Utley Keys Yet Another Phils Win
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Sun, June 08, 2008 03:22 AM | Comments: 15
Posts
Stop if you’ve heard this before — Kyle Kendrick was serviceable for five+ innings, the Phils kept it close, Chase Utley delivered late, the Phillies won. OK, so it seems like a broken record, but the Phils won 6-2 behind timely hitting, good starting pitching and a lights-out relief effort.
The game was tied, 2-2, when Chase Utley struck a triple into right field in the eighth inning. The hit scored Shane Victorino. Ryan Howard then singled Utley home to put the Phils up by two. In the ninth, Jimmy Rollins poured on the insurance with a two-run homer.
Yet again, solid — but not great — pitching kept the Phils awake in this one. Kyle Kendrick echoed Jamie Moyer and pitched an effectively wild 5.1 innings, walking five but somehow keeping Braves’ hitters off the board. Only a two-run home run by all-universe Chipper Jones (.420, 15 HR) stained Kendrick’s ERA, despite many opportunities regardless. Sure Kendrick did his job, but it was the worst he could’ve been while remaining unsoiled.
The bullpen grabbed another win, with JC Romero getting the number, his fourth of the year. He and Ryan Madson did fantastic jobs holding the Braves, while Tom Gordon and Brad Lidge both struck out their three victors (move of the game: the entire infield converging to shake the cobwebs off Gordon). Lidge didn’t get the save — it may not have been a great move bringing him in with a four-run lead. Rudy Seanez was ready to come in, but Lidge got the call instead. No matter the call, Lidge was his usual grimy self, and denied the Braves any chance at a comeback.
Carlos Ruiz and Pat Burrell collected homers in the game. Ruiz had a nice game (1-for-3, 2 R), while Burrell seems to be heating up again (2-for-4, HR). But most of all, it was good to see Jimmy Rollins get back in the groove. Hopefully this translates into more good things from the shortstop.
The cycle continues for the Phils. They got a passable performance from their starter; the offense hit when necessary; the bullpen was fantastic. They’re still 3.5 games up, but gained a game on the Braves (5.5) and Mets (6.5). Times are good.
Associated Press photo
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
The negativity in the last thread is kind of ridiculous. We know Howard isn’t himself right now (I’m done being impatient with him. He will come around.) and they probably need another starter to complement this rotation, but guys, this team is really, really good.
Face it: The offense barely has a hole. They get the hits when they need them. The pitching has been spectacular. Last season we won a division with the league’s worst bullpen. This year we have the league’s best, along with a middle-of-the-road rotation.
We shouldn’t be reaching for negatives. Appreciate that this team has more positives than any Phillies team since 1993. And appreciate that your team has heart (unlike the Mets), experience (unlike the Marlins) and most of all, wins (unlike the Braves).
Posted: 03:25 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mark
Lovin’ every minute of it! Anyone for a sweep?
Posted: 04:30 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Jason
I think it was a good move to bring Lidge in to shut down the game. This is still a very dangerous Braves offense especially at home. Bring in your “Lights Out” guy and finish it. A save is just a stat.
You are right Tim, this team is really starting to look like something special. They are winning in ways they usually don’t win in. I really enjoy watching this team play baseball. If and when Howard does come around, WOW. Let’s finish this thing in Atlanta.
GO PHILLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 05:05 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike W.
Anyone else have the guilty pleasure of being just as happy that the mets are under .500 as having a great win last night? Ahhh, the world is as it should be.
Posted: 08:42 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike W.
P.S. for all of us not in the philly area, don’t forget, national TV today.
Posted: 08:43 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 OZ
good work Tim, good work Phils.
Bike Race today in Manayunk, Phils screamni’ for a sweep of those pesky braves, and me thinks the Coors Light twins could return my phone calls any day now.
lovin’ life!
Posted: 09:11 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 bob
Does anyone else feel the Braves pain? Watching them the past two nights has given me flashbacks of watching the Phillies for the past two years.
Posted: 09:28 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 scot
Bob,
I can honestly say, i don’t feel the braves pain right now. Maybe it was those 11 straight division titles that hardened me.
As someone who still fears the Mets more than anyone in our division for the remainder of the year, watching the contrast between the Phils rewarding their pitching with timely hits the past three days, compared to the Mets going about 1 for their last 20 with RISP, life is good.
Posted: 10:16 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 erik
tim, perfect comment. things are going really well and i am glad to see some positive reinforcment on this blog. i dont understand the reasoning behind all the negativity myself. lets keep it positive and lets have this winning continue.
GO PHILLIES!
Posted: 11:34 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 erik
also, i like the comment about the heart, experience, and wins. the last thread had something about the superiority of the AL. bullshit. the class of the AL is the Red Sox and they have players fighting in their own dugout. team chemistry is very important, and from what i see, the Phils have the best chemistry in the majors.
Posted: 11:38 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Bruce
Tim, the constant negativity on this site has been going full steam even while the Phillies have been putting together a string of wins; winning in every imaginable way possible for the past several weeks. Maybe with your reminder today, those who dwell on their perceived negatives will lessen their daily diatribes toward us who wish to see the positives and credit the accomplishment(s) of individual players on OUR team.
Posted: 11:50 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 erik
good news for eaton, chipper jones is not playing today due to a slight tear in his quad.
Posted: 11:59 AM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
ok how about this, since everyone is complaining about this:
if the phillies can take two out of three from the red sox or sweep them ill back off a bit with the not good enough to win the world series thing. if the phillies can dominate their portion of interleague play then i will back off a bit and save the outbursts for the trade deadline when i will be repeadtedly ranting demands for another starter AND another reliever until the trade deadline is over. of course beating them in june and beating them in october are two entirely different things but youll have to see that when it happens. once the trade deadline is over ill just kind of go with the flow and block their shortcomings out of my mind like i did last year. after the deadline there really isnt much they can do to become great so it isnt worth noting.
what gives me OPTIMISM is that their record is so good now that the upper management may see the wisdom in beefing up the pitching staff at the deadline and making the necessary moves to make them a great team.
remember whne we were saying that they needed to be in first place in june and start to distance themselves by the deadline? if they did that the GM would be forced to put the final two to three pieces in place. theyre doing that right now and holding up their end of the deal. if they can do that a little longer the GM and ownership will relent and gived the green light to go for the world series ring.
you have to make it painfully obvious to this ownership that spending the extra money will be worth it. if the team can keep this up all season then at the deadline they WILL go all in and spend the extra money it takes to put a truly great team together.
meanwhile, chase utley already is great so i will enjoy watching him again today as i always do
Posted: 12:18 PM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Gavin
Tim, you’re dead on. Baseball is a game of momentum and confidence. We need to be on board with that ….. and not act like a bunch of crybaby Red Sox and Mets fans and whine about all that they are not. Winning and good vibes are contagious. I’m looking forward to a great year…….always cautiously optimistic though. :)
Posted: 12:30 PM on June 8, 2008
Posts: 0 Bruce
A word of advice to the full time negativists on this site; take a long pause and reflect on the early success of our team. As Tim Malcolm strongly suggest, compare the strengths of THIS year’s team to last year. The offensive juggernaut continues to roll. They are FIRST in the NL with RISP (.282 while the league average is .261). Their bullpen is second to none. The starting rotation continues to improve and stabilizing into a solid unit. And Howard, even with his struggles, is on pace for another 100+ RBIs. That is exactly what you want from a no. 4 hitter in the line-up. The depth and quality of team’s bench ranks at or near the top.
Sure, as with every team, the Phillies could use another quality starter and have as insurance for any unforeseen injury to one in rotation. However, we don’t need a constant reminder of that here. As last year, management will exercise patience to determine developments (their farm prospects) and availability with other ML teams prior to the trade deadline. I will not participate in “fantasy” baseball of those who constantly whines about a need for a no 1 and/or 2 starter. It’s little absurd to think you can add a no 1 or 2 to go with your aces, Hamels and Myers (chuckle). I might add the question of what ML team will offer their “ace” to the Phillies? Get real! (chuckle)
Posted: 12:48 PM on June 8, 2008