As previously announced, centerfielder Shane Victorino happily made it through the trade deadline and thus remains in Phillies’ red-pinstripes.  And Phillies fans are glad to have him.

Last season, previous centerfielder Aaron Rowand garnered a lot of media coverage and was a fan favorite for his all-out abandon in the field as well as his potent bat — 27 homers, 89 RBIs and .309 BA in a career season.

It may be that Victorino will never duplicate the kind of numbers Rowand put up last season, but he brings additional dimensions to the game with his speed.  Currently with 26 stolen bases, he figures to exceed his 37 stolen bases of last season while continuing to cover a lot of real estate around centerfield.

And Rowand this season sports a batting average 20 points lower than last season and his homers are on a par with Victorino’s 9 so far this season. Rowand’s RBIs, however, figure to match last season.

As a note; 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. 

Also, It looks as if the Phillies outfield is on a pace to pass last season’s total homers by at least 10, even with the loss of Rowand’s 2007 numbers and with Geoff Jenkins’ lackluster stats.  Regarding cumulative RBIs though, they figure to come about 25 RBIs lower than 2007’s outfield totals.

The Flyin’ Hawaiian, who served up a shaving cream pie in the face of starter Brett Myers after the now famous, or infamous training camp “Kendrick punked” escapade, is a loosey-goosey influence around a clubhouse which badly needs to stay loose and avoid tightening up.  That intangible of looseness has served the Phils well this season and will continue to do so down the stretch.

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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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Trailing 2-0, Nationals’ lead-off leftfielder Willie Harris deposited 45 year old southpaw Jamie Moyer’s 1st pitch of the game way over the out-of-town scoreboard in right centerfield and, four hitters and a runner on 2nd later, catcher Jesus Flores’ 2 run shot gave the Nationals the lead. Moyer then gave up a double but nothing else until the fifth and, meanwhile, the  Phillies pounded Tim Redding for 5 runs in the fith inning on the way to an  8-5 win in Wednesday’s game 2.

The Phillies jumped back into 1st place in the NL East, 1/2 game as Mets lost their get-away game to the Florida Marlins who took 2 of 3 in their series.  The Marlins are 1 1/2 games back in 3rd place. The 4th place  Braves dropped to 9 games back by losing again on Wednesday to the St. Louis Cardinals.

AP sports writer Howard Fendwich noted the comments of both managers about Moyer’s performance for Yahoo sports;

“Tough first inning—he got out of it. He settled down,” Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. “It was real hot tonight. He was definitely getting gassed. He was tired at the end.”

But Moyer did exactly what was needed to fool the Nationals after the first inning.

“I know it’s a matter of making adjustments and keeping on course and keeping damage to a minimum and go from there,” Moyer said.

Here’s how Nationals manager Manny Acta described Moyer’s effectiveness: “Location, location, location—like real estate, that’s what pitching’s all about.”

The Phils loaded the bases on Redding with one out in the first inning and leftfielder Pat Burrell singled to left driving in a pair to give the Fightins’ an early 2-0 lead.  But the lead was shortlived as the Nationals hammered Moyer for 2 doubles and 2 homers in their half of the inning.

Both pitchers settled down in the second through fourth innings before Redding was chased in the fifth, not recording an out as 5 Phillies runs crossed capped by 2nd baseman Chase Utley’s 2 run homer, his 2nd dinger in 2 games after a long drought. 

AP’s Fendwich recounts the fifth inning;

It began with No. 8 hitter Carlos Ruiz’s single, and then Redding walked Moyer.

“That’s completely inexcusable,” Redding said. “It’s tough enough pitching to these guys—especially these guys, with the lineup they have—with nobody on. You put people on, all of a sudden you’re dancing with danger.”

Jimmy Rollins followed with an RBI double—which might have been a triple if Moyer hadn’t been ahead of him on the base paths—and  [Shane] Victorino delivered a two-run single. Next came Utley’s homer and that was it for Redding, who gave up seven runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings. 

The ‘Flyin’ Hawaiian’ centerfielder led the Phillies with 3 hits in 5 at bats, including a lead-off seventh inning homer off of reliever Steven Shell, and 3 RBIs.

The Nationals rallied for 2 seventh inning runs off of reliever Ryan Madson before Chad Durbin silenced them in the eighth and Brad Lidge put the lights out in the ninth for his 26th save in 26 opportunities.

With the win, Moyer became the 1st Phillie pitcher to reach the 10 win plateau trowing 94 pitches through 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while walking 3 and striking out 5.  Losing pitcher Redding threw 73 pitches in 4 inning, giving up 7 runs on 10 hits while walking 1 and striking out 1.

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

The Phillies try for a sweep as Thursday’s final pits young Kyle Kendrick against 2nd year lefthander John Lannan.

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.

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

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Phillies starter Brett Myers had velocity and fine placement on his fastball, consistently got ahead early in the counts by throwing strikes and stayed ahead forcing 10 groundballs.  2nd baseman Chase Utley’s 2 out, 2 run homer in the third inning off of Nationals’ rookie Collin Balester provided all the offense that the Phils needed to edge Washington by a 2-1 score.

The Phillies remained in 2nd place, 1/2 game behind the NL East leading  Mets who won on Tuesday after losing on Monday to the Florida Marlins.  The Marlins are 2 games behind in 3rd place. The 4th place Braves dropped to 8 1/2 games behind with their loss Tuesday to the St. Louis Cardinals.

After Balester retired Myers on a ground ball to 2nd base to lead off the third inning, shortstop Jimmy Rollins singled to left centerfield.  After centerfielder Shane Victorino flied out, Utley drove a 1-0 pitch from Balester out to rightfield for his 26th homer, his first since July 7, a 14-game, 58-at-bat homerless string.

Myers and the Phillies bullpen handled the rest.  Myers finished seven shutout innings to socre his 4th win of the season, and was only scored upon in the eighth as a result of a single and Utley’s error on a fielder’s choice play.  After Myers left for reliever J.C. Romero, a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd followed by a run scoring on a ground out.  Chad Durbin replaced Romero to retire the side on another ground out.   Myers threw  88 pitches, 63 for strikes giving up 1 run on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 2.  Closer Brad Lidge topssed a clean ninth inning and got credit for his 25th save in 25 attempts.

AP sports writer Howard Fendwich provides reactions and impressions of Myers’ performance for Yahoo sports;

It was his second start since being demoted to the minors to try to revive his confidence and shake a season-long funk.

And his first win since May 30, only his second win in 15 outings.

“Brett pitched outstanding,” Utley said. “He was throwing strikes early in the count and getting ahead of guys.”

“Tonight,” Myers said, “was fun for me.”

Rollins and Utley were the only runners to pass 2nd base against Balester and the Nationals bullpen.  Leftfielder Pat Burrell singled in the second inning and then reached 2nd on a flubbed fielder’s choice play by 2nd baseman Ronnie Belliard.

As good as Myers was, losing pitcher Balester was nearly as good, only being scored upon on Utley’s 2 run homer.  Balester went six innings throwing 93 and allowing only 6 hits while striking out 5 and issuing no walks.  The Nationals bullpen held the Phillies to two harmless 2 out singles over the last three innings.

Recently, there have been reports that Chase Utley has been trying to work through hip problems.   AP’s Fendwich reports;

Before the game, Manuel was asked if he thought Utley looked healthy. Maybe Utley’s hip was bothering him? Maybe some other ailment?

Nope, Manuel assured everyone. Sometimes the homers don’t come. And sometimes they do.

A few hours later, Utley provided an important one for the Phillies, who remained a half-game behind the Mets in the NL East.

“I never really felt that bad. Obviously when you don’t get results, it’s frustrating, but you have to stick with it,” said Utley, who pronounced himself healthy.

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

Wednesday’s game 2 features veteran 45 year old southpaw Jamie Moyer opposing Tim Redding.   Thursday’s final pits young Kyle Kendrick against 2nd year lefthander John Lannan.

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.

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

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Sunday’s final was supposed to be a matchup between newly-acquired Joe Blanton and Atlanta’s 30 year old rookie Jorge Campillo.  But a near 2 hour rain delay left Jo-Jo Reyes facing Adam Eaton followed by a parade of relievers from both bullpens, 5 Phillies homers, 2 dingers by the Braves, 3 five run outbursts and the Phils on the long-end of a 12-10 score.

The Phillies remained in 2nd place, 1 game behind the NL East leading  Mets while the Florida Marlins dropped to 2 games behind losing to the NL Central Division leading Chicago Cubs. The 4th place Braves dropped to 7 1/2 games behind.

The Braves took an first inning 2-0 lead against starter Joe Blanton  on a 1 out RBI single to rightfield by catcher Brian McCann followed by an RBI double to left centerfield by centerfielder Mark Kotsay.  The Phils tried to narrow the lead in the bottom of the first as 2nd baseman Chase Utley got the Phils’ 1st hit, a 2 out single to rightfield.  1st baseman Ryan Howard followed with a single to right centerfield with Utley being nailed at home on a close play, to end the inning, after trying to score from 1st base.  Howard would have 2 hits and 2 RBIs in the game as the first 5 hitters in the Phillies order would account for 9 hits and 8 RBIs for the game. 
 
After Blanton quickly went clean in the second inning and the first 2 Phils wentout in their half, the rains came. The game was 1 hour, 57 minute rain delay, afterwhich the Phils found themselves facing Jo-Jo Reyes who loaded the bases on 2 walks with a single in between before fanning shortstop Jimmy Rollins to end the threat.

But it seemed like the Braves were the best medicine which the Phils could have received to remedy their tailspin.  With Sunday’s win, the Phils are 10-2 against the Braves in their seasonal series.  Play-by-play on Sunday’s game can be found here.

AP sports writer Rob Maaddi describes the game and gives background for Yahoo sports;

Pat Burrell hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the fifth inning…

Chris Coste, Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth and Jimmy Rollins also went deep for the Phillies, who overcame a 5-0 deficit a day after coming back from a 9-3 hole.

Since June 5, the Phillies are 8-1 against the Braves and 12-22 against everyone else.

“We play well against them, that’s for sure,” Werth said. “I can’t put a finger on it.”

Braves All-Star catcher Brian McCann left with a mild concussion after a collision with Victorino in the sixth inning. X-rays were negative and McCann will be re-evaluated Monday.

“I have a headache right now, but I’ll be OK,” McCann said. “I’m not too worried. I’ll probably be out a couple days.”

Kelly Johnson and Omar Infante hit consecutive homers in the fourth inning for Atlanta. The Braves scored five times off Rudy Seanez and Ryan Madson in the eighth to make it close, and had the tying run at the plate in the ninth.

“We lose a five-run lead today, a six-run lead yesterday,” manager Bobby Cox said. “With leads like that, you think you ought to be able to win.”

Clay Condrey (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win, and Brad Lidge worked the ninth for his 24th save in as many chances.

Julian Tavarez (0-1) allowed the decisive homer to the first batter he faced [in the fifth].

Johnson ripped a two-run shot to right off Adam Eaton and Infante reached the seats in left to give the Braves a 5-0 lead in the fourth.

But the Phillies answered against Jo-Jo Reyes with two outs in the bottom half. Coste got the rally started with a two-run shot. After pinch-hitter So Taguchi reached on an infield single and Rollins walked, Victorino connected to tie it at 5.

Burrell put the Phillies ahead to stay in the fifth with his 26th homer—a drive into the left-field seats.

“We have a great offensive club,” Werth said. “We just haven’t been swinging well collectively.”

The Phillies tacked on five runs in the sixth. Victorino had an RBI single and Ryan Howard delivered a two-run single. On Howard’s hit to right field, Victorino jarred the ball loose when he ran over McCann.

McCann stayed down for a couple minutes, before walking off the field on his own.

“The only way I thought I can be safe was to jar the ball loose,” said Victorino, who spoke to McCann after the game. “I play the game hard. I hope he’s fine.”

Pinch-hitter Martin Prado’s bases-clearing double capped a five-run eighth and got the Braves within two.

Braves 3B Chipper Jones remained out of the lineup with a strained left hamstring. Jones, who leads the majors with a .369 batting average, could be headed for the disabled list.

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

The Phils have a day off on Monday before headed to Washington for a 3 game series with the Nationals beginning on Tuesday through Thursday.

Brett Myers, still looking to prove himself after his stint in the minors, opposes Nationals’ rookie Collin Balester in Tuesday night’s opener.

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

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The Phillies offense, after free-falling nearly to oblivion and failing to provide an iota of support for young starter Kyle Kendrick as Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens took a 3 hit, 1-0 lead through eight innings, saw closer Brad Lidge pummelled in a 7 run ninth inning before scoring too little, too late to lose Friday’s opener by 8-2.  They took an early 3-0 lead in Saturday’s game 2 vs Braves lefthander Mike Hampton before ace Cole Hamels suffered his worst beating since August 24, 2006 in a 9 run Braves fourth inning.  The Phils rallied for 7 runs in the fifth inning, featuring Greg Dobbs’ 3 run pinch-homer, to narrowly win the game by a 10-9 score.

The Phillies remain tied for 2nd place with Florida Marlins, 1 game behind the NL East leading Mets.  The 4th place Braves dropped to 6 1/2 games behind.

The play-by-play on both games can be found here and here.

Kendrick deserved a much better fate than lose Friday’s game.  He made one mistake to Braves catcher Brian McCann,  who led off the fourth inning, and McCann didn’t miss on it sending it out to centerfield for a solo homer and a 1-0 Braves lead.  It was the only mistake that Kendrick made in six innings, although the Braves had runners reach in every inning against him.  He, as well as J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin kept the Phils in the game despite a comatose offense until the Braves went off in the ninth inniong on closer Brad Lidge for 5 runs and on Clay Condrey for 2 more to build the lead to 8-0.  Amidst the 7 run rally, McCann pounded a grand slam off of Lidge who had his worst game as a Phillie.  McCann’s shot was the first homer off of Lidge who had gone 42 innings without surrendering a dinger.

The Phils offense finally came to life in the bottom of the ninth as 2nd baseman Chase Utley punched a 2 out single to rightfield and 1st baseman Ryan Howard followed with a 2 run blast to left centerfield.  But it was too-little, too-late as leftfielder Pat Burrell flied out to rightfield to end the game.

Hamels, through the first three innings of Saturday’s game, looked primed for a repeat of his May 15th  5-0 complete game shutout, or at least like each of his previous 9 starts where he lasted at least seven innings.

The Phils, meanwhile scored 2 in the second inning, on catcher Chris Coste’s 1 out, 2 run single and 1 in the Utley’s sacrifice fly RBI to rightfield following centerfielder Shane Victorino’s lead-off triple to right centerfield against veteran lefthander Mike Hampton who had not pitched in 3 seasons due to assorted elbow surgeries.  Hampton was inserted as starter replacing the scheduled starter Jo-Jo Reyes, also a lefty. Coste went 3 for 4 for the game with 3 RBIs.

But Hamels was torpedoed by all barrels in the fourth inning as the Braves sent 12 men to the plate scoring 9 runs, capped by 1st baseman Mark Teixeira’s 2 out, 3 run shot to left centerfield which finally chased Hamels.   Rudy Seanez entered to finally register the final out of the inning.   Hamels left, having thrown 71 pitches and letting in all 9 Braves’ runs, only 4 of which were earned, while walking 3, striking out 2 and giving up Teixeira’s 3 run dinger.  Hamels didn’t help his cause with a crucial fielding error in the fourth inning.

Demoted former starter Adam Eaton entered to pitch the fifth and survived unscathed despite 2 Braves’ singles.  

The Phillies offense finally awakened to go to town on Hampton in the fifth.  AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi describes the inning and gives background on Dobbs’ pinch hitting for Yahoo sports; 

He [Hampton] left after Chase Utley’s single loaded the bases with none out in the fifth.

Ryan Howard greeted Royce Ring with a two-run single.  Blaine Boyer (2-6) came in to face Pat Burrell, who hit a sacrifice fly to cut it to 9-6. Coste’s two-out RBI single made it 9-7.

Dobbs followed with a drive into the second deck in right field to give the Phillies a 10-9 lead. It was his 20th pinch hit this season, tying Doc Miller’s club record set in 1913.

“I was just trying to keep the inning going,” Dobbs said.

Dobbs credits former utilityman Dave Hansen for helping him become a successful pinch hitter. Dobbs spent parts of two seasons with Hansen in Seattle from 2004-05. Hansen had 138 career pinch hits in a 15-year career.

“I was fortunate to be around him and he taught me a lot of valuable things,” Dobbs said. “He was one of the best. He was kind enough to tutor me.”

Hampton left in the fifth, having thrown 91 pitches and letting in 6 runs on eight hits.  

But once recapturing the lead, the Phils offense went back into its shell despite the precarious lead.  The Braves bullpen allowed only 1 Phil to reach after the fifth, that on an eighth inning walk. 
 
Ryan Madson entered to pitch the sixth and finished unscarred despite walking the bases loaded.

Durbin came in to pitch the seventh and the Braves put runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs and again came away empty-handled.  He came out for the eighth by was replaced by Romero after a lead-off single.  Romero retired the next 3 Braves and handled the ball over to closer Lidge who barred the door on the Braves with a 3 up, 3 down ninth, was credited with his 23rd save.  Eaton, ironically, was credited with his 4th win vs 8 losses — his first win ever as a reliever.  Boyer was charged with the loss.

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

In Sunday’s final, newly acquired starter Joe Blanton, hoping to improve on his mediocre 6 inning, 5 run, 8 hit, 2 homer and 3 walk debut, is opposed by Atlanta’s 30 year old rookie Jorge Campillo.

The Phils have a day off on Monday before headed to Washington for a 3 game series with the Nationals beginning on Tuesday through Thursday.

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

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