Phillies bounce back, top D'backs

Wilson Valdez makes it a priority to change his hair style on a biweekly basis. He dyes it blond or red or keeps the natural brown, depending on his mood. Usually he fashions a mohawk, with some wonky pattern shaved into the back. This week, he buzzed it short. "Because," Valdez said, without elaborating.

He is a strange character in a game that happily breeds them. So there was Valdez, in the seventh inning of Wednesday's 9-2 Phillies victory over Arizona, admiring a deep fly to center. Never mind that Valdez had one extra-base hit in the previous 59 days and earned a win as a pitcher more recently than he bashed a home run.

"Sometimes," Ryan Howard said, "it's fun watching Wilson hit. It's a show."

Valdez held his bat as the ball traveled deep into the night. His swing had at least provided a lead for the Phillies, because even if Chris Young caught the ball it was a sacrifice fly. Valdez jogged toward first base, finally flipping the bat more than halfway, before he realized he had not crushed a majestic home run into the ivy beyond the center-field wall.

"Anytime I have a chance to play," Valdez said, "I want to enjoy the game and do the best I can."

It merely landed at the base of the wall for a two-run double and the hit that won Game 121 for the Phillies, watched by the largest crowd in regular-season history at Citizens Bank Park. Valdez does not play regularly, nor does he often hit the ball in the air, but he chose a perfect time to contribute in this magical season.

The Phillies' lead in the National League East returned to 81/2 games with Atlanta's loss. The upstart Diamondbacks proved their mettle with a ninth-inning comeback Tuesday against Roy Halladay. The Phillies flaunted their strength by sending another ace, Cliff Lee, to the mound for seven dominant innings. They outlasted Arizona, which imploded late in the game.

Lee allowed two runs - both coming with one swooping Paul Goldschmidt swing - in seven innings. That lowered his ERA to 2.82. He earned his 13th victory of the season only because of Valdez's timely swing.

Third base remains a murky spot for the Phillies. Placido Polanco was placed on the disabled list Wednesday, and although he can be activated as early as Monday, his sports hernia has spawned a nebulous situation. The team has ruled out surgery - for now - because such a procedure would probably end Polanco's season. Either way, Polanco's effectiveness is very much in question as he attempts to play through the injury.

That means, come October, the Phillies may have to rely on Valdez or Michael Martinez. Both offer little production offensively, but the Phillies have survived without a steady third baseman. Entering Wednesday, the team's .659 OPS from its third baseman ranked 12th in the league. As long as Valdez or Martinez can offer momentary flashes at the plate, the Phillies will be satisfied.

Manager Charlie Manuel played the hot hand in Martinez for much of July. In the last two months, Valdez has just 47 plate appearances, but the Phillies insisted on keeping him around because of an unsettled infield. He rewarded them with a night like Wednesday.

Once Valdez sparked a lead, the Phillies overwhelmed Arizona. They scored four times in the eighth on five hits and a costly throwing error by pitcher Brad Ziegler.

The righthanded bats were the difference. John Mayberry Jr. smacked three hits in a spot start while Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence each had two hits.

"That's what winning teams do," Lee said. "There's no weakness."

One stunning defeat hardly caused this team to stumble. They are quite good, and even someone like Valdez can savor success.

at mgelb@phillynews.com or @magelb on Twitter.