NEW YORK - It's that time of year.
The Big Man's time of year.
The days are still warm, if shorter. The games mean more, so there's that. He's looser, or he's more focused, or he's benefiting from the erosive effect on opposing pitchers of facing the league's best lineup.
Maybe it's all of that.
Maybe Ryan Howard just likes crushing come late August.
He smashed two more homers yesterday, his 33rd and 34th, and drove in runs 100, 101, 102, 103, 104 - all five that mattered in the 6-2 win over the laughably depleted Mets.
"He basically won the game," said starter Cliff Lee, who actually won the game, his fifth in as many starts as a Phillie. New York's Bobby Parnell (3-6), who gave up both homers, lost.
Howard does this sort of thing this time of year. It always masks his maddening, prodigious strikeout total, which again this season will approach 200.
Even after a 13-game run in which he is 16-for-53 (.302) with eight homers and 24 RBI, he is hitting .268 for the season, and might hover around there the rest of the season. He one day might be able to again reach the .300 mark, done just once in his three full seasons.
Hitting .300 might never define him. Winning a ballgame here or there, seemingly by himself, certainly will.
The Phillies have won 11 of those 13 games, including three of four here. They lead the Braves by seven games, the Marlins by eight, the Mets by 16 1/2. All as Howard finds his form.
So, why does Howard get hot when it matter most?
The three people closest to him offered their explanations.
"It's that time of year. He bears down more," manager Charlie Manuel said.
"It's hot. He loosens up," said hitting coach Milt Thompson.
"He's got guys on in front of him," said Jimmy Rollins, the leadoff man who often is on base in front of him.
Sure, it's hot in June, July and early August, but maybe a man Howard's size takes extra time to thaw . . . or tire.
"Maybe [fatigue] slows him down," said Thompson, who forever is trying to keep Howard from being overeager.
"I don't know," said Howard, possibly fibbing.
After all, he must be aware of his own secret.
