Game 123: Howard, Ruiz return to lineup
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Game 123: Howard, Ruiz return to lineup
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — Both Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz are back in Charlie Manuel's lineup after each missed a brief time with minor injuries.
Howard sat Thursday with what was described as a sore right hand suffered during Wednesday's game. He was examined by a doctor Thursday and both team and player did not believe the injury to be serious.
Ruiz missed the last two games with a bruised left testicle and it was probably as painful as it sounds. Roy Halladay likely owes Ruiz a new watch or Cy Young trophy replica for throwing a curveball so nasty that Miguel Montero only caught a piece of it, launching the ball into Ruiz's groin.
And then there's this: The Phillies can play .500 ball for the remainder of the season (20-20) and finish with 100 victories. Yeah.
The lineup against Livan Hernandez:
1. Jimmy Rollins 6
2. John Mayberry Jr. 8
3. Chase Utley 4
4. Ryan Howard 3
5. Hunter Pence 9
6. Raul Ibanez 7
7. Carlos Ruiz 2
8. Wilson Valdez 5
9. Roy Oswalt 1
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Let's hit that 65 mile per hour curveball tonight.— hey buddy- The way they are playing I would not be surprised to see them get to 110.— ned folk
- Hey Cholly -- If you need a left-handed pinch hitter tonight, please go with Hamels or Lee and leave Gload on the bench. //— Al n SD
- Hey Cholly -- If you need a left-handed pinch hitter tonight, please go with Hamels or Lee and leave Gload on the bench. //— Al n SD
- Hey Cholly -- If you need a left-handed pinch hitter tonight, please go with Hamels or Lee and leave Gload on the bench. //— Al n SD
- I don't see what's so funny about a bruised left testicle.— Cheesedog
Comment removed.- Once the division is clinched, Charlie will sit the regulars quite a bit. I think 102-104 wins is going to be the final tally.— jaredphillyfan
- My prediction for Phillies player of the game tonight is John Mayberry— zeke128
- Maybe Doc should give Chooch a bronzed baseball. Ouch.— palmyra21
- Let's hope that Pence looked at video of the game last week when Hernandez, in all of his at bats, threw the slow, down and away curve and he kept swinging and missing.— bobbyuk
- I say let's not play .500 ball and stay at the steady clip we are winning, approx 2 of 3 and see how that carries into the playoffs. Starters go 7, maybe 8, bullpen gets steady work, platoons in place, and we get everyone at bats. Burn out and complacency are more a danger at this point than the Braves, Diamondbacks, Giants, or any other team on the near horizon. Keep the boilers running hot - all ahead 2/3!— Dadof24
- Any man who has been kicked in the nether regions can tell you how much that hurts. Now imagine that kick going 90 miles an hour. I still can't believe he finished the game. Dude is tough. Now go whack on the Natinals. Heh.— verve
- How is Polly doing? When will he be back? Now go and destroy the Nats!!!— bossrjc
- Let's hope they don'try to start the game tonight. It's pouring in Chester Co. and I don't want to waste Halladay like they wasted the starters last night. Just because it's not raining now doesn't mean anything. Hope someone looks at a computer before the game.— scootch
- Good pitcher for Mayberry, he kills lefties and righties with no power pitches.— jking91
- there was a comment posted somewhere that Cholly noted the injury to Ruiz and said he when asked if he's alright, Charlie said 'I didn't check 'em out.'"
— righty - Time for a Dom Brown update. He is currently batting .255 against triple A pitching. That's right, I said .255. And he missed a routine popup the other night. I was at the Pigs game Wednesday and he looks like he doesn't want to play baseball anymore.— n62
- Seriously? They get 4 batters in and have to delay? What the hell is MLB doing the past couple nights? Don't they plan ahead with the weather pattern we've been in? Good god.....get a clue. I said 3 hours ago they shouldn't start....and if I know that rain is coming, why don't they? Flat out incompetent.— scootch
