Phillies Notes: Phillies reliever Antonio Bastardo has another shaky - and worrisome - outing

The Phillies may be cruising down the highway toward the playoffs with the top down and no resistance in sight, but not all the passengers can feel the sun hitting them in the face.

From the Phillies' perspective, an unsettling aspect to their 3-1 win over Florida in the first game of Thursday's split doubleheader was another shaky performance by reliever Antonio Bastardo.

Bastardo entered in the eighth inning and lasted three batters before he was yanked with Marlins on first and second and one out.

In his previous outing Friday in Milwaukee, Bastardo faced two batters and allowed two runs. And in his last four appearances, he has allowed four earned runs and three hits while walking five.

So far, the respites the Phillies have given him the last couple of weeks haven't seemed to help.

Manager Charlie Manuel, who expressed concern through most of the season that rookie relievers Bastardo and Mike Stutes would wear down in September, said he didn't believe fatigue remained an issue.

"I think he has to cut the ball loose a little bit better and be a little bit more aggressive," Manuel said of the lefthander. "I just think it's a matter of him getting out there and getting sharp again. It's a long season. I said when the season started and they [Stutes and Bastardo] were doing real good that it was new territory for them. And the games will get bigger, too. He's having trouble with his command, and he's not really turning it loose.

"We got time. I think he'll be all right. I have confidence in him. I think it's just a matter of time before we get him back to throwing the ball like he can and getting him right going into the playoffs."

Raul Ibanez isn't known for his defense in left field, but he made a huge play when he threw out Omar Infante at the plate after Gaby Sanchez singled in the eighth inning of Game 1. It was the second out, and it preserved a 3-1 lead.

"What makes a play like that a really good feeling is the reaction from the fans," Ibanez said. "It raises the hair on your arms."

Ibanez also hit his 30th double. He and Albert Pujols are the only active players in the majors with 10 straight 30-double seasons. Ibanez made a spectacular diving catch to record the second out in the ninth inning of the nightcap.

Shane Victorino on Thursday was named the 20th winner of the Branch Rickey Award, which is presented by the Rotary Club of Denver to a major-league player for his charitable work.

"He founded his foundation just last year, and they've already awarded $500,000 to charities in Hawaii," said Stephen Straight, director of the Rickey Award project. "The biggest thing he's done recently was initiating a program about a year ago to remodel the 105-year-old Nicetown Boys and Girls Club in Philadelphia."

Victorino's induction into the Baseball Humanitarians Hall of Fame is scheduled for Nov. 12 in Denver.

Catcher Tuffy Gosewisch of double-A Reading and pitcher Joe Savery of triple-A Lehigh Valley are on the U.S. roster for the 2011 IABF World Cup and the Pan American Games, USA Baseball announced. Roly de Armas, manager of the Gulf Coast League Phillies, will be an assistant coach.

Gosewisch, 28, batted .241 with nine homers and 32 RBIs. Savery, 25, a lefthanded reliever, is 4-0 with two saves and a 1.80 ERA in 18 games. Righthander Pete Andrelcyzk, a native of Lancaster who is in the Florida Marlins organization, is also on the team.

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program joined the Phillies in the unveiling of the design of a new Center City mural celebrating the history of the Phillies. The mural will be 3,750 square feet and stand eight stories high on a building at 24th and Walnut Streets.