AJ Burnett shook off a few ugly starts to pitch 7+ innings, leading the Phillies to a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.
Good Burnett
-All year it has been Jekyll and Hyde with AJ Burnett. Tonight, we got the proper version. Burnett needed just 89 pitches to throw 7 1/3 innings, a breeze by his standards. He allowed just two runs while striking out three and walking two. I’d caution, however; the Padres aren’t good.
-Jake Diekman came in and lit up the gun. He hit 100 mph once, much to the delight of the crowd. Ken Giles who?
-Jonathan Papelbon closed it out, but not before loading the bases and throwing 28 pitches. Jayson Stark said on our Monday show that execs around the league have no idea how he’s getting by with his stuff. Wonder if there will be a market for him?
It was also career save No. 300 for Paps.
Byrd Flies
-Marlon Byrd hit his 10th home run of the year, a three-run blast in a four-run fourth inning. Consider me shocked that Marlon has become a bit of a power hitter.
-Three other Phillies (Revere, Utley, and Howard) posted two hits a piece.
Clever Jimmy
-Great play by Jimmy Rollins in the 8th inning to dodge a tag by Evereth Cabrera, which allowed Chase Utley to make it to first base. The Phillies didn’t score, but I was very much a fan of that heads up play. Jimmy doesn’t get enough credit for things like that. If that were Chase, it would have been the smartest, bestest play ever.
