Bats Rock Gee as Lee Nearly Goes Distance
No breeze and 81 degrees at game time makes for one thing – hittin’ weather. The Phillies abused Dillon Gee and slugged their way to an 8-3 victory over the New York Mets.
POWER HOUR
-The Phillies went yard three times in the third inning, including back-to-back homers from Ryan Howard and Michael Young. John Mayberry also pitched in. For Howard, it was his first of the season, a blast to left-center field, the spot he hits it to when he’s holding his hands back and letting the ball through the zone. Howard has been struggling mightily, so this could be a jumping-off point for him.
-Michael Young is fell a double shy of the cycle, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBI. He’s now hitting .345 through the first eight games. Before the game, he was about as positive as I’ve ever seen a player with a team starting the season 2-5.
-Props to Mayberry, as well. He had a home run and double off a right-handed pitcher, something he has struggled to do in his career. He’s a career .232 hitter against RHP’s.
-How’s this for weird. The only guy in the Phillies lineup without a hit: Chase Utley.
-Dillon Gee was run after just three innings, giving up seven earned runs. Coming into the game, Gee had been tortured by the Phils to the tune of a 6.46 ERA in six career starts.
LEE OFF, BUT SAVED BY THE RUNS
-Cliff Lee went 8 2/3 innings and was far from perfect, allowing three runs on eight hits with six strikeouts. However, did not walk a batter and reached 2-0 on the season easily with the help of his offense.
-Charlie Manuel did not allow him to finish the game, instead opting to go with Mike Adams for the final out. And Charlie heard about it from the fans, leaving to a chorus of boos. That was perhaps the loudest negative reaction I’ve ever heard toward Manuel. Adams had pitched just once this year, and it seems as though Manuel did not want to waste him after warming up.
-The win moves Lee to 5-1 against the Mets in his career, with 62 strikeouts in 65 innings.
