With the Phillies trailing the Giants 4-1 with 2 out in the fifth inning, they once again did what they do best — get back in the game.  After ace lefthander  Cole Hamels singled to leftfield, shortstop Jimmy Rollins, just back from a month down with ankle injury, rocketed a 2 run shot to leftfield to narrow the score to 4-3.  Hamels’ pitching kept the Phils in the game as they tied the score in the sixth and scored 3 more in the eighth, including Rollins’ 3rd RBI, to emerge victorious in Friday’s opener by a  7-4 score.

With the win, the Phils kept pace, at one game back, with first place Florida who also won and extended their hold on 2nd place to 1 1/2 games over the  Mets, who were postponed by rain, and the Atlanta Braves who lost. 

Along with 3 RBIs, Rollins went 3 for 5 in his first game back, also garnering a single and a double, only missing the cycle for lack of a triple.

The Phillies scored a run early off of lefthander Patrick Misch in the second on catcher Carlos Ruiz’s singled to center scoring leftfielder Pat Burrell who was walked 3 times in the game as the Giants gave him nothing to hit.  The Giants tied the score in the third as leadoff hitter leftfielder Fred Lewis singled to centerfield to score shortstop Emmanuel Burriss.

Hamels, who meanwhile retired the first 8 hitters he faced before the Giants tied the game in the third, found himself in a two on, two out jam in the fourth.  With runners on 1st and 2nd base, 2nd baseman Eugenio Velez singled through the middle scoring rightfielder Randy Winn who had doubled to center to start the inning.  With two men on, following Velez’s RBI single, Burrris tripled off of Hamels to clear the bases and put the Giants up 4-1.

Hamels then settled down in the fifth and sixth innings.  Although the Giants had a 2 out runner on 1st base in the sixth, Hamels took care of that himself, picking Velez off of 1st base to end the inning.

In the fifth, Hamels helped himself with his 2 out single and scappered in on Rollin’s homer to get the game close.

3rd baseman Pedro Feliz victimized his old team with a 2 out RBI single to rightfield in the sixth inning to tie the game 4-4.  Feliz went 2-5 against the Giants.

Hamels put the Giants down in order in the seventh and was pulled for a pinch hitter Greg Dobbs who RBI singled in the middle of the 3 run rally off of reliever Tyler Walker in the Phils victorious eighth.

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley describes the Phillies’ eighth inning rally for Yahoo sports;

Carlos Ruiz drove in two runs for the Phillies, including the go-ahead score in the eighth…

With one out, Ruiz chopped a grounder off Tyler Walker (1-1) to second baseman Eugenio Velez, whose throw home pulled  Bengie Molina off the plate and allowed pinch-runner So Taguchi to score after he advanced on a wild pitch.

Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs followed with an RBI single that chased Walker.

Rollins capped the Phillies’ scoring with a double to rightfield scoring Ruiz.

Winning pitcher Hamels went seven innings giving up 4 runs on 6 hits while walking 3 and striking out 7 to earn his 4th win vs 3 losses.  Misch, who pitched 6 innings giving up 4 runs on 6 hits while walking 3, striking out 4 and giving up Rollins’ homer, didn’t figure in the final decision.  Tyler Walker, who was pounded for the 3 winning Phillies runs lost his first game of the year evening his mark at 1-1. 

Reliever Tom Gordon took over for Hamels to start the eighth.  Although, things got a bit dicey on on Gordon’s two walks, the Phils emerged from the inning unscathed.  In the ninth inning, closer Brad Lidge, continuing his shock and awe act, gave up a single but struck out the side on 14 pitches to earn his 9th save.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Friday’s games, click here.

In Saturday’s game two, veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer faces Tim Lincecum as the Phils try to go two up on the Giants.  In Sunday’s final, Adam Eaton opposes young lefthander Jonathan Sanchez.  On Monday, the Phils have an open date before returning home Tuesday for 6 games; 3 against Atlanta and 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays and the beginning of interleague play.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Saturday’s  games, click here.

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Giants reliever Keiichi Yabu got the first two Phillies out in the ninth inning, shortstop Eric Bruntlett and 2nd baseman Chase Utley on a lineout to 3rd base and a fly to leftfield.  But after walking both 1st baseman Ryan Howard and leftfielder Pat Burrell, rightfielder Geoff Jenkins reached on a sharp grounder which 2nd baseman Eugenio Velez couldn’t handle with Howard scoring the winning run on the play as the Phillies edged the Giants by a 6-5 score to take two of three in their series. 

Catcher Carlos Ruiz set the stage for the ninth inning with his one out, game-tying solo homer in the eighth off of reliever Vinnie Chulk.  It was Ruiz’s first homer of the season.

With the win, the Phils remained 1/2 game ahead of the Florida Marlins who pounded the San Diego Padres by a 10-3 score and a game in front of the Mets whose game with the Arizona Diamondbacks is in progress as this post is being written.  The win also marked manager Charlie Manuel’s 500th career managerial victory.

Pat Burrell once again had a productive game with a pair of doubles and two RBIs.  The AP recap for Yahoo sports notes;

Burrell is second in the National League with 30 RBIs and has reached base in 30 straight games. His two-run double in the third inning [off of starter Tim Lincecum] scored [Shane] Victorino and Eric Bruntlett for a 2-0 advantage.

But twice the Phillies took leads and twice the Giants tied the game.

With the Phils up 2-0, and lefthander Cole Hamels not nearly as sharp as he’s been in recent starts, 3rd baseman Jose Castillo singled in a run and 1st baseman Rich Aurilia doubled Castillo in to tie the score in the fourth inning.

The Phils regained the lead at 4-2 in the fifth inning as Victorino scored on a bases loaded Lincecum wild pitch with one out.  Lincecum then reloaded the bases issuing an intentional walk to Burrell.  Geoff Jenkins followed with a sacrifice fly to score Bruntlett.  The Phils were primed for more runs as Lincecum issued a second wild pitch moving Howard and Burrell to 3rd and 2nd base respectively.  But 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz flied out to end the inning and the threat.

San Francisco wasted no time in tying the game again on Hamels in the sixth inning as Aurilia went yard with a two out, 2 run shot driving in centerfielder Aaron Rowand who reached on a single.

Both starters were evenly matched both on the scoreboard and in the stats.  Hamels gave up 4 runs on 7 hits, including Aurilia’s homer, and struck out 5 while not issuing any walks.  Lincecum’s line was 4 runs, 6 hits, 2 wild pitches while walking 2 and striking out 5.

The Giants took the lead at 5-4 in the eighth inning off of reliever Chad Durbin in his 2nd inning of work in relief of Hamels.  Castillo tripled to rightfield with one out scoring Rowand who reached with a single.

Ruiz tied the score with his homer in the eighth opening the way for the game winner in the ninth.

Closer Brad Lidge pitched the ninth inning and blew through the three Giants he faced on 5 pitches to earn his first win to go along with his 7 saves.  Yabu, who walked Howard and Burrell prior to the winning run scoring in the ninth on the fielding error, was charged with his 2nd loss against 2 wins.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Sunday’s games, click here.

Following the Giants, the Arizona Diamondbacks, with the best record in the Majors, meet the Phils for 4 games beginning on Monday.  Pitchers for the series opener are rookie  Max Scherzer and veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.

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With 2 on and 2 out in the eighth inning and facing reliever David Riske, Pat Burrell, as he’s been doing all season thus far, came through again with whistling 2 run double to leftfield as the Phillies again moved above the .500 mark with a nail-biting 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.  The two teams split the short two game series with a win apiece.

The Phillies opened both the first and second innings with the leadoff hitter getting on and both times Jeff Suppan was bailed out when they were promptly rubbed out on doubleplays.   The Brewers got their leadoff man 2nd baseman Rickie Weeks on to begin the first inning through a  Jamie Moyer walk and Moyer promptly picked him off trying to steal 2nd base.   Good thing too.  Because after centerfielder Gabe Kapler struck out, leftfielder Ryan Braun doubled to left and stole 3rd base.  But Moyer got 1st baseman Prince Fielder to fly out to center to end the inning.  In the second inning, Moyer gave up a one out single but got through the inning easily.

In the third, the Phils once again got their leadoff hitter on as shortstop  Eric Bruntlett singled to centerfield.  But once again, he was wiped out on a doubleplay.

In the Brewers third, Ryan Braun belted a two out RBI single to centerfield and the Brewers were up 1-0.  That’s how the score stayed until the sixth inning.

After Moyer struck out to leadoff the sixth, top of the order leadoff hitter  Jayson Werth pounded his 4th homer of the season to deep centerfield off of Suppan to knot the game at 1-1.

Once again, Charlie Manuel went with his starter into the seventh inning and it nearly cost him again.   3rd baseman Bill Hall opened the frame with a double to right centerfield.  Shortstop J.J. Hardy singled to left moving Hall to 3rd base. 

At that point, Manuel went to Tom Gordon who struck out Tony Gwynn who pinch hit for Suppan.  Gordon walked catcher Jason Kendall to load the bases.  But then “Flash” got Weeks on strikes and Kapler grounded into a fielders’ choice to end the threat.

Having gotten the first 2 Phils out in the eighth inning, reliever David Riske, walked 1st baseman Greg Dobbs  and 2nd baseman Chase Utley, who went 3 for 4 for the game, singled to leftfield to move Dobbs to 2nd base. Then Pat “The Bat,” in the midst of perhaps the best run of his career, lined a double to leftfield to drive in the two winning runs.

J.C. Romero took over for Gordon to start the eighth.  He got the first two outs and then Manuel went to Ryan Madson to face rightfielder Corey Hart who grounded out to 2nd base.

After the Phillies mounted a fruitless threat in the ninth, Manuel handed the ball to closer Brad Lidge and it was lights out for the Brewers.

Reliever Tom Gordon, who relieved Moyer in the seventh was credited with the win, his 1st against 2 losses.  David Riske was charged with the loss, his first.  Lidge was credited with his 5th save in as many attempts.

For Yahoo sports’ recap of the game, click here. For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Thursday’s games, click here.

The Phils move on to Pittsburgh for a 3 game weekend series with the Pirates.  Adam Eaton is opposed by Pirates lefthander Zack Duke in Friday’s opener.  Saturday’s 2nd game features Kyle Kendrick opposed by  Matt Morris.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Friday’s and Saturday;s games,  click here and here.

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The Phillies seem never to be happy unless they’re coming from behind to catch and overtake their opponents with late inning surges. 

Once again, after getting down by 5-2 after five innings, the Phils jumped  Rockies starter Mark Redman for back-to-back homers as Jayson Werth led off the sixth by lining an inside-the-park homer to deep centerfield followed by 2nd baseman Chase Utley’s 6th homer in 5 games, a shot to rightfield to narrow the game to 5-4.  Then in the eighth and ninth innings, the Phils rung up the Colorado bullpen 2 and 3 runs, getting the lead and adding insurance to overtake the Rockies by a 9-5 score.

Catcher Yorvit Torrealba put the Rockies up 3-0 early with a third inning none-out 3 run homer to leftfield off of Kyle Kendrick.  The third inning damage could have been much worse as the Rockies loaded the bases after Torrealba’s blast, but a sharp grounder up the middle took a freak bounce off of the mound and hung in the air as the heads-up Utley snared it and started an inning-ending double-play.

Leftfielder Pat Burrell narrowed the score to 3-2 in the fourth with a 2 out 2 run shot to leftfield.  It was Burrell’s 7th homer of the season as he and Utley continue to carry flaming hot bats.

With 1 out in the fifth, 3rd baseman Garrett Atkins slameed a 2 run shot off of Kendrick to widen the Rockies’ lead to 5-2.  They were the final runs that the Rockies would score as the Phillies’ bullpen shut the door on the Rockies, only allowing 4 runners on base in the final four innings, 3 of them on walks.

Reliever Clay Condrey replaced Kendrick to open the sixth inning. Things got a bit dicey after Condrey struck out Torrealba looking.  Pinch hitter  Scott Podsednik walked and stole 2nd and 3rd base. Condrey then walked centerfielder Willie Taveras.  But then Condrey got slumping shortstop  Troy Tulowitzki to ground into a 3rd-to 2nd-to 1st doubleplay to end the inning.

The Phillies began to mount their comeback in the sixth with Werth’s and Utley’s back-to-back homers off of Redman.

The AP report on the game for Yahoo sports details the Phillies comeback from there;

The All-Star second baseman became the first major leaguer to homer in five straight games since the New York Yankees’  Alex Rodriguez from Sept. 4-9 last year…

The Phillies mounted the winning rally [in the eighth inning] off Taylor Buchholz (1-1) with two outs and no one on. Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell singled, and Pedro Feliz walked.  Brian Fuentes came on in relief, and Carlos Ruiz doubled down the right-field line to drive in two runs.

“It’s a good piece of hitting and hitting them where they ain’t,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “That’s what he did. It wasn’t a bad pitch.

“I had it for an inning and two thirds and I let down,” Buchholz said. “I couldn’t throw my curve ball for a strike.”

Philadelphia added three runs in the top of the ninth off  Micah Bowie on doubles by Werth and T.J. Bohn.  Rudy Seanez (2-1) got the win in relief.

Once again, the starters didn’t figure in the final win/lose decision.  Buchholz was charged with the loss. The Phillies bullpen continued to shine as Tom Gordon and Brad Lidge put the lights out on the Rockies in the eighth and ninth innings, each recording two strikeouts in the process.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.

On Tuesday, the top of the rotation, Brett Myers opposes Rockies ace Jeff Francis in the second and concluding game of this short series.  The Phils travel on to Milwaukee for 3 games with the Brewers starting Wednesday.

For the previews, scores, boxscores and recaps on Tuesdays’ games, click here.

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Roy Oswalt, ace of Houston’s shakey and inexperienced starting rotation, bettered Kyle Kendrick in a classic pitching duel as the Astros squeeked by the Phillies by a 2-1 score on Wednesday night.

Both teams scored in the first inning. Houston scored its run on leftfielder  Carlos Lee’s two out RBI double which scored centerfielder Michael Bourn who led off with an infield single.

The Phillies followed suit as centerfielder Jayson Werth led off with a single to centerfield.   After 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz grounded out, with Werth advancing to 2nd base, and after 2nd baseman Chase Utley took Oswalt to deep center for the second out, 1st baseman Ryan Howard singled to center to score Werth.  The Phils could have gotten to Oswalt for more in the 1st.  Leftfielder Pat Burrell, in the midst of a torrid hitting streak, laced an infield single to place runners at 1st and 2nd base.  But rightfielder  Geoff Jenkins grounded out to end the inning.

From there, both pitchers found a groove and threw up zeros, although both teams threatened with two out in the third inning.  The Phillies offense snoozed for the remainder of the game as Oswalt picked up momentum.

With two out in the fifth inning, Bourn, who had been traded by the Phils to the Astros with two other players for closer Brad Lidge during the off-season, went yard on Kendrick for his second homer of the season and Houston led 2-1.

Both pitchers were lifted for pinch hitters after going seven innings.
Oswalt tossed 92 pitches, 65 of them for strikes while givimg up 5 hits, walking 2 and striking out 4.

AP Sports writer Rob Maaddi notes for Yahoo sports;

Oswalt was back to his old self, mixing in nasty off-speed pitches with a sharp fastball.

“He was vintage Roy,” Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. “He kept the ball down, had a nice breaking ball and his fastball was crisp. He pitched real well.”

Oswalt (1-3) finally looked like a three-time All-Star instead of the worst pitcher in the NL.

“Hopefully I turned it around,” Oswalt said. “I felt better. I wasn’t overthrowing. I feel when I have my curveball, I should be able to get to the eighth or ninth inning.”

Kyle Kendrick tossed 96 pitches, 68 of them for stikes in giving up 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 5.

Phillies Nation’s Tim Malcolm sums up Kendrick’s fine performance;

They wasted a great outing by Kyle Kendrick, who finally looked like his 2007 self. He threw 96 pitches, getting 10 ground outs and five strikeouts. He surrendered two runs and four hits, lowering his ERA to a respectable 4.40.

It’s sad — the Phillies are getting great pitching and the offense is laying eggs. Nobody was being patient. Part of it was Oswalt, who found his curveball and relied on it a lot; part of it was due to having notorious early-count hitters in the lineup.

AP’s Maaddi adds;

Kendrick lasted a total of 7 1-3 innings in his first two starts, but resembled the pitcher who came from nowhere—actually, Double-A—and won 10 games last season to help the Phillies win the NL East.

“He was more aggressive,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “His command was good, good location with his sinker. He showed last year that he’s durable. I have confidence in him.”

The game was basically over when the two starters left as both bullpens blanked the opposition for the final two innings. 

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Wednesday’s games, click here.

Brett Myers, off of his fine 8 inning efort against Chicago, opposes  Brandon Backe in Thursday’s get-away game as the Phils hope to get back to the .500 mark.

Meanwhile, the Phillies continue to play without last season’s MVP shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the lineup due to his sprained ankle.  Reports are that Rollins is out until at least Saturday.  MLB.com’s Ken Mandel reports;

Wednesday’s decision was painfully easy for manager Charlie Manuel, who begrudgingly filled out his seventh straight lineup card without Rollins’ name. Seeing the reigning NL MVP hobble down the first-base line after pinch-hitting was enough.

“When you’re going full speed and that little pain kicks in, it buckles you,” said Rollins, who said he felt fine until swinging during that at-bat. “After I swung, I stumbled and I don’t know if it just gave out or it was because I fouled it off. Your balance is off.”

Rollins has already been ruled out until Saturday, at the earliest. He will leave the team for the next two days to fly to Oakland to attend a funeral for an uncle. He’ll return on a Friday red-eye.

Beginning Friday, the Phils entertain the New York Mets for three games.  In Friday’s opener, an epic battle of lefthanders,  Cole Hamels with his 2-1 record and 0.82 ERA faces arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Johan Santana (1-2, 3.05 ERA).  On Saturday, two more lefties lock-up as Jamie Moyer opposes Oliver Perez.  In Sunday’s final, Adam Eaton is opposed by  Mike Pelfrey.
 
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Thursday’s games, click here.

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Rightfielder Geoff Jenkins’ sprint home from 1st base on 3rd baseman  Pedro Feliz’s RBI double capped a maddening four run ninth inning rally as the Phillies came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the Houston Astros in their series opener by a 4-3 score in the annual Jackie Robinson game on Tuesday.

As is seemingly becoming the norm this season, once again the Phillies continue to execute flawlessly in clutch, late-inning situations.  The  Victorino bunt and Rollins’ charge from 1st to 3rd base on the play readily comes to mind.

On a typically cold mid-April night when the ball wasn’t carrying, starter  Adam Eaton, who was switched into Kyle Kendrick’s slot as Phillies tweaked their starting rotation, went deep into the game for the third time giving up 3 runs on 7 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3 in his third no-decision in three starts.

The rotation change enables Eaton to face the Mets next Sunday night. Eaton is 5-0 with a 2.90 ERA in eight career starts against New York.

Meanwhile, Astros starter Shawn Chacon was impressive in eight innings, keeping the Phillies in check, spreading out 4 hits while walking 2 and striking out 5 before handing the ball to closer Jose Valverde for the abortive ninth.

Valverde recorded only one out in the inning, but that out led to the Phillies’ winning run.

Outfielder Chris Snelling, having just been activated from the minors to fill the roster slot vacated by centerfielder Shane Victorino who went on the 15 DL with a strained right calf, led off the ninth against Valverde with a homer to rightfield.  Valverde then plunked 2nd baseman Chase Utley with a pitch (what else is new?).  After 1st baseman Ryan Howard struck out, leftfielder  Pat Burrell continued his torrid hitting witha 2 run opposite-field homer to rightfield to knot the game at 3-3.  Burrell has 5 homers, 15 RBIs and a .349 BA in 14 ballgames this season.

The Beerleaguer blog offered this comment;

Remember the days when he was the last guy you wanted up in that situation? Seems like only yesterday, because it practically was.

After Burrell’s homer, Valverde fanned Jenkins.  The AP recap of the game describes the action from here for Yahoo sports;

Jenkins struck out, but the ball eluded catcher Brad Ausmus for a passed ball and Jenkins scampered safely to first before Feliz ripped a shot into the left-field corner. Jenkins slid home with the winning run just ahead of the tag. 

Jenkins was determined to score, and he never saw the stop sign put up by third base coach Steve Smith.

“I felt like I could score,” Jenkins said. “The crowd was going berserk and once I got home, it was a tremendous feeling when you’re safe.”

Smith had both hands in the air as Jenkins rounded third, yet he continued all the way home.

“I waited as long as I could,” Smith said. “I tried to be in front of him but he went right by.”

“It was a great piece of running,” Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. “It was a big win for us.”

Houston scored on Eaton in the first inning as shortstop Miguel Tejada slapped an RBI single to centerfield.  Eaton had gotten two quick outs on the top of the Astros order.

The two starters then matched zeros through the Houston sixth when, with one out, 3rd baseman Geoff Blum RBI singled to rightfield followed by centerfielder Hunter Pence’s RBI sacrifice fly to centerfield put the Astros up 3-0.

Eaton gave way to Chad Durbin who gave up 2 hits in two scoreless innings of work and to Rudy Seanez who pitched a scoreless ninth while issuing 2 walks to receive credit for the win.  Valverde got a double-hit in the minus column being charged with a blown save as well as the loss.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins missed his 6th straight game with the sprained left ankle, being spelled by Eric Bruntlett.  Rollins did pinch hit for Durbin in the eighth inning and grounded out to 3rd base and still showed ankle weakness running gingerly to first.

The Ryan Howard strikeout watch continues.  In 14 games, he’s got 19 fans. That works out to 220 strikeouts over the 162 game season.  Calculated in terms of at bats, Howard strikes out in 31% of the time or, based on total number of at bats in the 2006 season when he played 159 games, it still translates into 215 strikeouts for the season.

For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s and Tuesday’s games, click here and here.

Kyle Kendrick, who’s slot was shifted with Eaton, will start Wednesday’s game two of the series against Houston’s Roy Oswalt who has been pounded in his first three starts.  With a win, the Phillies can jump over the .500 mark by a game.

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Wednesday’s games, click here.

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