Game Recap:
Jamie Moyer pitched eight innings to become the oldest pitcher to beat the Yankees, and Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth came through with back to back home runs as the Phils tied their series with New York.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 1-4 with a bases loaded triple.
Ryan Howard went 1-4 with a home run.
Jayson Werth was 1-3 with a home run.
Greg Dobbs was 1-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
The Phillies walked five times and stole three bases.
Jamie Moyer picked up the win and looked good doing it, allowing just two runs on three hits in eight innings of work. He walked one and struck out five.
What went wrong?
Placido Polanco was 0-5.
Brad Lidge struck out the side in the ninth inning, but did so while working around two hits, a walk and a run scored. It was vintage Lidge, and not necessarily the good kind.
Game Analysis:
Less than a week removed from the worst start of his career, Jamie Moyer came out last night in Yankee Stadium and pitched like the man that he's been for most of this season. Moyer hit his spots all night long and kept the Yankees from getting any sort of advantage at the plate as the Phillies beat New York 6-3.
Against C.C. Sabathia on Tuesday night, the Phillies let chances slip by, but they did not do the same thing against AJ Burnett last night. Greg Dobbs drove home Raul Ibanez with a single in the second inning after Ibanez stole(!) second base, and then Brian Schneider and Wilson Valdez each reached to load the bases. Shane Victorino's bases clearing triple gave the Phillies more momentum than they've had in about a week, but the offense wasn't done yet in the early going. In the third inning, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth hit the first back to back home runs for the Phillies this year. It was a great offensive effort from the Phils against Burnett, who never got into a groove and was lifted from the game after just three and a third innings.
The biggest story last night was Jamie Moyer, however. Save for his last start against Boston, Moyer has been solid for most of the season, and last night was more of the same. He did give up two home runs, but only allowed one other hit through eight innings. It was the kind of effort that let you know he still has a little bit left in his tank, even at age 47. When he can hit the outside corner of the plate like he did last night and still not have people able to hit the ball, then he's going to have success. It's how he's done it his entire career, and it's how he's going to keep doing it this year. That's just the way that Moyer works. It's not always pretty, but it gets the job done.
It's a bit early to say that last night's game was a "must win," but the Phillies haven't been playing great baseball of late, and things haven't been looking that good. Last night, the Phils actually looked like the team that's won three straight National League East pennants, and maybe, just maybe, they can start to pull themselves back from the brink and get back into the thick of things in this division. The schedule isn't going to get any easier this month, but this team can beat anyone on any night when they're playing well. Plus, Jimmy Rollins and J.A. Happ are on the road back, so things are finally starting to come together again. You can't complain about that.
Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 4.80 ERA) will try and give the Phillies the series win over the Yankees. He'll be facing Andy Pettitte ( 8-1, 2.46 ERA).
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