The Phillies blew a 3-1 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks and then had to come back from a 5-3 deficit on centerfielder Shane Victorino’s eighth inning 2 run triple to tie.  The Phils threatened in the ninth, tenth and eleventh innings before rightfielder Jayson Werth finally won it for the Phils by a 5-4 score on a 1 out walk-off single in the twelfth.

With the win, the Phillies 3rd straight, their NL East lead remained 1 1/2 games ahead of both the Florida Marlins and the Mets who are tied for 2nd place and who both won again.  For the Mets, it was their 7th straight win.  4th place Atlanta dropped to 7 1/2 games off of the pace in being shut out by the San Diego Padres.

1st baseman Ryan Howard solved 32 year old lefthander Doug Davis early, leading-off the second inning with his MLB-leading 28th homer to give the Phils a 1-0 lead.  The homer also extended Howard’s hitting streak to a season-high 14 games   The Phils could have had more in the inning as they loaded the bases on 2 walks by Davis and Kendrick’s 2 out bunt single.  But shortstop Jimmy Rollins flied out to rightfield to end the inning.  The Phillies would go on to have Diamondback pitchers on the ropes in each of the final 8 innings of the game.

Kendrick held on to the 1-0 lead through five innings until Diamondbacks’ 1st baseman Chad Tracy singled to left in the sixth to te the game at 1-1.

The Phillies came back against Davis in their sixth to take a 3-1 lead.   Philadelphia Daily News reporter Mike Kern describes the inning;

The Phils got two in the bottom of the inning, on a one hit. All after the first two batters went down.  Pedro Feliz worked a walk. Shane Victorino lined a double to right-center on which Alex Romero was forced to make a great play to cut off the ball and hold Feliz at third. Didn’t matter. Starter Doug Davis, after almost throwing a wild pitch, actually threw one, which gave the Phils the lead back. After Carlos Ruiz was intentionally walked - why he wasn’t in the first place is anyone’s guess – he tried to steal second, allowing Victorino to run home. Why the D-backs actually threw to second is, again, conjecture. It’s a play you see a lot in Little League. And it doesn’t usually work then.

A single, two doubles and a sacrifice fly scored 2 Arizona runs, tying the game in the seventh, and putting a runner on 3rd base while chasing Kendrick.  Newly called-up reliever R.J. Swindle replaced Kendrick and was greeted by 3rd baseman Augie Ojeda’s RBI single to rightfield to put the Diamondbacks up by 4-3.  Chad Durbin replaced Swindle as the Phils made a complete battery change bringing Chris Coste in to catch. The Phils got out of the inning with a strikeout and foul to catcher Coste but no further damage.

The Diamondbacks added their 5th run with 2 outs in the eighth as catcher  Miguel Motero singled off of Durbin, his 3rd hit of the game, and rightfielder Romero followed with a double to score Motero. 

Daily News reporter Kern describes Romero’s double;

They [Arizona] would add a run in the eighth, a two-out run-scoring double to center by that Romero guy, who’d just been recalled from the minors and was hitting all of .238 coming in. Only Victorino’s leap and near catch kept it from going over the fence.

Victorino lept over the centerfield wall and the ball popped out of his glove back onto the field as the Flyin’ Hawaiian hit the wall.  Romero was nailed at 3rd base to end the inning as he tried to stretch the double to a triple.

Arizona’s lead was short-lived as Victorino took over with the bat where he left off in the field.  With runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, Victorino lined a triple to the rightfield corner off of reliever Tony Pena driving in the tying runs.

Meanwhile, the Phillies marched 4 relievers out between the ninth and twelfth innings allowing only 2 D-backs to reach, on a single and a walk.  Reliever Rudy Seanez pitched the twelfth inning and put the lights out on Arizona on 8 pitches including a strikeout to gain his 4th win vs 3 losses for the season.

The Phils maintained pressure on the D-backs offensively as well putting runners in scoring position in the ninth through twelfth innings.  Facing reliever Conner Robertson in the twelfth, the Phils finally won on Werth’s walkoff single to right which followed pinch hitter So Taguchi’s single to left, Chris Coste’s sacrifice moving Taguchi to 2nd and an intentional walk to Jimmy Rollins. Robertson was charged with the loss.

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

With the red-hot Mets riding a 7 game winning streak and hosting the NL West 4th place Colorado Rockies for 2 more games before the All Star break, the Diamondbacks become a must-sweep for the Phillies in order to at least maintain their 1 1/2 game lead, if not more. On Saturday, Adam Eaton tries to rebound after a disastrous last start where he gave up 6 runs in 2 1/3 innings.   Eaton is opposed by veteran 44 year old lefthander Randy “Big Unit” Johnson who was excellent in his last start after being pounded in 3 of his previous 4 starts.

In Sunday’s finale before All Star break, ace lefthander Cole Hamels at 9-6 is opposed by possible NL All Star starter Brandon Webb who sports a 13-4 record.

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

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Phillies 1st baseman Ryan Howard went yard twice for his MLB leading 26th and 27th HRs and lefthander, veteran 45 year old Jamie Moyer went 7 solid innings outpitching Braden Looper as the Phillies took 2 of 3 games topping the Cardinals on Thursday by a 4-1 score.

With the win, the NL East leading Phillies remained 1 1/2 games up over both the Florida Marlins and Mets who are tied for 2nd place and who both won. 4th place Atlanta, who had a day off on Thursday, dropped to 6 1/2 games off of the pace.

Howard got the Phils on the board in the first inning with 2 out, solving  Looper for a 2 run shot to left centerfield. They added a 3rd run in the third inning on doubles by shortstop Jimmy Rollins and 2nd baseman Chase Utley as Moyer cruised through the first three innings.

The Cardinals broke through on Moyer for their only run in the fourth as 3rd baseman Troy Glaus stroked a 1 out double to centerfield and scored on catcher Yadier Molina’s 2 out RBI single to center.

Howard restored the Phillies’ 3 run lead in the sixth with a lead-off homer to leftfield for his MLB-leading 27th round-tripper and 2nd of the game off of Looper.  Howard’s 3 RBIs gave him an NL leading 83 RBis for the season through 93 games.

AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston notes Howard’s recent hitting surge for Yahoo sports;

Howard was batting in the .160s in early May, was at .215 coming into this month and was upset after hearing some mild boos from the finicky fans. But the former MVP is hitting .353 (18-for-51) with eight homers and 18 RBIs over a 13-game hitting streak that’s lifted his average to .234. He’s heard nothing but wild cheers after every deep home run.

“Find somebody that’s produced more runs than him,” Manuel said. “I think that’s kind of hard to do. Who tops that? What’s the name of the game? To produce runs.”

Howard’s homers were enough run support for 45-year-old Jamie Moyer (8-6), who won for the first time since June 12.

Looper left for a pinch hitter after six full innings giving up 4 runs, 3 of them on Howard’s 2 homers, on 7 hits while walking one and striking out 2.

Moyer got stronger as the game progressed and gave the Phils seven quality innings throwing 102 pitches and giving up the lone run on 7 hits while walking 2 and striking out 4 while being aided by 3 doubleplays to gain his 8th win of the season vs 6 losses.

The bullpens took over and there was no further scoring as reliever Ryan Madson went 1 1/3 innings allowing 2 runners to reach on a single and a  J.C. Romero finished up getting the final 2 outs on 10 pitches to record his 1st save of the season.

AP’s Gelston also notes;

The Phillies sent LHP J.A. Happ to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Happ started Wednesday night’s game, but was not needed to pitch again before the All-Star break. Happ might not return after the break if the Phillies believe RHP Brett Myers is set to return to the rotation. Myers, their opening-day starter, pitches for Double-A Reading on Saturday and likely will make at least more minor league start after that.

Gregg Dobbs’ pinch single in the seventh gave him 18 already this season— the most on the Phillies since Dave Philley had 18 in 1958.

Phillies Nation’s Tim Malcolm writes on Happs’ AAA optioning;

Don’t worry, guys. It’s more than likely Happ was sent back down to get a couple starts in. According to Charlie Manuel, Happ wouldn’t get another turn until July 22 or 23. It’s probably better that Happ gets some work in and not sit on the bullpen pine.

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

The Arizona Diamondbacks follow the Cards in to play a weekend series before the All Star break. With the red-hot Mets riding a 6 game winning streak and hosting the NL West 4th place Colorado Rockies for 3 games before the All Star break, the Diamondbacks become a must-sweep for the Phillies in order to at least maintain their 1 1/2 game lead, if not more. In Friday’s opener, Kyle Kendrick aims for his 9th win vs 32 year old Doug Davis.

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

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Recently called-up lefthander J.A. Happ held the Cardinals scoreless through six innings while lefthander Mark Mulder, who hasn’t won a game in 25 months and two shoulder operations, lasted 16 pitches, 2 walks and 1 strikeout in his comeback start before leaving with more pain in his shoulder.  With the game tied at 2 in the eighth, 1st baseman Ryan Howard and 3rd baseman Pedro Felix each solo homered as the Phillies topped St. Louis by a 4-2 score.

With the win, the NL East leading Phillies remained 1 1/2 games up over the Florida Marlins and Mets are tied for 2nd place and who both won.  4th place Atlanta lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers and dropped to 6 games off of the pace.

Happ looked solid through six innings, although hitters reached on him in each of the first five innings, 2 on in the first and fifth innings.  He retired the Cardinals in order in the sixth, his final full inning.

Mulder, however, lasted 16 pitches in the first inning having struck out shortstop Jimmy Rollins before walking centerfielder Shane Victorino and 2nd baseman Chase Utley and then leaving with what Cards said was left shoulder discomfort.  Starter/reliever Brad Thompson, who was pressed into emergency service to replace Mulder, got Ryan Howard to ground into an inning-ending double-play. 

Thompson pitched 4 1/3 innings getting into and out of a 2 on, 1 out jam in the fourth inning before getting tagged with the first 2 Phillies runs in the fifth. 

Catcher Carlos Ruiz opened the fifth with a single to rightfield.  After Happ struck out attempting to bunt, Rollins drove in the 1st run with a triple to right centerfield.  Victorino then grounded into a fielder’s choice with Rollins tagged out at home.  Thompson then walked Utley and Howard followed with an RBI single to rightfield for the Phillies 2nd run.  Reliever Russ Springer took over for Thompson and fanned leftfielder Pat Burrell to end the inning.

Happ, who had cruised through the first six innings, began the the seventh inning by retiring pinch hitter 2nd baseman Brendan Ryan on a flyball before running into trouble.

A single and a ground-rule double put runners on 2nd and 3rd chasing Happ.  Reliever Chad Durbin took over and walked rightfielder Ryan Ludwick to load the bases.  1st baseman Albert Pujols drove in the 1st Cardinals run with a sacrifice fly to leftfield.  3rd baseman Troy Glaus followed with a single to centerfield to tie the score at 2-2 with both runs being charged to Happ.  Centerfielder Rick Ankiel was intentionally walked re-loading the bases.  But Durbin recorded a strikeout to retire the side.

Happ gave up 2 runs on 5 hits while walking 4 and striking out 5 in his 6 1/3 innings work.

He left to a standing ovation with two runners on and one out in his third major league start.  AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston notes Happs’ reaction upon leaving the game in the seventh for Yahoo sports;

He left to a standing ovation with two runners on and one out in his third major league start.

“That was probably the best experience of my life right there,” Happ said. “That’s something I’ll never forget.”

In the eighth inning, after reliever Clay Condrey struck out the Cardinals’ side on 14 pitches to be credited with the win, the Phillies sewed up the game as Howard led off with a solo homer off of reliever Kyle McClellan and Feliz socked a 2 out insurance solo shot off of Chris Perez. McClellan was charged with the loss.

In the ninth, closer Brad Lidge found himself facing his old nemesis, Albert Pujols.   AP’s Gelston recalls;

Lidge—whose fall as an elite closer in Houston is often pinned on a mammoth home run he gave up to Albert Pujols during the 2005 NLCS—faced the Cardinals slugger again with a runner on.

This time, Lidge retired Pujols on a fly to right and then struck out Rick Ankiel with two runners on to earn his 20th save in as many chances.

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

In Thursday’s final, yet another Phillies lefthander, veteran 45 year old  Jamie Moyer faces Braden Looper.

The Arizona Diamondbacks follow the Cards in to play a weekend series before the All Star break.  In Friday’s opener, Kyle Kendrick aims for his 9th win vs 32 year old lefthander Doug Davis. 

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

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It’s gonna be an interesting 2nd half of the season in the NL Central Division as the Chicago Cubs duke it out with the Milwaukee Brewers after each club acquired a now former AL elite pitcher; CC Sabathia by the Brewers and yesterday, Rich Harden by a Cubs team possessed with ending their 100-year drought (or is that cursed) without a World Series title.

With the Cubs acquisition of Harden, they feel that they now have the one-two punch in starting pitching; Harden and All-Star Carlos Zambrano, to match Milwaukee’s starting duo of Sabathia and Ben Sheets.

On paper, the comparison looks good.  And in addition, the Cubs acquired starter/reliever Chad Gaudin who is 5-3 with a 3.59 ERA in 26 games in both starter and reliever roles.

AP Sports Writer Rick Gano outlines and gives background on the 6 player deal for Yahoo sports;

Chicago… sent promising right-hander Sean Gallagher, outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson and minor leaguer Josh Donaldson to the A’s.

Harden, eligible to be a free agent after the 2009 season, is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this season. He’s scheduled to make $4.75 million this season.

“We will have the rights for a year and a half, so that’s the other advantage of him not being a free agent,” Hendry said. “He has an option that could vest, or we could pick up the option or we could arbitrate. So he certainly has a chance to be a Cub through the end of next year.”

The oft-injured Harden missed a month earlier this season because of a right shoulder strain. It was his sixth trip to the disabled list in his six-year career.

“Obviously there’s some risk involved. He’s missed some time but he’s never had any surgery,” Hendry said. “We did extensive work with their doctors.”

The Cubs said they expected Harden to join the team Wednesday and pitch either Friday or Saturday at Wrigley Field against the San Francisco Giants.

“This gives us another weapon,” Piniella said. “He’ll fit in here really nice. Let’s keep him healthy and pitching and go from there.”

The Cubs won the NL Central last season but were swept out of the playoffs by Arizona. Without a World Series appearance since 1945 and without a title since 1908, they are obviously making a strong push. The team is also expected to be sold by the end of the season.

For the Cubs, the health of the oft-injured Harden is of prime concern, but his price tag, at $4.75 million this season, is substantially less than Sabathia’s $9 million for 2008.

As with Sabathia, it will be interesting to see how Harden adjusts to the differences between the leagues, including the smaller strike zone.  By the way, Sabathia, who overcame wildness walking 5, went six innings to win in his Brewers debut as Milwaukee beat the Colorado Rockies by a 7-3 score.

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When a team goes through a stretch like the Phillies have since June 10 (9-17) and their offense, which lit up late on Monday against the Mets burns itself out trying unsuccessfully to recover from a 9 run deficit, just as they burned out after beating the Cards on June 13 by a 20-2 score, its discouraging to write about.  It is all the more discouraging when a fine outing by ace lefthander Cole Hamels goes to naught when a dead offense is shut out 2-0 by marginal pitching.

In losing, the NL East leading Phillies saw their lead remain at 1 1/2 games as 2nd place Florida was pounded by the San Diego Padres. The Mets shut out San Francisco to jump into a 2nd place tie with the Marlins.  4th place  Atlanta, who pounded the Los Angeles Dodgers, picked up a game and are now 5 games off of the pace.

For the month of June through to July 7, the Phils have been shut out 3 times.  They were shut out only 3 times through the entire 2007 season.  During the 9-17 stretch between June 10 and July 7, the Phils have been held to 2 or less runs in 10 of their 17 losses.

Hamels made just 2 mistakes in an otherwise flawless, but hard-luck losing performance. He retired 12 of the first 13 hitters he faced through four innings before centerfielder Rick Ankiel led off the fifth inning with a solo shot, his 19th, to left centerfield to put the Cards on the board.  It was only second hit given up by Hamels who retired the next 5 hitters he faced before rightfielder Ryan Ludwick went yard in the sixth for his 18th homer of the season.

Meanwhile, the Phils managed to get runners on in six of the innings only to see them rubbed out 3 times on doubleplays and once on a pickoff at 1st base by starter Joel Pineiro. 

Winning pitcher Pineiro left the game in the seventh inning with a 2 on, 1 out situation.  Lefthanded reliever Ron Villone replaced Pineiro and got pinch hitter Chris Coste to ground into a 3rd-to-2nd-to-1st doubleplay to end the inning.  Pineiro threw 93 pitches giving up 5 hits while walking 3 and striking out 3 in 6 1/3 innings of work.

The Cards bullpen permitted just 1 Phillie to reach in the final 2 2/3 innings as former Phillie  Ryan Franklin pitched the ninth inning to notch his 12th save in 14 chances.

Hamels was lifted for a pinch hitter in the Phillies’ seventh and relievers  Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge held the Cards the rest of the way.   Hamels, who threw 100 pitches, gave up 2 runs on 3 hits while striking out 8.

AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi summed up the Phillies’ reaction to the loss for Yahoo sports;

“It’s frustrating because Cole threw well,” Phillies slugger Ryan Howard said. “He did his job. We have to find ways to manufacture runs.”

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

On Wednesday, 26 year old recently called-up lefthander J.A. Happ faces another lefthander, soon-to-be 31 year old Mark Mulder as the Phillies try to revive their offense.  In Thursday’s final, yet another Phillies lefthander, veteran 45 year old Jamie Moyer faces Braden Looper.

The Arizona Diamondbacks follow the Cards in to play a weekend series before the All Star break.

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

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The Cleveland Indians, staring free agency in the face for 28 year old ace 2007 Cy Young winner CC Sabathia (6-8, 3.83 ERA), pulled the trigger on a deal trading Sabathia to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfield prospect Matt LaPorta, minor league pitchers lefthander Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson and a player to be named later.

Related report;
Prospects analysis for Sabathia trade, by Jonathan Mayo (MLB.com)

PA Sportsticker contributing writer Todd Krepop provides background on the deal for Yahoo sports;

The Indians entered the 2008 season with hopes of winning their first World Series title since 1948 as they returned every key player from last year’s team that finished a game short of reaching the World Series.

But injuries to sluggers Travis Hafner (shoulder) and Victor Martinez (elbow and hamstring), and starters Fausto Carmona (hip) and Jake Westbrook (elbow), along with one of the worst bullpens in the majors, forced Cleveland and General Manager Mark Shapiro to start looking at 2009 and beyond as the Indians fell into last place in the American League Central Division.

“With four players on the DL and disappointing performances in the bullpen leave us in the juncture we are at,” Shapiro said.

Cleveland and Sabathia talked about a contract extension prior to spring training, but were never close to an agreement. With Sabathia set to test the free agent market at the end of the season, Shapiro felt it would be better to trade Sabathia for prospects instead of collecting two draft-picks if Sabathia left as a free agent.

“We made a trade that we thought would be of great value,” Shapiro said. “With the uncertainty that draft picks are three-to-five years away from contributing, we thought it was important to explore trade alternatives.”

Shapiro said seven teams expressed interest in the burly lefthander and he felt that there was more value to trading Sabathia now than waiting to July 31 - the trading deadline.

The key to the deal for Cleveland is LaPorta, who was seventh overall pick in the 2007 First-Year Player draft. LaPorta was rated the Brewers top prospect entering the season by Baseball America and hasn’t disappointed. The 23-year-old has hit 20 home runs and has 66 RBI in 84 games at Class AA Huntsville of the Southern League.

“(LaPorta) has the potential to be a run-producing corner for years on our team,” Shapiro said. “He has already proven to be one of the best hitters in the minors and we feel he can be one of our core players going forward.”

LaPorta will report to the Indians Class AA affiliate in Akron, Ohio on Tuesday. LaPorta will start in the outfield, but will also see action at first base, a position he played at the University of Florida.

“We have a (need) for impact players,” said Shapiro. “Hopefully we lessened that need today.”

Bryson, who is 20, will report to Class A Lake County. The righthander is 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA in 22 games and has struck out 73 batters in 55 innings. Bryson started the season as a starter, but moved to the bullpen where he has collected five saves.

“He has a good arm and a dominant track record and high strikeouts,” Shapiro said.

Jackson, who appeared in two games with the Brewers this year, will report to Class AAA Buffalo. Jackson was 1-5 with a 7.85 at AAA Nashville.

“We feel he is a guy that adds depth to our bullpen,” Shapiro said.

Even with the Indians heading towards a possible last place finish, Shapiro is hopeful that Cleveland will rebound next year.

“The bulk of our talent is still here,” he said. “Good times are coming ahead. I have a feeling we will contend for a division title next year.”

Time will tell if Sabathia is able to adjust to the change in leagues and strike zones and can make an impact on the Brewers’ second half of the 2008 season.

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