Turning It Around
The Phillies beat the Cardinals last night to win their third consecutive series. And wouldn't you know it, they're the hottest team in baseball?
Turning It Around
Todd Zolecki
Life looked pretty grim for the Phillies on July 25.
Charlie Manuel had benched Jimmy Rollins a day earlier at Shea Stadium, the same day the Phillies fell out of first place in the National League East -- the first time they hadn't been in first since May 31. Manuel called a team meeting on the 25th at Citizens Bank Park to clear the air, but the Phillies lost that night to the Braves to fall two games behind the Mets in the standings. The Phillies were 13-21 in their previous 34 games, hitting just 3.91 runs per game with a 4.42 ERA.
But the Phillies are 7-1 in their eight games since, including last night's 5-4 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, to make them the hottest team in baseball. They're back in first place and have a 2 1/2 game lead over the Marlins and a three-game lead over the Mets. They're averaging 6.25 runs per game with a 3.68 ERA in that stretch.
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Shane Victorino came up huge with a three-run homer in the eighth. Victorino is hitting .367 (29 for 79) with four doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 17 RBIs in 19 games since July 9.
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Important start for Brett Myers and he delievered. After shutting down a bad Nationals team last week, Myers pitched effectively against a good Cardinals lineup. In his three starts since he returned to the rotation, Myers is 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA. Opponents have hit just .177 against him. He's walked just one batter in the two starts since he walked five, including four consecutive batters in the first inning, against the Mets on July 23.
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In the Phillies Notebook: Ryan Howard rocks St. Louis, Tom Gordon's recovery is going well and more.
Good to see Victorino playing well, we need Rollins to follow. Marlins come to town tomorrow. It would be big to win this series and improve on that 2.5 game lead.— GHOSTPHAYCE- Can Brett really be turning into the starter we assumed he was in Spring Training? Can we really have a 1-2-3 punch of Cole, Myers and Moyer all of whom are pitching well? Can our CF really be making us forget Rowland? Who are these guys? Let's go Phillies!!!!— jeff gross
- anyone online today?— jeff gross
- (you're) I'll correct myself before the grammer control chimes in.— Truth
If anyone besides me is tired of seeing the same disturbed individual label people as losers, idiots, racists, etc. on this venue, here is a good website on cyberbullying, how to deal with it, and what motivates them. http://www.urban75.org/info/bullying.html— RAS- Good call, RAS. Don't forget the all-mighty "dope."— Mike H.
- We're still only beating minor league teams or bad bullpens on better teams....when will our offense show up against a quality pitcher, the kind you see in October? We're still winning and losing only by the HR, we won't get far doing that either....— Mark1npt
- Gordon's recovery is going well? 4 batters and 2 runs before being removed? How is that better? If you mean his arm is still attached and he can pick up a baseball, that's good and better, I suppose, but if anyone thinks he can be counted on to do anything near what he did last Sept.....well, I've got some swampland down here in Florida......— Mark1npt
- truth, you're the loser. jeff is simply being optomistic (unlike yourself) and asked 3/4 valid questions? what is your justification for calling him a loser? jeff - 1. i hope he continues this trend but to be honest i thought coming in this year that he would be a bust. 2. i think we do. 3. aaron who? 4. the philadelphia phillies i remember. Go Phils!!— davemarsh
- Now we have ppl buying into Myers. I remember earlier in the year when Eaton put together a 3-4 good starts and e veryone was willing to forgive his previous season and began to consider his previous failures a fluke. Myers is simply teasing YOU. Once a headcase always a headcase.— Truth
- Well you should know Truth...from personal experience...— Deb in Dixie
- Truth, it's gramm(ar) not (er)....just thought you should know.....— Mark1npt
- I'll bet anyone if Myers can continue what he is doing I'll leave the blog. If not YOU leave. Any takers?— Truth
- So what if they are winning or losing by the long ball?! This team wins because they play tough on offense every 27 outs. Last I checked, the only complete game against the Phils was against Brandon Webb in May. And, yeah, they have to beat someone like him to win in the playoffs. And, oh, let's see, the Phils won their game against Webb at CBP this year.— Mike H.
- okay truth (or is it lies?) why am I a loser? Because our pitching is actually pitching again? Or is it because I don't miss a 10 million CF who is no better then Shane, or perhaps because I actually "Have teh Fever"? (remember that song from the team in the '70's)— jeff gross
