Phils ‘Ambush’ D-Backs For 5-4 Win
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Thu, May 08, 2008 07:40 AM | Comments: 24
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Whoever said “ambush” in the Phillies’ dugout after Chase Utley plated Eric Bruntlett to give the good guys a 5-4 lead was right on — they pounced on the Diamondbacks in the eighth and held on tight for the big road win.
Utley’s RBI single came after an RBI hit by Eric Bruntlett, who scored Shane Victorino. Vic had a nasty collision with Conor Jackson to reach base on a passed ball, taking Jackson out of the game. Once the Phils had the lead, Tom Gordon eased past a leadoff double to hold the eighth and Brad Lidge was dominant once again to save the ninth.
The win went to JC Romero, who bailed out another Phillie reliever — this time Ryan Madson, who gave up a run in the seventh, giving the D-Backs a short 4-3 lead. Before him Kyle Kendrick pitched an OK six innings, giving up three earned runs and 10 hits while striking out two and walking one (a very Kendrickian effort).
Early offense came from a Victorino single and a Pedro Feliz two-run homer.
Pat Burrell was again hitless, going 0-for-3. Ryan Howard went 0-for-4.
Huge win. Vic and Bruntlett really did their jobs, and Utley proved yet again why he’s the early season MVP. The bullpen locked it down again as well — Gordon was clutch and Lidge was flat-out nasty. It’s a big, big win considering the Phils have to face Brandon Webb today. Getting a split at Chase Field is a nice feeling.
Associated Press photo
Posts: 0 Gnomicide
More like a series win, AM I RIGHT? Let’s go out there and give Brandon his first big loss.
Posted: 07:53 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 erik
i agree lets take the series 3-1. also, the popular thought is phillie fans fell in love with rowand when he went headfirst into the wall to catch a ball, well, i give more respect to vic for that effort, that is sacrificing you body. absolulely love it.
Posted: 08:10 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 chris m
I hate these 4 game series…so easy to lose the series and so hard to win..
Posted: 09:05 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mark
Lidge “flat-out nasty”? Shock and awe is more like it! So far, this acquisition has been huge!
Posted: 09:39 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Paul
I have to give it to Bruntlett. After the terrible start, he has done a good job filling in for Rollins.
Posted: 09:43 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Joe DiMaggio
When is Charlie going to move Howard out of the #4 spot?
Posted: 10:00 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike W.
Lidge is unhittable. Right now (6 weeks into the season) he’s the best closer in mlb.
Posted: 10:14 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Bruntlett’s big job recently underscores the depth and ability of this bench, in my view, the best in baseball. Brunt provides solid defense and the occasional slick hit; Dobbs has home-run punch and can beat a fireballer; Taguchi is good for singles and quick basepath work; Coste is a solid hitter and good signal caller; Werth is a total package who can step in at any time and deliver.
Posted: 10:32 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Jeffrey
Am I the only one whose world view is being shaken to its very foundations by the fact that the Phillies are not only good but are in first place in May?
Posted: 10:50 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
The one bench player I have issue with is Taguchi beacuse he is a liability defensively. Ive seen him blow 5 or 6 catchable drives. He has at least 4 flat out drops. hes ok at the place for a bench guy but i still think you been another bat off the bench that has some pop. Lidge’s slider is just unfair. You see that dive on it? normally the sliders, you know, slide more than dive. but his slider has so much spin on it it dives more than slides. that is awesome. killer out pitch because you have to swing at it because it looks like a strike leaving his hand.
Posted: 11:11 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
It’s possible we could see Greg Golson come into the picture later in the season if Taguchi continues to be a liability. Golson is worth the speed and defense, though his 41/8 K/BB ratio in AA is unacceptable.
Posted: 11:16 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Southern state phils fan
? anymore to the “rumor” trade Ryno for some solid young talent arms. The move this week in AZ with Utley at 1st showed positive. Anyone have a view?
Posted: 11:38 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Bruce
That “rumor” about a “Ryno” trade was created here on this site (laughter).
Posted: 11:57 AM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Ryan isn’t going anywhere right now – they could explore something in the offseason, but as it stands, Howard is the everyday first baseman unless he slumps horribly into the summer.
Posted: 12:02 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Rob (the Phils fan)
Trade Howard and move Burrell to 1st base. Then you can rotate Golson, Werth, Jenkins in the outfield. I like the idea of trading him to Texas. It is an AL team with a boat load of farm depth.
Posted: 12:02 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Jason
At the risk of starting WW15 (if my stats are correct, I think yesterday I started 3-14) but right now you could not get as much for Howard if you traded him – I think the off-season is the time to do that. But there are teams out there that might want him in their line-up (Yankees come to mind – but they have nothing to trade for him).
What are the odds that the Phillies send Howard to AAA or AA to figure out his swing, build some confidence? That would hurt the ego, but then again I would think so does the prospect of striking out 1000000000000000000 times this year.
Posted: 12:33 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 ped
That’s not confidence, saying “split the series.” Webb has to lose sometime. How ’bout today? Gp phitins’!
Posted: 12:45 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Most teams would rather have Mark Teixiera (spelling??) over Ryan Howard… Tex is a gold glove winner, who hits for a career .285 avg, 36 HRs, and 119 RBIs a year…. (his total number of games 480, divided by 162 = 4.815 …his total stats divided by 4.815 to get my numbers)
I’m 98% sure that the Yankees would rather add a switch-hitting power guy, with gold glove defense over the STRIKEOUT KING 6.0 (Nolan Ryan is still the original king in my book)… Somewhere down the line, Howard will turn his power numbers on again.. but I don’t understand people suggesting the Phillies can get rid of Howard…and get anything decent in return. The other MLB teams aren’t dumb… they see Howard’s lack of production just as much as we do.
Posted: 12:55 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
oh yea…Tex is a free agent after this year… so whoever misses out on him MIGHT be in the market for Howard… But Burrell would also be a free agent…would make a nice DH… and will probably have better numbers than Howard this year.
Posted: 12:57 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Gavin
hey… is it just me or is the philly media being pretty darn nice to Howard right now. The fans at the games too. (The boos I hear at the park are not in the Jose Mesa/Travis Lee range yet) The honeymoon aint gonna last forever. If he is struggling now…….I wonder how he’s going to handle it when 40 thousand unload the boo’s on him one night.
Posted: 01:15 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Brooks
$10,000,000 – worth every penny??
“Go on, get the money and run…”
Nobody wants to think of that with Ryan Howard but oh my, he is stinking the joint up and we are in first place. Where exactly would we be with Howard hitting his weight? Think Jimmy can get him going?
Posted: 01:20 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Jason
What is really deflecting and thus helping Howard right now is the Phillies are winning despite his lack of production. With Mesa – he blew saves, leads, and also gave up valuable runs so it was only natural to boo him. With Lee those Phillies teams were not good and that did not help. Right now because the Phillies are winning the attitude is, if we are winning now, imagine what we can do once Howard starts hitting! But if the Phillies slump Howard will hear it.
Posted: 01:21 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Clare
Yeah, I’m not liking your last line. A win would be even better, would it not?
Posted: 02:33 PM on May 8, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Of course, but a spilit is at least tolerable. Imagine losing three of four.
Posted: 02:36 PM on May 8, 2008