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! 

Kyle Kendrick came into this game against the Dodgers having struggled in his last two starts.  Kendrick started out poorly in this one as well as he gave up a first inning home run to Andre Ethier.  Kendrick fell behind in the count to the first six batters he faced.  The key to this young pitcher though is his bulldog mentality and ability to battle thru “situations”.   Kendrick used that moxy and  settled down to give the Phillies 5 and 2/3 innings of three hit ball leaving the contest with a 3-1 lead.

Greg Maddux made his 2008 debut for the Dodgers having been recently reacquired by LA from the San Diego Padres.  Maddux held the Phillies at bay thru the first three frames but in the fourth Pat Burrell worked Maddux for a 10 pitch at bat earning a walk.  Ryan Howard then blasted his 34th home run of the season over the left field wall scoring Burrell ahead of him.  The Phillies scored thier third run in the fifth off Maddux as Greg Dobbs led off with a bunt single,  Jayson Werth followed with a line single to right field and Dobbs scored on a single up the middle by Chris Coste. 

Kendrick started the sixth inning and got two outs before the next two hitters reached.  Charlie Manuel went to the pen and brought in Chad Durbin who was able to end the inning with no runs scoring.  The Fightins busted loose in the home sixth as Pat Burrell and Shane Victorino singled, Burrell reached third on Victorino’s hit.  Jayson Werth then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Burrell.  Greg Dobbs followed with his second single of the game and then Chris Coste sent Maddux to the showers as he smoked a three run home run to left field!  I don’t know why Coste was in the minors and/or independent ball so long as this man can flat out hit!

Chase Utley hit his 31st home run of the season in the seventh inning to make the score 8 to 1.  Ryan Madson came in to pitch the eighth setting the Dodgers down in order.  Scott Eyre pitched the ninth for the Phillies to close out the game.  The Mets shut out Houston behind Johan Santana so the Phillies remained 2 and 1/2 games behind in the N.L. Eastern Division race.

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Geoff Jenkins started the game in right field but pulled up lame after legging out an infield hit and was replaced by Werth.  Jenkins will get an MRI tommorrow for a possible quad strain or hip flexor issue.  Dobbs once again got the start at third base as Charlie played the hot hand, wise move the way the team has been struggling offensively.  Chris Coste matched his career high for RBI’s in a game with four.  Jimmy Rollins continued to struggle at the plate and fans continued to let him know about it.  Rollins at one point was riding a 3 for 38 streak.  Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports speculates the FIghtins might entertain moving Ryan Howard in the offseason if Matt Holliday could be obtained.  He thinks in that scenario that Pat Burrell would be resigned to play first base……..food for thought but personally I would want Howard to be a Phillie for a long long time!

Similiar to a Spring Training game the wind created havoc on pop ups and fly balls in the first game of the nine game home stand.  Joe Blanton started on the hill for the Phillies but was gone after five as he gave up four runs on eight hits.  Blanton would have been touched for more had not the wind blown a few balls back that on an ordinary night would have been deep into the stands!  Willie Harris did touch Blanton for a first inning homer as he belted it to right field, the one place where the wind was not blowing in.

Washington scored the second run in the fourth and two in the fifth keyed by a triple by Ryan Zimmerman.  The Phillies scored one in the second on a sacrifice fly by Greg Dobbs.  Dobbs reached base again in the fifth as Harris botched a fly ball to left caught in the wind swirl!  Shane Victorino scored on that play,  Victorino had tripled to lead off the inning.  Dobbs scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Geoff Jenkins who hit for Blanton to make the count 4-3 Nats after five innings of play.

Chad Durbin pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings for the Fightins.  In the bottom of the seventh  Shane Victorino once again was in the middle of an offensive “make things happen” as he reached on a fielders choice and then went first to third on a flare single behind short stop by Greg Dobbs, few guys have that kind of speed or guts to make that running play!  Chris Coste then poked a sacrifice fly to right field to score Victorino and tie the game.

Ryan Madson pitched a perfect eighth for the Phillies setting up late game heroics.  Jayson Werth hit his 17th home run in the Phillies eighth right into the teeth of the wind to give the Fightins the lead.  Werth absolutely crushed a hanging curve ball off of Steven Shell and it still only made it two rows in over the left field wall!  Werth is some kinda strong to have hit it thru the swirl!

Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 31st save.  Lidge struck out two of the three batters he faced.  The Fightins kept their record perfect when leading after eight innings and are now 56 and 0 when that scenario occurs!

Chatter

Jimmy Rollins was greeted with a mix of boos and cheers in his first at bat but they progressed to more boos in his next two at bats especially the third when he grounded into a double play.  Some even booed him on a line drive out in the bottom of the eighth!  Anyone who feels it is their right to boo a player who is giving their all and/or is not hot dogging is an absolute idiot in my opinion.  Rollins was roundly cheered last season enroute to an MVP season, yes he is struggling this season but he is the same guy and gives the same effort!  Philly fans are passionate but I believe the minority are the ones booing and it gives us all a bad image………… pure lack of class in my opinion.  Rumblings are, according to Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal, that the Phillies have interest in former Cincinatti catcher David Ross perhaps as a September roster addition.  Carlos Ruiz has struggled all season offensively so adding another dependable catcher may be indeed be a wise addition.

Game two of the Florida series pitted Kyle Kendrick against the Fish.  Kendrick was staked to an early lead in this one as the Fightins scored one in the first and two in the second.  Chase Utley had the initial key blow, a double to plate the first run while an Eric Bruntlett double in the second plated Geoff Jenkins who had reached on an error, Kendrick then knocked in Buntlett to help his own cause.

 Ryan Howard smashed his 32^nd home run of the season in the Phillies third at bat to make the score 4-0.  Kyle Kendrick pitched six shutout innings to hold the lead, the twenty three year old right hander pitched out of a few jams en route to the quality start as he had his sinker working really well and got great defensive support from his infield.  He did walk five batters but the stellar fielding in particular by third basemen Bruntlett and short stop Jimmy Rollins preserved his shut out performance.

 Mike Cervenak got his first major league hit and RBI in the bottom of the sixth as he pinch hit for Kendrick to knock in Eric Bruntlett to make the score 5 zip.  Chad Durbin pitched scoreless seventh and eighth frames after manager Charlie Manuel had purposely given him the night off last evening.  Durbin has been excellent in his role this year but had pitched in five of the last six games for the Fightins, coupled with the Monday off day it gave Durbin a much needed and earned two day rest. 

 Ryan Madson pitched a perfect ninth inning to complete the shutout.  Madson only needed six pitches to finish the innings, all of the pitches he threw were strikes!  Kyle Kendrick upped his record to 10 and 5.  Since his recall from the minors mid season last year he is 20 and 9!

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 The Phillies had minor league pitching coordinator Gorman Heimueller on hand at the University of Miami to watch former Phil Freddie Garcia work out on Tuesday but it seems unlikely they would have a genuine interest in re-signing him.  It was reported as more of a cover your bases excursion, apparently fifteen teams watched Garcia throw!  A true indication of how thin pitching is when a guy coming off Tommy John surgery gains that sort of attention deep into August just for a workout!   The more realistic candidate as a potential Phillies signing is left handed reliever Scott Eyre who has cleared waivers after being designated by the Cubs.  Eyre has been on the D.L twice this year and has not pitched well this season albeit he has done so each of the past two seasons…….. us lefties never seem to die and Mr. Eyre most likely will get another look somewhere!

  I was somewhat impressed by Les Walrond’s outing.  He showed a low 90’s fastball and a decent curve ball and cutter, his problem was that he started to nibble after striking out the first batter he faced last night and ended up walking the bases full before giving up a jam shot that scored two.  I think he is worth another look, I remember back to the 70’s an at that time journey man pitcher named Dave Stewart that wore a Phillie uniform early in his career and was given up on…….. he went on to be a stud in Oakland!  Not saying that Waldron is of that ilk but lefties that can throw in the nineties are not readily available!  Tom Gordon had his first rehab appearance in Clearwater earlier this week and threw again this evening but was removed with elbow discomfort; hopes were he might rejoin the bullpen before the end of the month but he will come back to Philly to be examined by the team physician and go from there.   Pedro Feliz is scheduled to come off the DL on Saturday but is still battling lower back issues and most likely will not be reactivated on schedule. 

Brett Myers took his third turn in the rotation since being recalled from a minor league stint where he was optioned to refind his “mojo”.  Myers was coming off seven shut out innings in his last start against the Nationals.   Super hot Ryan Ludwick doubled against Myers in the second frame and was plated by a Troy Glaus single.  Ludwick touched all four bases again in the fourth as he hit a ball way up into the cheap seats in left field for his 27th home run, a solo shot.

Meanwhile Todd Wellemyer was cruising as the Cardinals starter as he held the Phillies scoreless thru five frames.   Chase Utley got the Fightins on the board in the sixth as he belted his 28th home run of the season to make the score 2 to 1.   Both Wellemeyer and Myers were pulled after six frames for pinch hitters, each pitched very effectively by keeping their respective clubs in a close game.

The Phillies threatened in the seventh getting two runners on but Tony Larussa used two pitchers from his bullpen to get out of the jam without allowing a score.  In the eighth the Fightins tied the score as Pat Burrell plated Utley with a key two out single.  Shane Victorino then hammered a three run home run to score Ryan Howard and Burrell.   The Flying Hawaiin has been clutch since the all-star break! 

Chad Durbin pitched a scoreless seventh for the Phillies but was tagged for a leadoff single by pinch hitter Brendan Ryan  in the eighth and J.C. Romero was summoned into the game.  Romero balked the runner to second, Ryan then advanced to third on a groundout and then scored on a ground ball error by Ryan Howard.  Romero then hit Joe Mather to conclude his evening.  Ryan Madson became the third Phillies hurler of the inning and he proceeded to walk Albert Pujols on four pitches to load the bases for Ryan Ludwick.  Ludwick hit the first pitch on the ground to third base for an around the horn double play to end the inning!  A real heart thumper of an inning for Phillies fans! 

Brad Lidge came on to pitch the ninth as was immediately greeted by Troy Glaus with a home run off the left field foul pole.  After a fly out to right field Aaron Miles then slapped a single to left, pinch hitter Rick Ankiel singled to right and Cesar Isturis was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Lidge then struck out the next two hitters to end the game!  Another nail biter of an inning!

The Fightins are now 50-0 when leading after eight innings and Brad Lidge has converted 28 saves in 28 opportunities albeit this one was hairy!  The second place Marlins lost as did the third place Mets so the Phillies increased their lead on both rivals.

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 Shane Victorino was given the start off as Jayson Werth began in center field and Geoff Jenkins got the right field start.  Victorino came into the game as a pinch hitter for Jenkins in the seventh inning.   John Maine was put on the 15 day disabled list for the rival Mets and closer Billy Wagner was sent back to New York early from Houston for an MRI on his left shoulder.  The Mets appear wounded but the Phillies cannott afford to relax as the Marlins appear to be in it to the end and the Mets, albeit wounded now,  have  kicked our tails in head to head games thus far.  So Taguchi got another standing ovation in his pinch hit appearance, he gets a greeting in Philly but the noise is a bit different.  Taguchi hit over .400 for the Cards last year pinch hitting but is below the Mendoza line in the role for the Fightins!

Joe Blanton made his third start since being acquired from the Oakland A’s for the Fightins, this time against the St. Louis Cardinals, in Busch Stadium, St. Louis.  BLanton was very effective thru seven frames as he held the Redbirds to only one run on four hits.  He had a shutout thru six innings but Ryan Ludwick, who is on a tear, tagged him for a long home run in the seventh.

Blanton was staked to a two run lead early in the game as Greg Dobbs hit a solo home run in the third inning and Ryan Howard slammed his 31st home run of the season in the fourth inning.  Braden Looper pitched six very good innings for St. Louis as he only gave up three hits but two were the long balls. 

Eric Bruntlett was picked off first base by Cards catcher Yadier Molina in the eighth frame, Molina has a cannon and it marked the 45th time in his career that he has picked a runner off first!  The Molina brothers are surely very good defensive catchers, ( older brother Benji catches for the San Francisco Giants and younger brother Jose catches for the New York Yankees).

J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin pitched the eighth inning, Romero was touched for a single before getting a strikeout.  He was pulled in favor of Durbin with right handed hitters coming up for the Cards.  Durbin came in a coaxed a double play ground ball from Joe Mather to end the inning.  He threw nothing but sliders to Mather as the young man looks like a dead red fast ball hitter.  The double play was key as it left Albert Pujols standing in the on deck circle!

Brad Lidge pitched the ninth inning and earned his 27th save of the year.  He struck out two batters in the inning.  The Phillies are 49 and 0 when leading after eight innings this year.  Lidge is perfect in save chances this year.  Big win for the Fightins as they struggled offensively but the pitching came thru big time!

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Rudy Seanez was put on the disabled list prior to the Cardinal series and left hander Les Waldron was recalled from Triple A Lehigh Valley.  Waldron has previous big league experience with the Cubs and Royals, seventeen games in total, most recently with Chicago in 2006.  Despite a right handed starter on the hill for the Cards skipper Charlie Manuel chose to play Jayson Werth in right field rather than left handed swinger Geoff Jenkins.   It is not a pure platoon and many times Charlie seems to play a hunch as to whom starts or even pinch hits in situations.  He catches alot of flak when it doesn’t work but few accolades when it does! 

With recent questions concerning Brett Myer’s fire tonight it seemed as if his worst enemy.  In his  first start since being recalled from the minors Myers had a tough first inning as he relinquished two runs without giving up a hit!  He did so by walking four consecutive batters followed by a fielders choice.  Myers seemed to be fighting himself, almost too pumped up to allow for a fluid delivery.

 The Phillies bounced right back to tie the game in their half of the third frame as Shane Victorino and Geoff Jenkins each hit solo home runs off John Maine.  Control was once again Myer’s dilemma in the third home half as he walked David Wright and then hit Carlos Delgado with one man out.  Carlos Beltran then singled to center to load the bases. Marlon Anderson struck out but Damian Easley got an infield single to put the Mets back ahead.  Brian Schneider then did Myers a huge favor as he swung at the first pitch to ground out to second and end the inning.

 The Phillies tied the game once again in the fifth as Carlos Ruiz singled, was sacrificed to second by Myers and then scored on a Jimmy Rollins double to right center.  Myers night was over after five as he was lifted in favor of Ryan Madson.  Madson was touched immediately in the sixth for three runs as Jose Reyes hit a bomb over the right field wall scoring two teammates in front of him. Clay Condrey came on to pitch two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth.

 Maine settled down after some early control issues to pitch an effective seven innings. The Mets bullpen was able to rebound from last evening to complete the win as Billy Wagner closed the door in the ninth.

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 Despite all the rumors of trades pending Shane Victorino continues to play well. Victorino has stated a desire to stay in Philadelphia rather than play elsewhere but the Phillies do not have a lot of trade chips to offer so it may be inevitable.  Greg Dobbs got the start at third base as Pedro Feliz was given a night off, Feliz has struggled lately making contact.  Mets third base coach Luis Aguayo seemed a bit gun shy early as he held Carlos Beltran on a single to center field that he could have probably scored on.  The Mets sure make it easy for opponents to get fired up, the Jose Reyes home run is a perfect example as he hot dogged his way around the bases and then was greeted by Carlos Delgado with a series of celebratory hand slaps.  Back in the day this would have cost him or a teammate a ball in the ear! 

Cole Hamels pitched eight innings but could not hold the slim one run lead provided to him as the Marlins Cody Ross slammed a game tying home run in the home team’s eighth at bat to knot the score at two.  Ryan Howard had staked Hamels to an early lead in the first inning as he singled to score Jimmy Rollins.  Howard knocked in his 87^th run of the year in the third frame as he doubled to score Chase Utley. 

  The Marlins scored their first run in the fourth inning as Jeremy Hermida touched Hamels for his 12^th home run of the season.  Meanwhile Josh Johnson kept the Phillies at bay till turning the game over to the bullpen with two outs in the sixth inning.

  The game advanced to extra innings and was finalized in the 11^th as Jorge Cantu delivered the game winner knocking in Alfredo Amezaga.  Clay Condrey absorbed the loss for the Fightins.  The Phillies left ten runners on base in the contest.  Shane Victorino joined Howard with two hits in the contest but timely hits were not found as six runners were left on base in scoring position.  With the win the Marlins pulled within ½ game of the Division lead while the Mets win over the Reds put them back into a first place tie with the Fightins.  The Phillies have an off day tomorrow but then open a three game series in New York on Tuesday which will determine the Division leader going into next weekends play.

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 Geoff Jenkins had to leave the game with a contusion on his shoulder after his bat splintered in a sixth inning at bat.  A portion of the bat knocked him down as it broke.  Maple bats and the way they shatter is a concern for fear that someone might get seriously hurt at some point.  These bats tend to splinter when they break. Brett Myers is slated to join the team and pitch against the Mets on Wednesday.  He has stated that he has his swagger back and is ready to go……… here is hoping swagger keeps the fastball out of the middle of the plate!

After the Mets win at Cincinnati the day before the Phillies began post All-Star game play in a tie for first place in the N.L. Eastern Division.  Opening the second half in Florida the mound assignment went to 45 year old veteran Jamie Moyer.

 Moyer began the game with an undefeated record against the Marlins.  The pitching craftsman has frustrated the young Marlin hitters in games past by using their aggressiveness against them forcing them to hit pitches in spots where only outs can be produced.

 This game started no different as Moyer sat down the Marlins in order thru the first three frames.  Meanwhile he was staked to a lead on Ryan Howard’s 29^th home run of the year. Howard belted a solo home run in the second inning.  Pat Burrell continued his hot hitting as he doubled and was plated by a Pedro Feliz single.  The Phillies added to their lead in the third and fourth frames as Jimmy Rollins doubled and scored on a Chase Utley single in the third and Geoff Jenkins hit a long solo home run to center field in the fourth.

 The Marlins scored two in the fourth frame as RBI’s were credited to Jorge Cantu and Dan Uggla. The Marlins actually had the bases loaded with no outs but Moyer was able to limit the damage to only the two runs.  Moyer pitched six complete innings giving the Fightins a quality start as he exited with a 4-2 lead.

 Chad Durbin and J.C. Romero earned holds as they combined to pitch the seventh and eighth innings allowing no runs to score.  Brad Lidge converted his 21^st save as he pitched a perfect ninth inning.  Jamie Moyer earned his 9^th win of the season and improved his record to 10 and 0 against the Marlins.  The Mets lost to the Reds therefore the Fightins regained sole possession of first place in the division.

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 Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that the Phillies had recent interest in making a blockbuster deal with the Rockies that would involve acquiring All-Star outfielder Matt Holiday and pitcher Brian Fuentes.  Recent word is that GM Pat Gillick has convinced ownership to expand the salary limits so it is not unfeasible that those discussions had real intent.  Rosenthal’s article states that talks have stagnated for the moment and it is unclear that they would resume.  If a deal of this magnitude would come to fruition a resounding WOW would be my reaction as it would be a significant indication that the Fightins are for real in trying to bring home a World Series title! 

The Philadelphia Phillies got up 5-0 on the Atlanta Braves and then held off the Braves for a 8-3 victory on Tuesday evening.  Pat Burrell and Shane Victorino both had a great night at the plate for the Philles as they combined for four rbi in the game.

Burrell had a solo home run and a rbi single while Victorino had a two run home run to account for his first two rbi’s.  Victorino then added a two more rbi’s in the ninth inning.  Geoff Jenkins also had one rbi in the game for the Phillies.  Pedro Feliz add a rbi sac fly in the ninth inning for another insurance run.

Kyle Kendrick improved to 8-3 on the season after throwing six innings.  Kendrick threw the ball pretty good as he gave up seven hits and three runs over the six innings of action.  J.C. Romero threw a scoreless seventh inning and then Tom Gordon threw a scoreless eighth inning for the Phillies.  Brad Lidge closed things out in the ninth inning even though it wasn’t a save opportunity.

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