Phillies Nation

The Phillies took an otherwise boring game and brought some excitement to those who remained in Citizens Bank Park on this dreary Sunday. With the team trailing 2-1, just having snapped their 16-inning scoreless streak, the Phils were staring down the barrel of Aroldis Chapman. Undeterred, Erik Kratz tied the game with a homer and Freddy Galvis won it with a line-drive shot that just cleared the left field wall.

The Ninth Inning

Delmon Young led off the ninth and promptly drew a four pitch walk from the flame-throwing Chapman. As we all know, D. Young is not the fleetest-of-foot; but still the choice to pinch-run with Cliff Lee is always a questionable one. Lee got caught in a rundown after Chapman attempted a pick-off. It was a poor baserunning move and Cliff knew it. He was visibly frustrated in the dugout as Erik Kratz stepped to the plate. After Chapman threw a few of his signature high-90s fastballs, Kratz zeroed in on one and delivered it to the left field seats. The crowd celebrated, but Lee’s pickoff was still fresh in their minds. Lee’s reaction said it all after the Kratz homer – he knew that would have been the win. Continue reading Phillies win on back-to-back walk-off; Howard and Ruiz MRIs

Cincinnati Reds (25-16) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (19-22)

Tony Cingrani (2-0, 2.89) vs. Cliff Lee (4-2, 2.86)

TIME: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: PHL 17
Weather: 68, sunny
Media: Twitter and Facebook

News and notes:

-Mike Adams had an MRI and is considered day-to-day, although a DL stint is not quite out of the woods. He has a mild back strain, and if he does do to the DL they can retro him to 5/11.

-Ruben Amaro Jr. gave an update on Carlos Zambrano. Big Z will throw two innings in an extended spring training game, or somewhere around 30-40 pitches tomorrow. They will then ramp him up to 50 pitches his next outing.

-John Lannan will throw a bullpen session on Monday or Tuesday according to Amaro, but he’s still not all that close to being ready.

As for tonight’s game, the Red hot Reds are in town and looking to get on base. That’s what Shin-Soo Choo and Joey Votto do. They are 1-2 in the NL in OBP, with Choo getting on at a ridiculous .458 clip this season. As Corey Seidman pointed out today on twitter, Joey Votto and Shin-Soo Choo have reached base 177 times … which is the exact same number as Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Domonic Brown and Ben Revere combined. Wow.

Cliff Lee will have his work cut out for him as Votto has hit him well. He is 7-for-16 with a HR off the fellow lefty.

Lineup: Rollins SS, Utley 2B, M. Young 3B, Howard 1B, D. Young RF, Brown LF, Ruiz C, Mayberry CF, Lee P

GAMEDAY BEER: Stone Levitation Ale

This deep amber brew has a rich maltiness, big hoppy character, citrus overtones, and an impressively modest alcohol content for a beer with so much flavor packed into it. It’s at 4.4%, so it’s not overbearing. Beer Advocate has it highly ranked with a score of 88. And Stone Brewing Co. rarely let’s anyone down. Enjoy!

Rookie Jonathan Pettibone came through again for the Phils on Tuesday (AP Photo).

The Phillies used timely hitting and good starting pitching to go 4-3 on last week’s West Coast trip.  They did it again on Tuesday night, this time in Philadelphia, winning 6-2 over the Indians behind Jonathan Pettibone.  John Mayberry Jr. provided most of the offense for the Phils, knocking in three runs on three hits.  The victory gave them their third three-game win streak of the season.  They have yet to win four in a row.

PETTIBONE DOES IT AGAIN

- Despite being squeezed all night by home plate umpire Brian Knight, Pettibone delivered yet another quality outing.  He didn’t have his best stuff (only three Ks) and was wild for the second consecutive start (two walks, two HBPs), but Pettibone battled through 6.2 innings and only gave up four hits and two earned runs.  This high wire act has been the norm for the rookie in his first month as a major leaguer, but to his credit he has given the Phillies a chance to win in all five of his starts (they’re 4-1 behind him).

- The only blemish for Pettibone on Tuesday night was a one-out, two-run single off the bat of Michael Brantley in the second inning.  The Indians really made the rookie work in the early going, forcing him to throw 59 pitches in the first three innings.  After escaping unscathed from a bases loaded jam in the third, Pettibone cruised through the next three frames, throwing only 29 pitches in the process.  Pettibone was pulled after getting two outs in the seventh, making Tuesday night’s start the longest of his career.

MAYBERRY, LONG BALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR PHILS OFFENSE

- Lefty killer John Mayberry Jr. had the decisive knock for the Phils, lacing a two-run double off Indians southpaw Scott Kazmir into the left center gap in the fourth inning.  Mayberry, whose double gave the Phils a 3-2 lead, had a much-needed three-hit night.  He had three hits in all of May headed into Tuesday, which was good for an abysmal .143 average.

Continue reading Pettibone, Mayberry lead way for Phils over Tribe

Philadelphia Phillies (18-21) vs. Cleveland Indians (21-16)

RHP Jonathan Pettibone (2-0, 3.63 ERA) v. LHP Scott Kazmir (2-1, 4.87 ERA)

TIME: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: 50, few clouds
Media: Twitter and Facebook

On April 30, the struggling Phillies arrived in Cleveland expecting to play a team that was also suffering from early-season inconsistency.  What a difference two weeks can make.  The Tribe embarrassed the Phillies, completing a two-game sweep by a combined score of 20-2.  They’ve gone 9-3 since against some stiff competition (Twins, A’s, Tigers and Yankees) and now sit only a half-game out of the AL Central lead.

It was those two losses that triggered Cliff Lee to proclaim that the Phillies needed to play with more pride.  With the Indians in Philly on Tuesday and Wednesday for another two-game series, now is their chance.  The Phils are coming off a successful West Coast swing, taking four of seven from the Giants and D’Backs.  Their starting pitching was great on the road trip, but will be put to the test against an Indians offense that has scored the sixth most runs in baseball.

Jonathan Pettibone takes the ball on Tuesday night for the Phils.  He was a model of consistency through his first three major league starts (all Phillies wins), throwing strikes and making opposing hitters put the ball in play.  While the 22-year-old regressed a bit last week in San Fran – he allowed seven hits and four walks – he still kept his team in the game.  But issuing four free passes won’t fly against a potent Cleveland lineup.  The Tribe has four regulars with OPS’ over .800, and five if you count Ryan Raburn.  For comparison, the Phillies have one; Chase Utley.   Pettibone’s outing tonight should be a telling barometer for Phils fans wondering if his performance thus far is sustainable.

The Phillies offense will face Scott Kazmir for the first time since beating him twice in the 2008 World Series with the Tampa Bay Rays.  Kazmir’s career has been a disaster since then, culminating in a stint with an independent league team last season.  The Indians took a chance on the former All-Star and it has paid off over his last two starts, in which he has gone 2-0 and racked up 17 strikeouts in only 12 innings.  The Phils are always susceptible to good left-handers (see Patrick Corbin last Thursday), but were able to get to a previously unhittable Madison Bumgarner a week ago.

While scoring 25 runs in seven games as they did last week out West is no large feat, the Phillies did seem to come up with more clutch hits than they had over any stretch this season.  Nearly a quarter of the way into the season, it is clear this lineup is far from special… and will therefore need all the clutch hitting it can get.

Lineup: Rollins SS, Frandsen 2B, M. Young 3B, Howard 1B, D. Young RF, Brown LF, Ruiz C, Mayberry CF, Pettibone P

GAMEDAY BEER: Great Lakes Brewing Co. Dartmunder Gold

Cleveland has been named one of America’s best cities for beer by GQ and one of the highlights of the local beer comes from Great Lakes Brewing Company.

Just the way they drew it up, I’m sure.

The Phillies somehow, someway, come away with a 4-2, 10-inning victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, finishing off their seven-game road trip 4-3.

Kyle Kendrick threw seven strong innings, again, but did not factor in the decision. He was hurt, as Phillies pitchers seem to be so often this season, by the lack of an offense. However, KK lowered his ERA to 2.47.  Brandon McCarthy, he of the 6.75 ERA going into the game, shut them down over eight innings. But everything changed when Arizona went to the bullpen.

Heath Bell allowed two runs on doubles by Chase Utley and Delmon Young, then an RBI single by Dom Brown to tie it at two. Then in the 10th, off a lefty who had not allowed a run all season – Matt Reynolds – Ryan Howard deposited a two-run single for the W.

Maddening. Frustrating. It all applies to the team. They win the first two of the road trip, the first against Cy Young candidate Madison Bumgarner, then lose three straight, then win the final two. They scored 12 runs the first two games, then 13 runs over the final five.

This team is impossible to figure out right now. But alas, they do what they had to do, and that’s win more than they lost on a tough road swing out west.

Philadelphia Phillies (17-21) at Arizona Diamondbacks (21-16)

Kyle Kendrick (4-1, 2.45) v. Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 6.75)

TIME: 4:10, Chase Field
TV: PHL 17
Weather: Upper 80′s partly cloudy
Media: Twitter and Facebook

Happy Mother’s Day from Phillies Nation!

Today is the day we get to see the pink bats, balls, and gear worn by the players in support of Mother’s Day. And on this beautiful day, the Phillies will send their best pitcher this year, Kyle Kendrick (…what?), to the mound in hopes to split the series with the D-Backs.

Kendrick has been phenomenal so far. He’s posting a 2.45 ERA, and has been the most consistent starter on the Phils. It’s a bit surprising to be typing this about Kendrick, but I think he’s finally arrived to his potential in MLB. And it’s a great thing to see.

For the D-Backs, Brandon McCarthy gets the start, and, as remarkable as it is that he is still pitching after his horrific injury, he hasn’t been very good this year. He’s posting a 6.75 ERA, and I’ve got to believe that his head injury is somehow affecting him. He’s coming off  his best start of the year, a 6.1 inning, ER performance against the Dodgers. He gets to face a Phillies offense today that’s scored a total of nine runs in the last four games, with Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Michael Young combining for four total hits in 41 at-bats.

Even though the Phillies can rely on Kendrick to hopefully throw a good game, they need to score runs. It may be a bit easier with McCarthy on the mound, but the Phils have made some mediocre pitchers look like Cy Young Award candidates this year. Hopefully that won’t be the case this afternoon.

Lineup: Revere CF, Rollins SS, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, D Young RF, Brown LF, Galvis 3B, Kratz C, Kendrick P

Your gameday beer: Rising Moon

A seasonal from the Blue Moon branch of Coors, Rising Moon has a hint of citrus undertone with lime taking the lead; a nice choice for the improving spring weather. It is the offshoot of a bigger, corporate brewer, so you will get some of the flavorings and finishes that are typical of such an establishment. But couple it with some meat or fish after grilling and you’ve got a solid pairing. Besides, you’re all closet Miller Lite drinkers in the end.

GO PHILLIES!

After dropping the first two games of the four-game series in Arizona, the Phillies bounced back on Saturday night and were victorious against the Diamondbacks by a score of  3-1.

Cliff Lee went seven shutout innings, striking out three and walking two in the process.  The veteran notched his 4th win of the season, after having won just one time in his previous five starts.

Jonathan Papelbon came on in the 8th to lock down a five-out save.  The Phils’ closer is perfect in six save opportunities this season.

Jimmy Rollins was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a steal to lead the offense while Ryan Howard went 0-for-5 and locked down a golden sombrero, striking out four times in the contest. Ben Revere also collected two hits and swiped a bag.

What’s next- Kyle Kendrick, who sports a 1.71 ERA in his last six starts, will try to close out the Phillies’ road trip with a win, as he takes on Brandon McCarthy, who has a 7.61 ERA in four home starts this year.

Cole Hamels had another good pitching performance, but was charged with the loss.

Unfortunately, Charlie Manuel could not win the game in which he became the Phillies longest-tenured manager. Cole Hamels didn’t get any help from the offense, as the Phillies dropped the first of a four game series to the Diamondbacks, 2-1. The Phils were only able to collect six hits in total, and made a few baserunning errors in a poor offensive performance.

PITCHERS’ DUEL

Cole Hamels and Patrick Corbin really put on a show, giving up a combined three runs over a combined 12.1 innings. Hamels’ line was 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K. He struggled with giving up walks, but still pitched a pretty good game. Both runs he gave up came on groundouts. Corbin’s line was 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. He had the Phillies hitters guessing every at-bat. He even threw a good amount of fastballs to Ryan Howard, who had an 0-4 night with two strikeouts. Hamels lowered his ERA to 4.18, and Corbin lowered his to 1.75 (!!!). Continue reading Phils Drop First of Series to D-Backs

In what was viewed as a bit of an unorthodox move, Charlie Manuel started Kevin Frandsen at first base yesterday in place of Ryan Howard. Howard was hitting .303/.342/.606 with five HR in his last 19 games and has been locked in, so it came as a surprise to some when he was replaced in the line-up by Frandsen. Frandsen rewarded the Phillies with a 1-4 day at the plate with a solo HR but even if he wouldn’t have hit the home run, Frandsen being in the line-up showed some forward thinking by Manuel.

Even though Howard was smoking hot, sitting him in place of Frandsen was the right move. What may have triggered the move was Howard’s lack of success in a small sample against Zito (1-10, 5 Ks) and Zito’s suddenly dangerous-again 12-6 curve that would have easily fooled Howard all day. But Manuel’s decision should not be limited to tough lefties with breaking balls: simply put, Frandsen should be in the line-up more, at first base or other positions, against lefties.

This isn’t a “Platoon Howard” piece more than it is a “Play Frandsen Against Lefties at some position more often” piece. Small sample warning applies and all that but here are the facts: Frandsen has hit .291/.332/.444 against lefties in 278 PA and .400/.426/.554 last season in 68 PA. He has a 74 point career difference in ISO and is among the Phillies best platoon options.

Now Ian, you may ask: where would the Phillies play Frandsen? Surely not in place of Michael Young, who has hit an even more-impressive .313/.365/.469 against lefties. But Frandsen is more than capable as an every four or five games replacement in place of Chase Utley, a career .266/.375/.470 hitter against lefties, or Jimmy Rollins, a career .272/.326/.426, as he appears to be a more-than-competent option against lefties. Yesterday was a glimpse of Manuel managing well in the event of a tough match-up – he should use Frandsen more freely against lefties to spell his veteran infielders.

Philadelphia Phillies (16-18) vs. San Francisco Giants (19-14)

RHP Jonathan Pettibone (2-0, 3.24 ERA) v. LHP Barry Zito (3-1, 3.06 ERA)

TIME: 3:45, AT&T Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: 54, overcast
Media: Twitter and Facebook

Now this is the Phillies team that fans were hoping for.  Over the past two nights in San Francisco, the Phils have gotten good starting pitching, situational hitting and strong performances from the back-end of their bullpen.  Headed into the season, this team had a variety of question marks.  If they were to compete, they were going to have to win a lot of games exactly like they’ve won the last two.  Today, they go for a sweep of the world champs.

Jonathan Pettibone has been a godsend in place of injured starter John Lannan, with the Phillies winning all three of his starts.  To be fair, the three opponents Pettibone has faced – the Pirates, Mets and Marlins – are all offensively challenged.  But to his credit, Pettibone has kept it simple; minimizing base runners by throwing strikes and forcing the opponent to put the ball in play.  The Giants offense is fifth in the NL in runs, but struggled against Cliff Lee and Kyle Kendrick and has been streaky all season long.

The Phillies offense has shown signs of life in the City by the Bay, scoring six runs each night using a combination of small ball, two-out hitting and solo home runs.  Chase Utley and Ryan Howard both hit long home runs on Tuesday night a day after Domonic Brown deposited a Madison Bumgarner offering into McCovey Cove – all solo shots.  That trio has accounted for 19 of the Phillies 30 home runs in 2013.  Now if they can just find a way to get some base runners on for them.  The Phils face Barry Zito on Wednesday afternoon, who, outside of one awful start in Milwaukee, has pitched great this year.

This is the fifth time the Phillies have won two or three in a row.  Each of their first four “win streaks” have been quickly followed by a losing stretch, which is what has made it impossible for the Phils to get to that elusive .500 mark.  Winning two games by identical 6-2 scores is as consistent as it gets.  If they can make it three in a row, on the road against a very good Giants team, Phillies fans will finally have something to get excited about.

Lineup: Rollins SS, Frandsen 1B, M. Young 3B, Utley 2B, D. Young RF, Ruiz C, Mayberry LF, Revere CF, Pettibone P

GAMEDAY BEER: Anchor’s Liberty Ale

Most of the names of Anchor Brewing’s best have some sort of historical difference and their Liberty Ale is no different, first brewed to celebrate the bicentennial of Paul Revere’s historic ride.  Produced right in San Francisco, Liberty Ale was the first modern IPA brewed after Prohibition.