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PHOENIX - Shane Victorino looked a little like professional wrestler Rey Mysterio on Wednesday night at Chase Field.
First, they are a similar size. Mysterio is listed at 5-foot-6, 165 pounds, while Victorino is 5-8, 180.
Second, they wear distinct headgear. Mysterio wears a mask, while Victorino is one of the few big-leaguers to don a double-flapped helmet.
But perhaps most important, both can take a clothesline hit. Victorino survived first baseman Conor Jackson's inadvertent clothesline in the eighth inning of a 5-4 comeback win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, which kept the Phillies in a first-place tie with the Florida Marlins in the National League East.
The Phillies can win the four-game series with a victory this afternoon.
"That's staying after them," manager Charlie Manuel said. "Play the game out. We'll stay right with you. As long as our pitching and defense keeps us in the game, somewhere down the line we'll put some runs on you."
Victorino had just struck out to lead off the eighth, but Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder let the ball get past him to give Victorino a chance to reach first. As Jackson positioned himself in foul territory to take the throw, Snyder's throw went back across the bag and into fair territory.
The ball reached first at the same time Victorino arrived.
Jackson reached over to make the catch, but his body hit Victorino. The collision sent both players flying.
Jackson left the game, and may have suffered a mild concussion, the Diamondbacks said. Victorino remained.
"All I know is that I was on my back," Victorino said. "That's all I remember. It didn't feel good at the time, but now I feel good. It left a mark, I'm sure, on one of us. I hope he's not too seriously hurt."
"Victorino did a good job getting on base," Manuel said. "He struck out, then hustled down there, got clotheslined, got up, and was going to steal a base."
Victorino told Manuel on the field that he planned to steal second on the first pitch to Eric Bruntlett. That's what he did, but Bruntlett doubled to left to score Victorino, making it 4-4. Chase Utley followed with a single up the middle to score Bruntlett and give the Phillies their first lead of the night.
The Diamondbacks had a 3-1 lead through six innings. Micah Owings had retired 11 consecutive batters when Geoff Jenkins singled to right with one out in the seventh.
Pedro Feliz followed with a two-run home run to tie it, 3-3.
Feliz had begun the night hitting just .236 with four homers and 13 RBIs, but he has had his share of clutch hits. He hit a game-winning double against the Houston Astros on April 15. He hit a game-winning pinch-hit homer against the New York Mets on April 20.
Ryan Madson gave the lead back to Arizona in the seventh, but the Phillies fought back again.
J.C. Romero (0.63 ERA in 17 appearances) worked out of Madson's jam in the seventh, Tom Gordon (1.29 ERA since opening day) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Brad Lidge (0.00 ERA in 16 appearances) pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his eighth save.
"I feel good about tonight's win," Manuel said. "It was a real good win for us."
Victorino felt pretty good, too. But he did not see a future career in pro wrestling or mixed martial arts.
"I don't want to have headaches," he said.
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