Game 106 Pirates @ Hunter Pence

Did hunter Pence get Ryan Howard better pitches already in Howard's first ab?
On the second pitch Ryan smoked a ball of the ivy over the center field fence and Howard is 4-4 with three RBI's so far.
Pence is 0-4 but he was safe on a close play at first in his initial ab but was called out.

Howard also picked u his 1000th hit tonight.

Cliff Lee has 9 K's after six innings and except for a two run homer he has looked very good. Much better then his last game when he looked like he didn't care.

Lee gets a mini standing O for nearly beating out an infield hit.
They had to take Lee out in the eighth, gave up a few runs and just couldn't get that last out. Bastardo came in and got the strike out.
leadoff triple for Victorino no outs, Utley dribbles a ball to first.
Now they walk Howard to get to Pence.

Hunter makes them pay by getting a single and the RBI.
Madson strikes out the side to nail down the win.

You have to wonder why Charlie let Lee go out for the 8th inning. He was near 100 pitches, they have a big lead. Put the bullpen in and keep Lee under 100 pitches and a really good game instead of an okay game. He ends p over 120 pitches, should have been out earlier.
Pence ends up 1-5 but clearly Howard was seeing better pitches and was 4-4 a triple short of a cycle.

Win 7-4
Streak 2 wins
After Pence 1-0
Last ten 7-3
Record 67-39
Home record 40-18

Game 105 Pirates @ Phils - Hunter Pence Day

Reports have come in that they have traded for Hunter Pence. They will lose two top prospects a pitcher and a power hitting first baseman.

They apparently get to keep Worley and Dom Brown.
As for the game. They got 3 in the first and 5 in the second and then put it on cruise control. Rollins added a two run homer late and Carpenter came in and coughed up three runs so it's 10-3 and that's the final.

Utley had a single a triple and a homer in his first three ab's but that was it for him
Halladay only gave up one hit through 7 and they pulled him out to get him rest.

Roy is now the first to 13 wins in the NL this season.
Hamels had a chance vs. The Giants but the only scored one run for him.

July 29th three years in a row, cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and now Hunter Pence.
I don't know how Amaro does it every year.

So a big win today against the Pirates and picking up Pence.

Win 10-3
Streak 1 win
Last ten 7-3
Record 66-39

Game 104 Giants @ Phils

Kendrick has been pretty good so far, 5 innings and only two runs.
Linicicum has been good too but looks hittable to me.
He's been behind in the count, has walked 3 but only two hits so far.
I would say he definitely hasn't been great tonight.

Utley got him to 3-1 with two outs after lincicum already walked two.
But then he swings at a ball that's was high and one in the dirt.
The Phils are simply over matched in these games against good pitching.

In the seventh thanks to sloppy play by Martinez the Giants picked up a couple of runs, and the Phils grabbed one in The bottom.
Could have had more but howard dribbled another out.

First inning was telling after a leadoff double then to third with one out, Utley poppedup and Howard strikes out.

First time in 54 days they lose two in a row and a series. Got them both out of the way in one shot.

Beltran didn't factor in but the Phils being unable to hit did.
They better get player soon.

Loss 4-1
Streak 2 loses
Last ten 6-4
Record 65-39

Game 103 Giants @ Phils

Cole Hamels 7.2 innings 2 earned runs
Matt Cain 7 innings 1 earned run.
Tonight's game was a prime example of why they need another bat.

Hamels pitched a terrific game but Cain was better.
Phils only had four hits and the Giants 6 but they scored and the Phils didn't. Giants had a couple of errors but they couldn't take advantage for more then one run.

Utley, Howard and Rollins either popped up or weakly rolled out every at bat.
The giants also picked up Carlos Beltran today for a minor league pitcher, he'll be in the line up tomorrow night.

Now with Kendrick against Linicicum tomorrow they are in line to lose two in a row and a series for the first time in nearly 7 weeks.

Loss 2-1
Streak 1 loss
Record 65-38

Game 102 Giants @ Phils

Big series with the Giants this week not in terms of the standing but as a fan. First time this season they play each other.

Vance Worley goes against Zito, should have been Linicum but he was sick before the game.
He gave up a leadoff double that got the Giants a 1-0 lead but that was it until Aaron Rowan homered in the eighth.
Until that homer Worley had a feat that matched something only one other pitcher has done since 1920.
One of two pitchers to make 6 consecutive starts with 5+ innings while allowing 1 earned run or fewer, Steve Carlton is the other.

Phils came right back in the bottom of the first with a four spot capped by Ibanez's 3 run homer.
Mayberry later homered and Chase Utley hit an inside the parker off the corner in center field.
Ryan Howard finished it up with a long shot that hit the wall over the center field fence.

Worley gave up three hits in his first career complete game.

Rollins didn't get a hit and hasn't gotten one in four games now.

Worley is now 7-1 and has to be in consideration for rookie of the year.

Phils go back to 28 over .500 and are 29-13 in the last 41 games. Pending the Braves game they are now 6.5 games up on them.

Win 7-2
Streak 1 win
Last ten 7-3
Record 65-37

Games 98, 99, 100, 101 four game series Padres @ Phils

The Phils had a four game series this past weekend with the Pods so I just waited till it wasover.
In game one Cole Hamels was looming to tie for the league lead with 12 wins.
He went 8 innings in the hottest day of the summer so far and struck out ten and only allowed 3 hits.
Hamels was just great again, well at least after that start following the all-star game.
The Phils only had 6 hits but it didn't matter.
It was 80's night so we got to see the Phils 1984 home red and white Pinstripes with the fat P.
Padres wore their '84 jerseys including the "RAK" on the arms. Lots of fun.
Was supposed to go to the game but the tickets were sold-out so we went to Sunday's game instead.

Win 3-1
Streak 3 wins
Record 62-36

Game 99

Kendrick pitched decent and only gave up 3 in 6 innings and left with the score tied at 3
Stutes gave a lead run up but in the seventh Howard led off with a pinch hit home run to tie it up.
Martinez and Utley also homered in the inning off Qualls who hardly ever gives up homers.
They scored five in the inning and held on for a win.

Martinez had 3 RBI's and Utley had 4.

Win 8-6
Streak 4 wins
Record 63-36


Game 100

Went to the game with standing room only tix.
Was another super hot day but for about two innings a strong wind blew straight in and they were ready to put the tarp on too.

Halladay was going for his 12th win today and it looked like he was going to get it when they got him a 5-1 lead.
Roy had 91 pitches after five but only needed 25 more through the next three.

This game had a bad feel to it, really thought they weren't going to holdon.
Howard had two nice hits in his first two ab's by dropping the ball into left field but looked pretty bad in the next two ab's.

Bastardo had a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save.
we had fun at the game. It was me, my brother, Karen, Paul, Dennis and his daughter Brandi.
Den and Brandi had seats down in the lower section behind home so we didn't see them during the game.

If my memory is right this marks the ninth series win straight and 42 games since they lost two in a row.
At game 100 their record stands at 64-36, second best at 100 behind the 1976, 68-32.

Win 5-3
Streak 5 wins
Last ten 8-2
Record 64-36

Game 101

I don't know what was going on with cliff Lee today.
He got pulled after four, gave up five runs and fell asleep with a runner on third.
In the four runs second he had runners on the corners. Lee had a pickoff over to first but just lobbed it over. Denorfia on third took off and stole home as it turned out this was the margin of victory.

Lee was 6-0 in his last 7 home starts and a 0.95 era, but not today.

Phils got it to 5-4 but that was it.

Loss 5-4
Streak 1 loss
Record 64-37

Game 97 Phils @ Cubs

What do Steve Jeltz, Tomas Perez and Jimmy Rollins have in common?

The Phils got off on the right foot at the start today.
The cubs shortstop lost a pop up in the sun that lead to two runs for the Phils and the Cubs Didn't recover.

The temp was nearly 100° today and well over that on the field today but this time it affected the Cubs starter Ryan Dempster instead of the Phils Vance Worley.
Worley only gave up 4 hits and none until the fifth inning as he pitched another great game. He has to be consider for ROY soon if he continues this.

The top three in the order went 7-13, that includes the three hits and three RBI's and two homers, one from each side of the plate for Rollins. I thought in heard Larry Anderson say it was the 153rd time this happened, twice now for Rollins. Mickey Mantle ten times.
Including the last two innings Tuesday they scored runs in six consecutive innings.

Howard had a hit and an RBI but he is looking terrible at the plate.

Worley even doubled and scored a run. He also pitched eight innings for the first time and his era is 2.02

Mood, feeling pretty, pretty pretty good right now. They are on pace for well over 100 wins. The Braves lost so the lead is 4.5 games and their wild card lead is a hypothetical 9 games.
Looking forward to this four games set at home with the Padres this weekend, including 80's night Friday and our game some of us are going to Sunday. Season high 25 games over .500

Win 9-1
Streak 2 wins
Last ten 6-4
Record 61-36

Game 96 Phils @ Cubs

This looked like another one of those games, three hits, no runs and a great pitched game by a Phils starter that ends up as a loss.

Cliff Lee gave up a double to start the game and then a two run homer that barely cleared the basket in left.
Then another double but got out of out of it no more runs.
In the second inning he gave up a single and a double then struck out the next three as if he turned on a switch. From then until they pinch hit for him in the seventh he was brilliant, was a shame he couldn't get the win.

Matt Garza shut them out on two hits into the seventh inning.
After letting the first two Phils on in the eighth he was pulled.
Marshall came in and gave up a two run tying double to Utley.

Utley and Howard have been about two for thirty so far afterthe break so that was a big hit to get.
Of course Howard struck out looking terrible right after.

Top nine, with two outs Ben Francisco singles, Jimmy Rollins singles. Next Michael Martinez doubles them both in and is out trying to get to third.

Phils up 4-2 after looking like they were dead the whole game andt he previous game too.

Bastardo comes in the bottom of the ninth and strikesout the side. I can't believe there is any consideration to making Madson the closer again.

Mood, surprised out how boring the team is even while they continue to win and win. Since early June they have literally won two out of every three games and haven't lost two in a row since then or a series. Haven't won more then two arow either.

Win 4-2
Streak 1 win
Last ten 6-4
Record 60-36 first team to 60 wins

Game 95 Phils @ Cubs

It's been 12 games since I posted on a game.
Been a little busy.
We had a trip to Georgia for a week and just before we left one of our dogs got out and was missing for a few days.
Luckily we were able to find him, but it did take a toll on us for a bit.

Now, in the 12 games that passed the Phils were 8-4. Not bad.
Haven't lost a series since Junr 19th to Seattle.
Haven't lost two in a row since the end of a four game losing streak ending on June 5th.

Now to tonights game with the Cubs.

It's the fifth inning and we have Halladay against Lopez.
The Phils have one hit a homer by Rollins.
The Cubs had a big inning in the third, Halladay threw over thirty pitches gave up two runs and after the inning, in the dugout looked like he was going to pass out from the heat.
He had cold towels on his head, changed his jersey, looked like he needed oxygen.

He must be sick, somethings not right.

On the other side Lopez is just freezing through the Phils.
First nine down in order, Rollins leadoff homer, then nothing until a two out double by Mayberry in the fifth, then Halladay struck out on three pitches.
Lopez is having a walk in the park and Halladay needs oxygen, what is going on?

Another leadoff runner in an inning against him, I've never seen a great pitcher give up so many first batter hits.
Well now with no outs and a runner on first Halladay just called out the trainer and on a 1-1 count he's out of the game.
He really looked Ill when they had him in the dug out, so hopefully that's all it is.
This ends a streak. 63 consecutive road starts of 6 innings or more stopped.

Ok stuff like this will happen once in awhile but there is no excuse for them only having two hits against Rodrigo Lopez.
Now Andrew Carpenter is on the mound.

Little rally going, Martinez a one out hit and Utley took a ball on the leg.
Howard swings at an outside pitch and pops it up to left, foul. Soriano dropped it while nearly tripping over the mound in the bullpen.
The cubs have the bullpens in foul territory down the lines.

This game is an embarrassment for the Phils hitters.
Howard popped out and Ibanez struck out on two balls up near his head and way outside.

There's another run for the Cubs, now it's 4-1.
And here comes another.
Some of this could have been avoided. The leadoff hitter gets on again, then steals his first base in over a year. Would have been out but Rollins dropped the throw, next guy, Lopez bunts him to third, then a double and another double. 5-1.

Now we're treated to Herndon who is nice enough to give up a real bomb over the center field wall, 6-1.
Dom Brown just smacked into the wall, this is literally a wall as there is nothing but bricks behind that ivy.
So two balls smoked for two batters for Herndon so far.

Mood is aggravated. And thank goodness that mess is over. A disgrace, only five hits.
First time they lost the first game in About a month. Marmol struck out two then walked two then struck out one to end the game.

Loss 6-1
Streak 1 loss
Last ten 6-4
Record 59-36