Game Recap:
Jamie Moyer wasn't as sharp as he could be, but the Phillies rode a four run fourth inning to their second straight win. Brad Lidge recorded his first save in almost a month.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 2-4 with two RBI.
Ryan Howard went 1-5 with an RBI.
Shane Victorino was 1-4 with an RBI.
Carlos Ruiz went 1-3 with an RBI.
The Phillies walked nine times.
Chan Ho Park, who apparently didn't suffer an exploded knee, as I first feared, pitched two shutout innings in relief of Jamie Moyer. He allowed no runs, no hits and struck out one.
Brad Lidge recorded his first save since June 1st against the Padres, allowing two men to reach base before closing the door.
What went wrong?
John Mayberry Jr was 0-5 with three strikeouts.
Jamie Moyer got the win, but he wasn't great, allowing four runs on five hits in five innings of work. He struck out four, walked two and allowed three home runs.
Game Analysis:
Wow, back to back wins for the Phillies for the first time since they finished up their last road trip...this is a good thing. Even though Moyer wasn't on his game tonight, the Phillies still managed to pull out a series win against a Toronto team that swept them just a week ago. The Phils even showed some patience at the plate today, walking nine times to counter the nine strikeouts they also had. Of course, Jayson Werth had four of those walks, but it was still good to see the Phillies not swinging at every last pitch.
I don't know if this is the start of a turnaround, but at least the Phillies looked alive for two straight games for the first time in two weeks. The offense looks like it's getting back on track, even with Jimmy Rollins still sitting on the bench. Chase Utley's picked up the slack, and if Shane and Werth can keep up with their efforts, the team might be ok. I'm still a little worried at pitcher, since Jamie got hit around a bit today and only made it through five innings, but seeing Brad Lidge pick up a save was worth it. Sure, he did it the typical Brad Lidge way, but he got the job done, and right now, that's the important thing.
If this is the start of a turnaround for the Phillies, I'd be very happy about it. Interleague play is done for another season, and even though the Phils took a beating, they're still in first place. That's where they need to be, and that's where they will hopefully stay. Remember, they didn't do that well in interleague play last year, and look where they ended up.
Tomorrow, the Phillies are off as they head to Atlanta to take on the Braves. Joe Blanton (4-4, 5.06 ERA) will face Derek Lowe (7-6, 4.53 ERA) on Tuesday.
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