Phils win on Victorino’s hit in 9th

It was a different night for Shane Victorino than it was for Rodrigo Lopez. The centerfielder, campaigning for a final all-star roster spot, heard loud cheers from the fans at Citizens Bank Park, stole two bases and singled in the winning run in the ninth inning of a 3-2 Phillies victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Lopez, the pitcher who finally emerged after elbow surgery two years ago to win an important game last Friday, pitched well for five innings and left with right shoulder inflammation. The Phillies, who have been short of pitching and rich in comeback victories all season, saw more of the same tonight.

Lopez, 33, was the second starting pitcher to audition for Brett Myers' spot in the rotation after Myers injured his hip and was likely lost for the season. Antonio Bastardo pitched well in two starts before his limited repertoire returned him to reality, and then he strained his left shoulder. Lopez, who underwent reconstructive Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2007, lasted into his second start before injuring his own pitching shoulder tonight.

Lopez was promoted from triple-A Lehigh Valley over prospects Carlos Carrasco and Andrew Carpenter. By the second inning of his Phils debut on Friday, the pitcher had a 10-run lead, and pitching coach Rich Dubee felt that he exhibited aggressiveness that was appropriate to the situation. "Rodrigo threw strikes with a big lead," Dubee said. "I thought he acquitted himself well."

Tonight, Lopez faced the same question after an impressive first outing that Bastardo did: How long will it last? Before the injury, Lopez began the start as guilefully as he had ended the last one. After allowing a leadoff single to Chris Dickerson, Lopez retired the next seven batters. Working at a deliberate pace, Lopez relied overwhelmingly on variations of a high-80s fastball that touched 90 m.p.h. He sometimes threw it high, sometimes low, sometimes made it a cutter.

For three innings, Lopez exhibited that nebulous quality that Dubee calls "pitchability," and while he labored in the fourth, he limited the damage. Jerry Hairston Jr. led off the inning with a single that dunked into shallow left-center, and Joey Votto followed by hitting a fly ball to right-center that fell in between Victorino and Jayson Werth. Where Lopez might have earned a quick two outs, he had none.

He walked Brandon Phillips to load the bases, then allowed a single to Laynce Nix and a Ramon Hernandez sacrifice fly to make it 2-0, Reds. But Jay Bruce bounced into a double play, ending an inning that could have been worse for Lopez.

Toward the end of the fourth, Lopez began to rely less on his fastball and more on his slider and change-up, and he carried that strategy into the fifth, when he faced the minimum three batters throwing only change-ups. Then he became another of many injured Phillies starters.

Shane Victorino instigated a Phillies run in the bottom of the fourth inning, which he led off by hustling to first on an infield single. Victorino stole second, moved to third on a Chase Utley fly ball and scored when Ryan Howard poked a ground ball into left field. But Reds starter Homer Bailey retired Werth, Greg Dobbs and Pedro Feliz in order, and the score remained 2-1. Werth tied the score with a solo home run with two out in the sixth.

Contact staff writer Andy Martino at 215-854-4874 or amartino@phillynews.com.