 out in the sixth to up the Phils’ lead to 3-1.
Kyle Kendrick replaced Happ and pitched four scoreless innings to get credit for his 2nd win. Atlanta starter Tim Hudson pitched well for seven innings giving up 3 runs on 6 hits.
The Phils and Braves traded 2 runs each in the eighth inning. The Phils loaded the sacks with 1 out and rightfielder Jayson Werth slammed a 2 run single to centerfield as the Phils went up by 5-1. They had a chance for more but Howard was out at 3rd on a double-steal attempt as Werth made 2nd base. Leftfielder Raul Ibanez grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning. Reliever Tyler Walker came on in the eighth to give up 2 Braves runs on a 2 run shot by catcher Brian McCann to narrow the Phils’ lead to 5-3. The Phils then broke the game open tacking 4 runs on the board in the ninth, a total of 6 runs off of the Braves’ bullpen, on Rollins’ 3 run shot which was followed by Francisco’s solo blast. Reliever Chad Durbin gave up a ninth inning run on a double, a wild pitch and a 1 out RBI single by LaRoche. But Durbin then got a ground out and a fly out to end the opener with the Phils on the long side of a 9-4 count.
Kendrick threw 35 pitches in four scoreless innings where he allowed only 3 hits. He walked and struck none. Hudson provided a quality outing although tagged with the loss. He gave up 3 runs on 6 hits, including Howard’s 2 homers.
Phillies Nation’s Amanda Orr recaps Saturday’s Phillies loss:
The Phillies scored four runs in the ninth inning, but came up short in their 6-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
For the second straight night, the Phillies lost their starting pitcher due to an injury. Pedro Martinez left the game after the third inning with stiffness in the right side of his neck. Martinez allowed three earned runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out one during his three innings.
Matt Diaz broke the game open in the fifth inning with a two-run home run off Chad Durbin. In 2.2 innings, Durbin gave up three runs (2 earned).
Braves starter Javier Vazquez limited the Phillies to just three hits during his seven shutout innings.
The Braves had a 6-0 cushion headed into the ninth, but the Fightins rallied against Rafael Soriano. Ryan Howard put the Phillies on the board with his third home run of the series. Greg Dobbs and Jimmy Rollins each had RBI singles. However, with the tying run[s] at first [and second] base, Ben Francisco flied out to end the threat and the game.
A number of talk-backs and blog comments question whether or not Pedro’s stiff neck relates to his second inning at bat or whether it is connected with his 130 pitch complete game on last Sunday. Hmm, interesting.
1st baseman Adam LaRouche got the Braves on the board in the second inning with an RBI single. Then both McCann and LaRouche singled off of Martinez in the third as the Braves opened a 3-0 lead. Martin Prado drove in a run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly afterwhich Diaz’s 2 run shot in the fifth inning off of Durbin upped the lead to 6-0. Diaz’s 2 RBIs proved to be the game winners.
Vasquez, who has had a surprising turn-around season with a 14-9 slate and a sub-3 ERA, went 7 innings throwing 102 pitches and holding the Phils scoreless on 3 hits, athough he walked 3 while striking out 6.
For the scores of all of Friday’s and Saturday’s games, click here and here.
In Sunday’s final, Phillies ace lefthander Cliff Lee is opposed by Atlanta’s impressive rookie Tommy Hanson.
The Phils have Monday off before opening a 3 game series in Florida on Tuesday through Thursday.
Sunday’s games click here.
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