Jamie Moyer came into his starting assignment against the Florida Marlins with a perfect 10 and 0 record against the Fish, odds were that things would change.  Moyer struggled with his command in this one from the beginning and the young Marlin hitters showed more patience in their approach against the crafty veteran. The home plate umpire also did not give him the close pitches he normally gets called as strikes.

The Marlins scored first on a bases loaded walk issued by Moyer to Jeremy Hermida in the second inning.   They added a second run in the fourth inning as Hermida scored on a ground out by Josh Willingham.  Moyer’s night was complete after five innings as he left trailing by the 2-0 score, a credit to his persistence that it was not more, he stranded nine Marlin runners on base.

Florida right hander Josh Johnson shut out the Phillies thru six innings yielding only five hits, the hardest a sixth inning double off the top of the left field wall by Pat Burrell.   The Marlins scored two more runs in the top of the seventh as Alfredo Amezaga singled to knock in Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla. 

The Phillies got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh as Shane Victorino was credited with a two run home run off the left field foul pole that the TV replay actually showed was a foul ball that never indeed hit the pole!  Marlins third basemen Jorge Cantu argued the call and the umpires conferred but third base umpire Dale Scott’s call was allowed to stand.  

J.A. Happ made his relief debut for the Fightins in the eighth inning and gave up a run as Jeremy Hermida drove in Hanley Ramirez with a single, Ramirez had walked and advanced to second on a passed ball.  He was lit up for three more in the ninth as the Marlins busted the game open.  Happ threw close to 50 pitches in his two innings of work.  

Chatter

Les Walrond made his Phillies debut in the seventh inning and struck out the first batter he faced before yielding two walks and the Amezaga hit that plated two runs.  Mike Cervenak made his second pinch hitting appearance in the fifth and flied out to deep left field.  The game could have been more lopsided earlier if the Marlins had not continually run into outs on the bases.  The achilles heel for the young Fish would appear to be their defense and baserunning abilities, they certainly hit the ball well enough!   It seemed as if the Phillies were never destined to win this one as they hit into three line drive double plays in key spots.   Need to come back tommorrow strong and put this one behind.  The home game marked the 35th sellout of the season.