The Phillies got off to an early 3-0 lead on homers by rightfielder Jayson Werth and shortstop Jimmy Rollins (his 2nd homer in 4 games) and were never caught.  They cashed in on scoring opportunities getting clutch 2 out run-scoring singles from 1st baseman Ryan Howard and leftfielder Pat Burrell and a got gritty 6 2/3 inning performance by young Kyle Kendrick to post an 8-4 win Thursday to sweep the hapless Washington Nationals.

In winning, the Phillies improved their 1st place position in the NL East, gaining a 1/2 game to lead by 1 full game over the Mets who had  Thursday off. The Florida Marlins remained 1 1/2 games back in 3rd place after pounding the Colorado Rockies. The 4th place Braves remained 9 games back by clubbing the St. Louis Cardinals to salvage 1 of the 4 games and to halt a 5 game losing string.

The AP recap recounts the games’ highlights for Yahoo sports;

Werth’s solo homer and Rollins’ RBI groundout helped the Phillies go up 3-0 in the second. Rollins hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give Philadelphia a 5-2 lead.

Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell added [2 out] RBI singles in a three-run sixth that gave the Phillies an 8-2 lead. Washington helped the Phillies by making three errors, two of which led to runs off starter John Lannan (6-11).

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is day-to-day with a bruised hand after Kendrick hit him with a pitch in the third.

Zimmerman came out in the fourth, He recently spent 48 games on the disabled list with shoulder problems.

OF Shane Victorino got his eighth bunt hit of the season in the fourth, one of two infield hits he had in the game.

Kendrick tossed 110 pitches in a quality 6 2/3 inning performance to win his 9th game vs 5 losses and left with the Phillies holding an 8-2 lead.   Reliever Clay Condrey pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings.  Rudy Seanez got into ninth inning hot water, getting the first 2 outs, while giving up 2 Nationals runs before dependable Chad Durbin took 5 pitches to close out Washington.

In other Phillies’ news; despite the flurry of activity in the hours before the trade deadline which (1) saw a disgruntled leftfielder Manny Ramirez (to the Dodgers), leftfielder  Jason Bay (to Boston) and 4 other players (to Pittsburgh) change sides in a startling three-team trade, and (2) which saw outfield hitting great Ken Griffey Jr. (with 600 career homers) traded from  Cincinnati to the Chicago White Sox for cash, a reliever and a Triple-A second baseman prospect, centerfielder Shane Victorino happily made it through the trade deadline remaining in Phillies red-pinstripes.

Victorino has had a huge last 10 days of July going 18 for 42 (.428 BA) with 4 homers, 9 RBIs and 11 runs scored.  

In other Phillies’ news, 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz, on the DL since July 24th, has been diagnosed with a bulging disk in his back, the club announced.   MLB.com’s Ken Mandel reports;

Feliz underwent a series of tests, including an MRI and an examination by a back specialist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He won’t participate in baseball-related activities until next week, at the earliest.

The Phillies recalled 3rd baseman Mike Cervenak, who was up briefly earlier in July and went 0 for 1 before being sent back down. He takes Feliz’s spot on the roster and joins lefthander J.A. Happ who was recalled from Reading a few days ago.

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

The Phillies begin August with 3 games against the St. Louis Cardinals before another day off on Monday, August 4, before returning home for 3 games against the Florida Marlins followed by 3 games vs the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In Friday’s opener, ace lefthander Cole Hamels tries again for his 10th win in opposing a surprising Kyle Lohse with a 12-3 record.   On Saturday, newly acquired Joe Blanton tries again for his 1st Phillies win opposing  Brandon Looper.

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

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Mets lefthander Johan Santana held the Phillies in check over eight innings, giving up just 2 runs while retiring 15 of 16 batters at one point, but closer Billy Wagner was unavailable due to a muscle spasm around the joint in his left shoulder.  As a result, the Phils pummelled 4 relievers for 6 runs in the ninth inning to overcome the Mets by an 8-6 score.

With the win, the Phils took over sole possession of 1st place, leaving the Mets and the Florida Marlins, who shut out Atlanta, tied for 2nd place 1 game back.  Atlanta fell to 7 games back in 4th place.

The ninth inning comeback was the kind that Phillies fans had come to love before the team’s mid-June tailspin.  AP sportswriter Howie Rumberg describes the Phillies ninth inning for Yahoo sports;

After Johan Santana pitched eight dominant innings, the Mets had to make do without closer Billy Wagner, who had an MRI on his shoulder earlier Tuesday.

Dauner Sanchez gave up three straight hits to start the ninth. Joe Smith (1-2) relieved and Carlos Ruiz drove in a run with a high bouncer that shortstop Jose Reyes fielded but he missed stepping on second base.

Pedro Feliciano came on and [So] Taguchi, a pinch-hitter, stroked a two-run double to tie it. [Jimmy] Rollins followed with a double that made it 7-5. After an intentional walk to  Pat Burrell, Ryan Howard hit a ball back to Feliciano but he had trouble fielding it and could only get one out allowing another run to score.

Chad Durbin (3-2) pitched a perfect eighth, and Brad Lidge gave up a run in the ninth but finished for his 22nd save in as many chances.

The Phillies got off to a first inning lead as first baseman Howard and leftfielder Burrell touched Santana for 2 out singles.  Rightfielder Jayson Werth then singled to centerfield driving in a run and leaving runners at 1st and 2nd.  But then Santana struck out 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz to end the inning.  Catcher Ruiz’s second inning centerfield single and starting pitcher  Joe Blanton’s fifth inning single to rightfield represented the only other Phillies to reach on Santana until centerfielder Shane Victorino’s 2 out seventh inning solo homer followed by another single by Ruiz.

Meanwhile, the newly-acquired Blanton, obtained from the Oakland A’s for 3 minor league prospects, got through the first two innings unscathed.  Blanton had experience against the Mets having thrown 15 shutout innings against them in two previous starts.

But he walked shortstop Jose Reyes to open the third inning and rigfhtfelder Endy Chavez followed with an infield single.  3rd baseman  David Wright followed with a single to leftfield scoring Reyes.  But Chavez, trying to score from 1st base on the play, was gunned down at homeplate on a fine relay started by left fielder Burrell.  With 2 out, 1st baseman  Carlos Delgado solved Blanton for a 2 run rightfield homer to give the Mets a 3-1 lead.

The Mets added to their lead against Blanton in the sixth on catcher 
Ramon Castro’s 2 on, 2 out leftfield homer.

The Phillies might have dug themselves a deeper hole to climb out of had the defense not come up with two big plays in the seventh innning.
AP’s Rumberg describes;

Right fielder Jayson Werth threw out Endy Chavez at home on a hit by David Wright, and second baseman Chase Utley made a diving grab of pinch-hitter Fernando Tatis’ liner with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Blanton left after six innings having thrown 109 pitches and having given up 5 runs on 8 hits while walking 3, stiking out 1 and giving up the 2 homers.

The Mets managed to load the bases with 1 out in the seventh against reliever Rudy Seanez, but lefthander J.C. Romero came on to get out of the inning unscathed with the defense making the two big plays.

Santana completed eight full innings for the Mets throwing 105 pitches and allowing 2 runs on 8 hits while striking out 4 and giving up Victorino’s solo shot.

Reliever Chad Durbin was credited with his 3rd win after pitching a clean eighth inning.  Reliever Joe Smith, who gave up what turned out to be the lead run in the ninth, was charged with the loss.

Clsoer Brad Lidge, who got into some ninth inning hot water giving up a 2 out run, was credited with his 22 save of the season.

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

In Wednesday’s game 2, Brett Myers, recalled after a stint in the minors, opposes John Maine who lasted 4 2/3 innings in his last start against  Cincinnati.  Thursday’s final is slated as a battle of lefties as 45 year old veteran Jamie Moyer is opposed by 27 year old Oliver Perez.

After the mets, the Phillies stop at home for a brief 3 game series against the Atlanta Braves before hitting the road again.

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

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Marlins rookie catcher John Baker, playing in his 5th Major League game, homered, had 2 hits and drove in 4 runs to lead Florida in chasing Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick in the 5th inning enroute to Florida’s 9-5 win on Saturday.

Despite losing, the Phillies maintained their 1 game lead over the Mets who have seen their 10 game winning streak turn sour in Cincinnati. The Mets have now lost 2 in a row.  The Marlins, by winning have pulled to within 1 1/2 games of the front-running Phillies.  The Atlanta Braves were pounded by the Washington Nationals and remain 6 1/2 back in 4th place.

The Phillies opened the scoring with one run in the second inning as Marlins’ 3rd baseman Jorge Cantu was charged with 2 errors on the same play on 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz’s grounder.  The Phils could have had more but had 2 runners nailed at home.

The Marlins came right back to take the lead in their half of the second on Baker’s 3 run homer which followed a hit batsman and a single.   3-1 Marlins

The Phillies tied the game off of lefthander Scott Olsen in fourth as Feliz tripled to right centerfield with one out and catcher Chris Coste drove him home with a double to right.  One out later, shortstop Jimmy Rollins drove home Coste with a single to centerfield.   

The Phils tied the game again in the fifth as rightfielder Pat Burrell solved Olsen for his 24th homer, a solo shot to leftfield.  Burrell would hit a 2nd homer, his 25th of the season, to leftfield in the eighth inning off of reliever Doug Waechter for the Phillies final run.  By then, the Marlins led 9-4.

In the fifth, rightfielder Jeremy Hermida led off with a solo homer to deep right.  With one out and a runner on 2nd baseman Dan Uggla belted a 2 run shot off of Kendrick to leftfield.  Kendrick was chased after walking Mike Jacobs.   Reliever Clay Condrey was greeted with a double and issued a walk.  But Condrey then got pinch hitter Luis Gonzalez to ground into a doubleplay to end the inning.

Cantu’s 2 out, 2 run seventh inning single off of reliever Rudy Seanez capped the Marlin’s scoring.

The Phillies made things interesting in the ninth inning by loading the bases with 1 out on Marlins’ closer Kevin Gregg.   But Gregg struck out 1st baseman Ryan Howard on 3 pitches and got Burrell, who had homered twice, to ground into a game-ending fielders’ choice.

Kendrick, who lost his 4th game of the season, was bombed for 7 runs on 10 hits, including 3 homers, in 4 1/3 innings.   Olsoen, who won his 6th game vs 4 losses, gave up 4 runs on 8 hits through five innings.

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

Sunday’s series final is a battle of lefties as ace Cole Hamels faces Andrew Miller who carries a 5.63 ERA and was hammered for 7 runs in 1 2/3 innings in his last start before the All Star Break.

The Phils have another day off on Monday before coming home on Tuesday for a 3 game early MUST WIN confrontation against the Mets with the NL East lead on the line, followed by 3 games against 4th place  Atlanta.

In the Phillies opener with the Mets, newly acquired Joe Blanton (acquired from the Oakland A’s for 3 minor league prospects) is opposed by Pedro Martinez who has been pounded around the league this season.

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

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His passing didn’t get much ink, but this past Sunday former Chicago Cubs,  Phillies and Chicago White Sox hurler John Buzhardt died at 71 in Prosperity, S.C. after a stroke followed by several years of illness.

As a young pitcher with a lot of potential, Buzhardt had the misfortune to have been part of some of the worst teams in MLB history.  He started his career with the Cubs.  Baseball writer Bob Spear recalls his interview with Buzhardt 4 years ago;

He signed a pro contract with the Cubs in 1954 — for $250.

“I got another $250 if I lasted 60 days,” he said jokingly.

After turning 3-0 and 4-5 records in his first 2 seasons with the Cubs, he was traded to a Phillies club which was sooo bad (How bad were they??), sooo bad that manager Eddie Sawyer who managed them to last place finishes in 1958 and 1959 gave up on them and quit after they lost the opening game of the 1960 season.

They were sooo bad that they managed one the worst trades in MLB history, 1958 rookie of the year Jack Sanford for the horrid and inept battery of Ruben Gomez and Valmy Thomas and that the Phils held on to Gomez for two seasons although then-owner Bob Carpenter later called the deal “the worst trade he ever made.”

However Buzhardt commented to Bob Spear on those Philly teams; “Not a bad team, just a young team,”

When Buzhardt came to the Phils, the sports writers and the radio, TV announcers all pronounced his name “Buzhardt” pronouncing the “h”.  But when he arrived at Clearwater in 1961, he asserted that the correct pronounciation of his family name was “Buzhardt” with the “h” silent.

John Buzhardt is best known by MLB historians for having won the second game of a doubleheader with the San Francisco Giants on July 28, which preceeded the now infamous Phillies “modern NL-record 23-game losing streak,” and winning over the Milwaukee Braves 7-4 in the 2nd game of a doubleheader on Aug 20, 1961 ending the winless string.

Although Buzhardt had a lifetime losing record of 71-96 in his 11 year career, he finished his career with an enviable 3.66 ERA.

Buzhardt had his longest and most successful stretch with one club from 1962-1967 with the AL  Chicago White Sox.  The Sox acquired him in exchange for 1st baseman Roy Sievers, a slugger with the Sox who came to be known in Philly as “Pop-Up Sievers” during 2 1/2 failed seasons.   Buzhardt’s career best season was in 1965 with the Sox with a recorde of 13-8 and a 3.01 ERA.

Baseball writer Spear also recalls Buzhardt’s personality from during the interview;

“My first hit,” he said. “A line drive that gets longer and harder every year.”

Even after a motorized scooter and wheelchair replaced a golf cart for transportation, John Buzhardt remained a beacon for good humor.

John Buzhardt, however one pronounces the name, will be missed and not forgotten.

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The Phillies capitalized on a 2 out, ninth inning Atlanta fielding error to tie the game and then centerfielder Shane Victorino pounded the second of his two triples in the tenth to drive in the lead run.  2nd baseman Chase Utley  followed with run-scoring double for important insurance as Victorino nailed the potential tying run at the plate as the Phils edged the Braves by a 4-3 score in their Friday opener.

The Phillies win, coupled with Florida’s pounding at the hands of Cincinnati and San Diego’s close win over Johan Santana and the Mets, left them atop the NL East by 3 1/2 games over the Marlins, 4 1/2 games over the 3rd place Braves and 5 1/2 games over the 4th place Mets.

For five innings, veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer and Tim Hudson were engaged in a classic pitching duel with Utley’s ground out RBI the only run crossing the plate.

Atlanta threatened in the third inning as 3rd baseman Chipper Jones’ 2 out ground-rule double to rightfield was sandwiched between two walks by Moyer.  But the veteran lefty got rightfielder Jeff Francoeur to fly out to center to end the threat. 

The Braves took the lead at 2-1 in the sixth inning as 1st baseman Mark Teixeira opened with a single to leftfield.  With 1 out, catcher Brian McCann homered to rightfield.  Leftfielder Omar Infante followed McCann’s homer with a triple to rightfield chasing Moyer.  Reliever Chad Durbin replaced Moyer and got centerfielder Gregor Blanco to ground into a fielder’s choice with Infante being nailed at home.  Pitcher Hudson ended the inning by flying out to centerfield.

Both starters pitched well but neither was involved in the final decision.  Myewr gave up 2 runs on 5 hits while walking 3 and striking out 4 in 5 1/3 innings while Hudson gave up 1 run on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out 3 in 7 2/3 innings.

The score remained 2-1 through a parade of relief pitchers, although both sides came away with nothing after loading the bases in the seventh, until catcher Chris Coste batted with 2 out in the ninth and runners at 1st and 2nd.

AP Sports Writer Charles Odum writes;

Kelly Johnson’s unlikely ninth-inning error gave the… Phillies new life.

The second baseman dropped a pop fly by Chris Coste with two outs in the ninth for an error, allowing [pinch runner] Eric Bruntlett to score the tying run from second. Johnson threw out [3rd baseman] Pedro Feliz, who tried to score from first on the play, to end the inning. Braves fans, on their feet to cheer the expected win, were too stunned to even boo.

“It just didn’t stick,” Johnson said. “It hit the palm. That’s probably the one spot in your glove it’s going to pop out.”

With reliever Tom Gordon on mound in the Braves ninth with 1 out and runners on 1st and 2nd base, “Flash” struck out Teixeira and got Francoeur on a pop-out to 1st base to end the threat.  Gordon came away with his 5th win vs 2 losses.

AP’s Odum describes the tenth inning;

Shane Victorino took advantage with his bat and arm…

Victorino drove in the go-ahead run with a triple in the 10th, then threw out Gregor Blanco at the plate as the tying run in the bottom of the inning…

Manny Acosta (3-4) lost for the second time in three days, giving up two hits and two runs while recording only one out.

Acosta gave up a leadoff double to pinch-hitter Chris Snelling in the 10th. Pinch-runner So Taguchi moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on Victorino’s triple to right-center… Chase Utley added a run-scoring double off Royce Ring, what proved to be a true insurance run when the Braves started to rally in the bottom of the inning.

With one out, outfielder Josh Anderson singled off closer Brad Lidge and moved to third on Blanco’s infield hit. Blanco stole second, but Lidge struck out leftfielder Greg Norton.  [Shortstop] Yunel Escobar then drove in Anderson with a single to center, but Victorino threw out Blanco on a close play at the plate to end the game.

“I knew I had to charge the ball hard and get rid of it quick,” Victorino said. “I knew it would be a close play. I wanted to give the catcher (Coste) a chance.”

Coste said Victorino’s strong throw almost caught him off-guard.

“He threw it so hard I didn’t have time to adjust,” Coste said. “It was a line drive.”

Braves manager Bobby Cox argued the call with home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez but after watching the replay said Blanco was out.

“We gave it away. We didn’t lose it, we gave it,” Cox said. “Bad baserunning, drop a pop-up.

“Kelly catches everything. I’ve never seen him drop one. We’re all allowed one.”

Lidge nailed down his 16th save while giving up 1 run on 3 hits.  He struck out 2.

A hat tip to Phillies Nation as that blog cites a report from Tom Zolecki who notes that the Phils have activated outfielder Jayson Werth from the 15-day disabled list while sending Snelling down to make room for Werth on the 25 man roster.

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

On Saturday, young Kyle Kendrick faces 23 year old lefthander Jo-Jo Reyes.  In Sunday’s final, Adam Eaton opposes 30 year old reliever turned starter  Jorge Campillo.

After Atlanta, the Phillies move on to Florida and then to St. Louis before returning home to play Boston and the L. A. Angels in inter-league competition.

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

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Phillies 2nd baseman Chase Utley wasted no time in pounding his MLB leading 21st homer off of Bronson Arroyo in the first inning, with centerfielder Shane Victorino aboard, and 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz and catcher Chris Coste hit back-to-back homers in a 3 run fourth inning as the Phillies withstood single Cincinnati runs in the fourth and fifth innings and 2 in the sixth to edge the Reds by a 5-4 score in Monday’s series opener.

With the win, the Phils now lead by 1 1/2 games over Florida in the NL East as the Marlins lost in extra innings to 3rd place Atlanta, 3 1/2 games behind the Phils, while the 4th place Mets, 4 games behind, were bombed by the the San Francisco Giants.

After Victorino singled in the first inning, Utley solved Arroyo for his 5th homer in 5 games, his 7th in the last 8 games and the Phils to ook a 2-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Kyle Kendrick retired 10 of the first 11 hitters he faced through 3 1/3 innings allowing only 1 second inning single before rookie phenom rightfielder Jay Bruce went yard to leftfield with one out in the fourth to cut the lead to 2-1.  Bruce went 2 for 4 for the game scoring 2 runs while keeping his blazing batting average at .577 with 3 homers and 15 hits in 26 at bats.

The Phillies responded with 3 runs in their fourth as rightfielder Geoff Jenkins, batting 6th, led off with a double to centerfield and Feliz followed with his 8th homer, a shot to leftfield.  Coste followed Feliz with his 6th homer to centerfield — back-to-back off of Arroyo as the Phillies went up 5-1.

The Phillies threatened again in the fifth loading the bases with one out.  Losing pitcher Arroyo was then replaced by reliever Gary Majewski who got Feliz to ground into an inning-ending doubleplay in his first 2008 appearance.

3rd baseman Edwin Encarnacion led off the fifth inning with a homer to narrow the lead to 5-2. 

Winning pitcher Kendrick gave up two singles, with a ground out sandwiched in-between, to start the sixth inning.  Chad Durbin replaced Kendrick, who threw 70 pitches through 5 1/3, and got the second out on a fly to right which put runners at the corners.  Leftfielder Adam Dunn then doubled to right centerfield to drive in the 3rd and 4th Cincinnati runs, runs that were charged to Kendrick.  Durbin then struck out Encarnacion to retire the side.  Durbin got through the seventh with no further damage, only giving up a two-out single. 

                     
 
Tom Gordon replaced Durbin for the eighth inning and the Reds went 3 up, 3 down.  That brought us to Brad Lidge time in the ninth inning and Lidge also sent Cincy 3 up, 3 down for his 14th save, striking out two of the three hitters he faced after falling behind in the counts to both of them.  Lidge continues to sport an incredible 0.78 ERA for the season having only given up 4 runs in 23 innings.

The Yahoo sports Phillies team report notes;

OF Jayson Werth (strained right oblique) went on the 15-day disabled list May 23. He should start hitting off a tee soon and is expected back when eligible to come off the DL.

And the Beerleaguer blog reports that Kris Benson (right rotator cuff surgery in March 2007) yet another set-back in his comeback efforts.  Benson was scratched from his scheduled June 2 start for Clearwater because of discomfort in his right bicep. 

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

In Tuesday’s game two, Aaron Harang, who has been shaky in his last two starts with an excellent four inning relief stint in the marathon 18 inning game with the Padres sandwiched in-between, faces Adam Eaton who has been strong in his last two starts.  On Wednesday,  Edinson Volquez opposes Brett Myers.  In Thursday’s final, Cole Hamels is slated to start against young recently recalled Homer Bailey.

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

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