Visiting teams in Chicago have not had much success so far this season and with the next four including this game being played there the Phillies have a tall order indeed. In game one the Fightins sent their ace Cole Hamels to the hill versus the Cubs Ryan Dempster. The Phillies scored the games first run in their very first at bat as Chase Utley doubled down the right field line and was plated by a Shane Victorino single up the middle.
The Cubs tied the game in the fifth inning as Mark Derosa tripled down the right field line to bring home Kosuke Fukodome who had singled. The Fightins bounced right back though in the top of the sixth as Jayson Werth lined his second double of the game off the ivy in right center. Pedro Feliz then drew a walk and Carlos Ruiz followed with a single to left field to score Werth. Cole Hamels laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up to scoring position. Jimmy Rollins lofted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Feliz and Ruiz also smartly moved up on the play to third base. Chase Utley then grounded a single to left field to score Ruiz. What was huge about this inning was the Phillies ability to come thru with “situational hitting” along with smart base running to manufacture runs against a very good pitcher and team! Hamels then came out and shut down the Cubs in the bottom of the inning to make the count after six 4 to 1 Phils.
Ryan Madson relieved Hamels in the eighth inning and was greeted by a solo home run by pinch hitter Mike Fontenot. He then gave up a double to Alfonso Soriano and a single to Ryan Theriot before Charlie finally came and got him and brought in Chad Durbin. I have zero confidence in Mr. Madson in critical spots of the game ! The game blew up for the Phillies when Aramis Ramirez blasted a grand slam to put the Cubs up 6 to 4. J.C. Romero became the third pitcher used in the inning and got out of it with no further damage.
Kerry Wood closed out the game for the Cubs. The Phillies squandered a major chance for a win and another great effort by Cole Hamels. As good as the bullpen has been this year the absence of Tom Gordon in the eighth inning has been the achilles heel as Madson is not suited for the role and both Romero and Durbin are needed too often in “situational pitching” to be delegated to the setup spot. Disapointing at best is the way to describe this one!
Chatter
Jason Stark of ESPN stated in his most recent online article that the Phillies do indeed have interest in Mike Lamb of the Minnesota Twins. Lamb has been designated for assignment by the Twins and Stark suggests that a trade may be in the works so that Lamb could be on the roster before the end of the month thus eligible for post season play. The Phillies sent Andrew Carpenter back to Reading after last nights game and promoted left hander Fabio Castro to the big league roster. Castro has been with the big club before as he was a rule 5 selection a few years back, he is only 23 years old, has a live arm and needs to find a niche as to whether he is a starter or reliever. Not sure how long he will stick this time as once again the Phillies have 13 pitchers on the roster, may be just a safeguard for the Wrigley field confines where often teams use alot of pitchers on the hill. With September looming on the horizon the rosters can expand so it really only applies thru the weekend.
