Solo Home Runs help Pedro, Phils win 5-3

For the first time in Phillies franchise history the team has 4 players that have at least 30 home runs in the same season. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth are all members of the 30 homer club this year. Last night Ibanez went deep twice and hit 3 for 4 last night. Hopefully the left fielder who has been struggling at the plate since the All Star break is getting hot at the right time. With the Phillies down 2-1 to the Nationals in the 7th inning and pitcher John Lannan throwing well so far, Jayson Werth went deep to tie the game at 2 a piece. Next batter Raul Ibanez went deep for back to back home runs and the Phils took the lead. But in the same inning Carlos Ruiz didn't want to miss out on the home run parade and went deep to make it 4-2. Charlie Manuel kept Pedro Martinez in the game who ended up throwing 119 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. Pedro let up 3 runs on 7 hits and struck out 4 last night to improve to 4-0 on the season since joining the Phillies. In the 8th inning Chase Utley decided it was time to reach the 30 homer club and made it 5-3 heading into the bottom of the 8th. Brett Myers came in to relieve Pedro for the last out of the 7th with a strike out and then shut down the Nats in the 8th to preserve the lead. Then the night took on a uneasy feel as most games this season has heading into the 9th. Manuel called on closer Brad Lidge to close out the game with a 2 run lead. What happened next was Lidge only recorded 1 out and loaded the bases. Lidge was about to blow yet another save and this would make the Phils lose 5 in a row in a time when they need to just play .500 ball to close out the division in a few weeks. Charlie took the walk out to the mound and called in Ryan Madson. Lidge got no love from anyone in the dugout and could only watch. Madson did his job striking out Ryan Zimmerman the Nats best hitter and getting home run hitter Adam Dunn to ground out to record his 5th save of the season. The question which thousands of Phillies fans are asking this morning, Is Brad Lidge still our closer? Charlie had some tough questions to answer about Lidge and the closer situation after the game. "Let me tell you something," Manuel said. "When I tell you he's my closer, I don't tell lies. I don't like to go back on nothing. But the team and the game is bigger than my heart, and it's bigger than anything else, if you want to know the truth. Winning a game is what it's all about. It's baseball and why I manage and it's what comes first."
He could definitely be [the guy]," Manuel said about Lidge. "I'm definitely not going to get away from him. Let me tell you something: We're going to work with him and we're going to get him back to where he can get consistent and save games. That's how I look at it. I'm not saying that he'll closer tomorrow or the next day or whatever, but I look at him as a closer."
Well it looks like September is going to be very interesting for the Fightins. Tonight Cliff Lee(5-2) takes on Garrett Mock(3-7) down in Washington.

Phillies Legend of The Day

Lance "Big Wheel" Parrish

Remember "Lance Us a Pennant"?? It was the Phillies slogan after signing the 10 time

All Star catcher in 1987. He was supposed to be the leader of the new generation of Phils, the guy who would lead this franchise back to the World Series and reclaim the glory from just 8 years earlier....He did none of that

Instead he was able to get the media and fans to turn on him in less then 24 months...which is easy when you bat .215 and you are the biggest name on a 65win team...the worst seson since 1972.

So in some ways Lance was successful in bringing this city together to celebrate in 1988...but only because he was leaving it..even though you flopped horribly and kicked off a run that saw our franchise finish with a losing record 13 out of the next 14 years we still love you Lance... Today we can let bygones be bygones and welcome you to the hall but tomorrow don;tlet us see that craptastic mustace again.

Oregon Running Back Legarrette Blount knocks out Boise State player after game

Haha

Vintage Pedro beats Lincecum, Phils take series from Giants

When the Phillies game started last night I was waiting to pick up a huge order of wings for my fantasy football draft. The Phils game was on and Pedro throws his first pitch and Eugenio Velez agreed with it and sent it over the wall. 1-0 Giants after 1 pitch. People at the bar were started to bad mouth Pedro and it wasn't looking good for the former Cy Young winner. Pedro answered and he answered in a big way. That would be the only run he let up all night in a 7 inning gem. Martinez struck out 9, didn't walk any batters and only allowed 5 hits for the game and got his 3rd win to improve to 3-0. Pedro's fastball was hitting the low 90's on the radar gun and was mixing up his pitches nicely with the changeup. Tim Lincecum the ace and possibly the best pitcher in the National League had his ace game last night as well. Lincecum struck out 11 batters in 7 innings and only allowed 4 hits, 2 earned. One of those runs was a solo home run by Jayson Werth in the 2nd inning who now has 30 homers on the year. Later on Ryan Howard doubled to knock in the go ahead run during the 6th inning to put the Fightins up 2-1. Chase Utley was the one that scored after he was hit in the back by Lincecum's fastball. Ryan Madson closed out the 8th inning and Brad Lidge did his job and got the save for the Phils. It was a pitching duel last night in South Philly and had that playoff atmosphere feel just like it did the past 2 nights as the Phillies could possibly be lined up to face either San Fran or Colorado in the 1st round of the playoffs. The Phillies still hold a 7.5 game lead in the NL East as the season keeps winding down with a record of 76-54 and 32 games left to play. Our World Series Champs head to Houston for a 4 game series with the Astros and Cliff Lee(5-1) will take the mound against Wandy Rodriguez(12-9) tonight.

Phils lose to Penny, Giants 4-0

Last night in South Philly, newly acquired Brad Penny showed he still has the stuff that made him an All Star not long ago. He quieted the bats of the Philadelphia offense for 8 shut out innings en route to a 4-0 Giants win over the Phils. Penny only allowed 5 hits and walked 1 batter. On the mound for the Phillies J.A. Happ let up 4 runs on 8 hits while striking out 7. Most of the damage came in the 6th which he let up 2 home runs to Juan Uribe and former Phillie Aaron Rowand and the Phils couldn't come back from the deficit. With the Phillies loss they still hold a 7.5 game lead in the NL East over the Braves who lost to the Marlins last night. The Giants are still battling for the wildcard spot with Colorado and are only 1 game back from them. Tonight is an interesting matchup as CY Young winner and hopeful this year Tim Linecum(13-4) goes against Pedro Martinez(2-0) to wrap up the series at 7:05.

Hamels returns to World Series MVP form, dominates Giants

Last night down at the ballpark had the feel of a playoff game as the Giants came into town for the first of a 3 game series. If the playoffs would start today we would potentially play San Francisco in the Divisional Series. The Giants have great starting pitching with Tim Linecum and Matt Cain, and even last night lefty Jonathan Sanchez pitched a quietly good game. But it was nothing compared to what ace Cole Hamels threw. Cole pitched a complete game shut out only allowing 2 hits while striking out 9 and only walking 1. The weather was a little cooler in South Philly for September 1st and maybe that helped King Cole return to the form he had in last years playoffs where he was so dominate. The Phils offense was a little quiet but in the 4th inning Ryan Howard drove in the lone run of the game to take the lead at 1-0. That was all that Hamels needed as he blanked the Giants offense all night. Hamels retired 24 in a row after the first hit he gave up to Ryan Garko and now has a streak of 19 scoreless innings tied for his career best. Hamels also showed off his speed on the bases as he took off and stole 2nd in the 5th inning, the first pitcher to steal a base for the Phillies since Curt Schilling in 1997. The Phillies have now won 15 of 20 and still hold a 7.5 game lead in the NL East over the Braves who beat the Marlins last night and they are now 9.5 games out. Tonight at CBP J.A. Happ(10-3) faces newly acquired starter Brad Penny(7-8) for the Giants. Game 2 tonight....