For the first time in a career in which he had shuttled back and forth from the major leagues to the minors at a dizzying pace, interrupted only by a grim 2006 on the disabled list with a shattered wrist, Jayson Werth began this season knowing that he had an everyday job.
A splendid athlete, Werth earned it last season when he nudged disappointing Geoff Jenkins out of the way and took command of the position. In 134 games, he set career highs with 24 homers and 67 runs batted in, and he received a two-year contract extension through next season for his services.
Now, he's threatening to dwarf those numbers while reinforcing the belief among those in the Phillies' organization that the 30-year-old is indeed an everyday player.
Last night before the 34th sellout crowd of the season at Citizens Bank Park, Werth hit his 20th homer and drove in his 53d and 54th runs, enough to more than compensate for getting picked off first base in the eighth inning, and the Phillies knocked off Cincinnati, 9-6.
Werth has 12 home runs since June 13. He went into the game tied with the Cardinals' Albert Pujols for most homers since that date.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who will manage the National League all-star team on Tuesday, said Werth was all-star worthy.
"His stats are definitely there with those other guys," Manuel said. "He's swinging the bat real good lately. He has good numbers, and he plays a good right field with a good arm. He's a good athlete."
The win was the Phils' sixth in the last seven games during a homestand that concludes with three games against Pittsburgh starting tonight.
Chase Utley also hit his 20th homer, in the third inning. His was more dramatic than Werth's as he circled the bases after his drive caromed off the wall in center just below the 409-foot sign.
The homers by Werth and Utley made the Phillies only the second team in major-league history to have four players with 20 or more homers before the all-star break. (Raul Ibanez has 22 homers, and Ryan Howard has 21.) Toronto did it in 2000.
"It shows we can hit the ball out of the yard," Manuel said. "If we get more consistent, we might do more."
Even though he labored through five innings, Jamie Moyer picked up his eighth win thanks to a four-run rally in the fifth inning. Chan Ho Park, who struck out four in three scoreless innings, and Brad Lidge made the lead hold up with strong pitching in relief. Park threw three scoreless innings, and Lidge closed it out in the ninth for his 15th save.
"Park pitched real good. Outstanding," Manuel said. "He mixed up his pitches good."
The first run of the four-run fifth inning scored when Pedro Feliz took a half-swing and punched the ball into right field to bring home Howard, who had walked. The inning could have ended right there on a double play if the Reds had executed, but Paul Bako got to first base as Reds reliever Josh Roenicke was feeling for the bag with his foot, allowing the inning to continue. Jimmy Rollins knocked in the go-ahead run with a hit, and another run came home on a wild pitch by Daniel Ray Herrera.
Then Werth joined the 20-homer club with a drive into the shrubs in center to make it 9-6 in the sixth.
Rollins continued his resurgence with two hits and a walk. The shortstop is 12 for 28 with seven walks and eight runs in the last seven games.
Edwin Encarnacion's bloop homer, which gave the Reds a 4-2 lead in the fourth, was in stark contrast to the three straight tracers the Phillies hit in the bottom of the third to get two runs with two out.
Utley got it going with the first inside-the-park homer by a Phillie since Werth on April 21 of last season in Colorado. Utley drilled the ball off the angled wall in center field, just below the 409-foot sign. The ball caromed toward right field, and Utley coasted across home plate for his second career inside-the-park homer. Howard and Werth followed with consecutive hard-hit doubles as the Phils carved their deficit down to 3-2.
Moyer Moves Up
Phillies lefthander Jamie Moyer won his 254th game, tying Red Faber and Jack Morris at 40th on the all-time list, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Here are the pitchers directly ahead of Moyer in career wins:
39. Ted Lyons. . . 260
38. Gus Weyhing. . . 264
37. Jim McCormick. . . 265
35. Bob Feller. . . 266
tie. Eppa Rixey. . . 266
Contact staff writer Ray Parrillo at 215-854-2743 or rparrillo@phillynews.com.
