With 24 games remaining on the schedule and trailing by two games in the Division race one could surmise that every game is a “must win”!   That being said the Fightins sent their ace Cole Hamels to the hill to attempt halting the Nationals seven game winning streak and win this one for the Phils.

The Phillies drew first blood as consecutive singles by Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley plated two runs in the third inning.  The inning ended however on a sad note as National catcher Jesus Flores was carted off the field on a stretcher after a bang bang play resulted in a collision between him and Utley. Utley had broken for the plate on a pickoff attempt at first base and was attempting to jar the ball loose from Flores as Nat first basemen Ron Belliard’s throw beat him by plenty at the plate.  It appeared Flores suffered an injury to his ankle.

Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz led off the Phillie seventh with singles, both were sacrificed to scoring position by Cole Hamels.   Jimmy Rollins plated Feliz with a single to right field and Ruiz scored on a groundout by Chase Utley to make the score 4 to 0. 

Cole Hamels pitched 7 and 1/3 innings, once again a quality start.  He ran out of gas in the eighth inning as Washington put two runners on with a walk and a single.  Charlie went to his pen and brought in J.C. Romero.  Romero struck out left handed hitter Willie Harris and then Manuel called in Chad Durbin.  Durbin did his job in the inning as well as he got Ryan ZImmerman to ground out to short and end the inning.  Brad Lidge pitched the ninth inning to close the game.

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Three additional roster additions were made as Mike Cervenak, Andy Tracy and Les Walrond were all recalled from Triple A Lehigh Valley.  All three have been on the roster for various stints this season.  Jason Donald from Double A Reading is also likely to be recalled as well as soon as the Reading season concludes.   The extra players give skipper Manuel more flexibility with his bench and bullpen.   Chase Utley was visibly upset when Flores was carted off, Utley plays as hard as any player in the bigs but he is not dirty nor does he want to hurt anyone.  His only play to be safe at the plate was to jar the ball loose and he made the right play…………. hope that Flores is ok.  National fans booed Utley in his plate appearances after the play, no class, no clue.

Question

How big do you believe it is that Cole Hamels takes the ball Sunday against New York rather than get an extra day off between starts and face Florida on Monday ?   Pitching on Sunday would give Hamels four days rest and would be his regular rest, Kyle Kendrick would get skipped over to accomplish this.

Pedro Feliz did not start the game at third base but he surely had a huge impact on the outcome as he belted a three run walkoff win home run in the 11th inning to give the Fightins a 5-2 victory over the Dodgers.   Joe Blanton started the game on the hill for the Phillies and pitched six innings giving up one run on six hits.  Blanton was scored upon in the very first inning as the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out and James Loney knocked in Andre Ethier with the games first run.  Blanton then pitched out of the trouble without allowing another run to score and went another five holding the Dodgers scoreless.

The Phillies tied the score in the home fifth as Chase Utley singled to knock in Carlos Ruiz.  The Dodgers re-took the lead in the seventh as Jeff Kent singled off of Ryan Madson to score Ethier again.  Pedro Feliz was the tieing hero as well as with two outs in the bottom of the ninth he singled to knock in Shane Victorino and knot the score at two!  That set up the extra inning heroics for Feliz as he belted a Jason Johnson fastball deep into the left center field seats scoring Chris Coste and Victorino in front of him.  Chad Durbin earned his fifth win of the season as pitched the two extra frames of play.

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With the win the Phillies closed to within 1/2 game of the New York Mets for first place in the NL Eastern Divsion.  Andy Tracy made his Phillies debut with a pinch hit walk in the ninth inning.  Jimmy Rollins continued to struggle going 0 for 5 in the game.  According to Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal the Phillies have been frustrated attempting to add a quality bat off the bench.  Texas just put Frank Catalanotto on waivers and he has cleared the American League but issue with him is monies due for 2009 and 2010.   He is a good left handed hitter but not sure if the club would eat the six million due him for the following two years.   Brett Myers takes the hill tonight for the Fightins looking to return the favor of a four game series sweep to the Dodgers! 

The Phillies offense came out of its shell for a second consecutive game as the Fightins pounded the L.A. Dodgers 9 to 2 in a nationally televised game to go up two games in this four game series.  Pat Burrell blasted his 30th home run of the season in the first inning plating three runs.  Burrell hit the ball off the left field foul pole to spot starter Cole Hamels with an early lead.    Hamels went seven strong innings giving up five hits and two runs.  He was touched for the two runs in the third inning as Russell Martin hit a two run home run.

The Phillies busted the game open in the fifth and sixth innings scoring three runs in each frame.  In the fifth Dodger center fielder Matt Kemp lost a fly ball hit by Pat Burrell in the high Philadelphia sky and the ball fell untouched for a double!  Jimmy Rollins scored on the play, Ryan Howard then smoked a double to center field to knock in two more runs.  In the sixth Burrell again figured in the scoring mix as he singled to knock in Hamels.  Shane Victorino then singled to knock in Burrell and Chase Utley.   Scott Eyre and Rudy Seanez finished out the game on the mound for the Phillies to book the win.

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Geoff Jenkins was placed on the fifteen day disabled list with a hip sprain.  Andy Tracy was recalled from Triple A to take Jenkins roster spot.  Tracy has previous major league experience as he played for the Montreal Expos and Colorado Rockies.  Tracy is a veteran player and is 35 years of age.  His primary position is first base but will serve as a left handed bat off the bench for the Fightins.  Pat Burrell had five RBI’s in the game matching his career high.  This has been a season of offensive spurts for the Fightins and hopefully this is a spurt that lasts thru the playoffs!  Sometimes playing better teams actually makes you play better yourselves and the Fightins certainly are in the midst of a challenging run with two left with the Dodgers, then two with the Mets and four with the Cubbies.  The last two games the hitters have been much more aggressive early in the count and have been successful, they are dead red fast ball hitters and if opposing pitchers try to use the heat to get ahead in the count this team can make you pay!