The balls flew out of Yankee Stadium, alright, but the Phils hit more of them, and with more men on base. They defeated the Yankees, 7-3, in the first game of a three-game set, snapping New York’s nine-game win streak.
Moreover, the Phillies had better pitching. Brett Myers pitched an assured, sparkling eight innings, giving up three runs (all solo home runs) on eight hits, walking none and striking out five. The Yankees never got into a groove as Myers located the fastball, threw in his superb curveball and had hitters guessing. Myers turned to 4-2 on the season.
Jimmy Rollins set the tone early with a leadoff home run, launching the home run derby with a gimme shot to right. Carlos Ruiz followed with a gimme to left in the second inning. With a 3-0 lead, Jayson Werth catapulted a left-field upper-deck two-run shot. And of course, Raul Ibanez threw one in for good measure.
Chase Utley also drove in a run. Ruiz was the hitting star, going 3-for-4. Ryan Madson cleaned up with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Tim MalcolmTim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.
