Phillies@Yankees

Game 1: Roy Halladay has great career numbers against the Yankees. It seemed like he would the perfect one to open up this series in a rematch of the 2009 WS. The Phillies were facing a familiar foe in CC Sabathia. Yeah, Halladay got roughed up and by roughed up I mean he gave a 2-run broken bat homerun to Nick Swisher and a first row homerun to left field to Mark Teixeira. I don't want to sound lie a whiner, because I know CBP has it's share of cheap homers (see Jayson Werth against Padres' Garland), but Mark Teixeira's homerun is a flyout at the Bank. That's all I'm saying. In all he gave up 6 ER in 6 innings while striking out 5 and walking 2. The offense scored 3 runs in the 4th inning against CC and that would be it for them for the night. Antonio Bastardo gave up 2 runs to seal the victory for the Yankees. Bad start to this series. Yankees 8-3

Game 2: I mentioned this on twitter after Moyer's last start against the Red Sox and I still stand by it but I also give Jamie Moyer all the credit in the world. He was fabulous. He was sensational. He was masterful. He was all of the above. I do feel that everytime he pitches badly, people will worry that he's too old and all that nonsense. Against a potent Yankees offense, he held them to 3 hits and 2 runs in 8 innings. He kept them off balanced and he got a lot of groundballs, which is a good thing when pitching in new Yankee Stadium. The offense got to A.J. Burnett early. They scored 4 in the 2nd inning with the big blow being a triple by Shane Victorino with the bases loaded. They scored 2 in the 4th inning when back-to-back solo homeruns from Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. That would be all the scoring and all that Jamie Moyer would need. Brad Lidge pitched the 9th inning in a 4-run game. He did allow one run but he struck out 3, which was good to see. Solid win. Phils 6-3

Game 3: In the finale of a series and the "rubber match" Kyle Kendrick wouldn't be the guy I'd want out there, except on this night he was. He shut down the Yankees and allowed just 1 run in 7 strong innings. He got out of the inning on a spectacular catch from Placido Polanco. The offense went down in order through the first 3 innings but an error by the Yankees allowed them to take a 1-0 lead on a Ryan Howard single. They would extend the lead in the next inning because of a Shane Victorino 2-run shot. It stayed that way until Kendrick got into some trouble in the 6th. He retired the first 2 batters of the inning. He then allowed a walk, a single and a single to put the Yankees on the board and cut the deficit to 2. That's when Polly made the aforementioned catch on the tarp to get Kendrick out of any more trouble. Jose Contreras pitched the 8th and made an unbelievable behind the back catch on a ball hit by Curtis Granderson. The offense in the 9th was swoon-worthy. Against Joba Chamberlain they scored 3 runs--2 came on sac flys, and another on a 2-out RBI double by Raul Ibanez. It made a close game, a bloodbath and a sigh of relief. It was good to win a series against a good team like the Yankees and even better after seeing Roy Halladay lose the first game. Phils 7-1

This is not how I imagined the series unfolding, but I'll definitely take it. I would never have guessed that Jamie Moyer and Kyle would shut down the Yankees on consecutive nights. Everyone wants to say that the Phils are back, but I just think we have to let the games play out before we crown them World Series champions or "out of it" in June. Things are obviously clicking right now so I am cautiously optimistic. It's good to see them win this series especially after dropping the first one, but they're still 3.5 behind the Braves and 3 behind the Mets. More wins, please!

Golden Girls Quote of the Day:
Rose: We really enjoyed your lecture on modern sculpture.
Laszlo: I didn't think anyone was paying attention.
Rose: Oh, we sure were, especially Dorothy. She even talked about taking up sculpting.
Laszlo: Really?
Dorothy: [laughing] Oh no, I didn't.
Rose: Yes you did! You said you'd like to help him mold his clay or buff his marble anytime!
Dorothy: Rose is such a kidder!

Phillies@Braves

Game 1: Memorial Day game and it was awful. Joe Blanton gave up a 2-run homerun in the first inning and another UNearned run in the same inning because of a Ross Gload error. It was basically over before it started. They scored 3 more after Ryan Howard booted what looked like an inning-ending double play. The Phillies made it close in the 7th when they scored 3 runs because of back-to-back-to-back-to-back doubles. It was futile as the bullpen gave back 3 in the bottom half of the same inning. The Phillies also fell .5 a game back in the division :( Braves 9-3

Game 2: Stop me if you've heard this before. Phillies fell behind in the first inning 3-0. This was a little bit different though. It was raining when the game started and then called a rain delay before Cole Hamels got the final out of the 1st inning. When the game started back up, Cole Hamels did not return but Tim Hudson did. Here's a shock, they fell behind 6-0. They got 2 back when Ryan Howard hit his first homerun on this roadtrip. It's been a while. The score was 7-2 going into the 9th. The Phils would score 1 to make it 7-3 and they loaded the bases with 2 outs for Ryan Howard. He grounded out to 2nd base. Another loss and they are now 1.5 games back in the division. Braves 7-3

Game 3: The Braves took another lead in the 1st. This time it was only 1-0. The Phillies actually got a hit with RISP. Jayson Werth tied the game in the 3rd. It stayed that way until the 8th when Jose Contreras gave up the go-ahead RBI. Billy Wagner got the save. It was another sweep against a division rival. YUCK. The 2 good things for me were Kyle Kendrick's solid start and Brad Lidge's return as the closer. I just hope there are games in the near future for him to close. This thing of not scoring is getting old. Now 2.5 games back in the division. I miss Jimmy! Braves 2-1

I will use no pictures when they get swept. Nothing to see.

Golden Girls Quote of the Day (in honor of Rue: more on this later):
Rose: Lately he's gotten, I don't know, really tight, and I hate it!
Blanche: Oh? Well, I'm just the opposite. I love a tight man. A tight man with cast-iron pecs... thighs that could choke a bear... and a butt you could eat breakfast off of... then the two of us would...Rose, when did you get in?
Rose: Blanche, I've been here the whole time! I was telling you about Miles being tight!
Blanche: Oh, I love a tight man! A tight man with cast-iron pecs... thighs that could---
Rose: No, tight with money! He's cheap!
Blanche: Oh - tight with money? Dump him

Phillies@Marlins

Game 1: Different city: hopefully means scoring. It did for at least the first game. They scored! Raul Ibanez got the coveted RBI on a triple that scored Ryan Howard from 1st base. It was a pretty liberating (?) feeling. I’m not sure that’s the word I wanted to use but nothing else is coming to me. It would’ve given the Phillies the lead had Kyle Kendrick made a solid throw to end the previous inning and not have allowed 2 runs to score. Well, Raul who stood at 3rd with no outs never came around to score. That’s okay because Ryan Howard would bring Chase Utley home with an RBI single. That wouldn’t have been possible had Chase not stolen 2nd base. It would stay tied until the 7th. With one out and Victorino on 2nd and Valdez on 1st, they successfully attempted a double steal. Chase Utley grounded out to shortstop to score Shane and have their first lead in what seems like forever. Kyle Kendrick was solid over 6 innings of work. Charlie in his postgame comments mentioned that pitcher in Seattle that needs no longer be mentioned. He was saying that Kyle should have a better pace when pitching and not be afraid to use his fastball. He went 6 innings and gave up 2 runs (2 unearned) that were a result of his throwing error. Jose Contreras got into a little bit of trouble in the 9th but still nailed down the save. It feels nice to win. It hasn’t happened in almost a whole week. Phils 3-2

Game 2: This game deserves a post of its own. Actually, a blog of its own. More to come...

Game 3: This was like déjà vu. It brought back baaaaaaaaaaaaad memories. Jamie Moyer was great. He went 6 innings and only gave up 1 ER. The bullpen held the Marlins and kept them at 1. Unfortunately, the offense didn’t score at all, again. They lost 1-0, but the euphoria and excitement from last night’s game kind of made it okay. But, no more free passes! The offense needs to start scoring and the pitching can keep playing the way they are. It’ll be a relief when Placido Polanco gets back (sore elbow, sat out Marlins series) and Jimmy Rollins. It hasn’t been often that the dream lineup has been out there for the Phillies. I just hope that’s not what it takes for them to start scoring again. Fish 1-0

Golden Girls Quote of the Day:
Rose: Downtown? He means jail!
Dorothy: Oh really Rose, I thought he meant Neiman Marcus.
Rose: I’ve never been in jail. I won’t make it. They always prey on the weak and innocent. The others will taunt me for trying to excel at my work in the laundry. I’ll fall in with a bad crowd, whose leader looks like Ethel Merman. And I’ll be forced to engineer a daring prison break using my laundry cart. From that time on, I won’t know a moment’s peace. I’ll scar my fingerprints with battery acid and I’ll run from town to town, taking jobs that people have who got bad grades in school. And then one day, they’ll find me, holed up in a little shack in the Louisiana bayou. And a sheriff named Bull will call my name out over a megaphone and when I make a run for it he’ll riddle my body with bullets! Oh please don’t let them take me downtown! I want to live! I want to live!
Dorothy: You're not very good in a crisis are you Rose?

Phillies vs. Pirates

Game 1: The game started really great as Kyle Kendrick gave up a homerun to the first batter he faced. The Phillies came back and manufactured a run to tie the game. Jimmy Rollins (!) got the RBI groundout and soon enough the Phillies took control of the game when Ryan Howard got a 2-run single with the bases loaded and Jayson Werth followed up with a 3-run homerun. Kyle Kendrick gave up 1 more run but the Phils ended up scoring 6 more runs. The big blow came when Ryan hit a grandslam off of Jack Taschner. Kendrick went 8 innings and Bastardo pitched an easy 9th. It was good to see the bullpen get a rest after seeing the same guys pitch day-after-day. Phils 12-2

Game 2: I went! I got there at 4 o'clock and it was windy, cold, and a little misty. I waited in the car with my dummy sister because the Third Base Gates didn't open until 5:35. I mean I prayed that this game got squeezed in because Halladay was pitching, but no one told me it was going to be freakin' cold. Halladay was AMAZING. He threw a complete game and gave up 2 ER on 132 pitches. The offense was anemic against Pirates' starter Zach Dukes. Ben Fransisco showed why he wasn't getting more ABs. The bases loaded and two outs with a 2-0 count, he's swinging! I mean the offense just did nothing. For a second there, Halladay must have thought he was back with the Blue Jays. When he starts, we should win. Run support dammit! Also, I got my bobblehead and was disgusted to see three things: 1.) People getting their bobbleheads and leaving 2.) People leaving in the 7th, 8th inning of a 1-run game and Halladay pitching 3.) People chanting "let's go Flyers." It's all quite embarrassing. Actually, what was more embarrassing was seeing Ryan Phillippe throw out the first pitch. Pirates 2-1

Golden Girls Quote of the Day:
Dorothy: Okay girls, which goes better, the silver chain or the pearls?
Rose: The chain.
Blanche: An amateur's mistake. Can't you see that the chain accentuates the many folds of that turkey-like neck?
Rose: Well, that may be, but the pearls draw attention to the non-existent bossom.
Blanche: Yes, but the chain leads the eye even lower, to that huge spare tire, jutting out over those square manly hips.
Dorothy: Why don't I just wear a sign that says: too ugly to live?
Blanche: Fine, but what are you gonna hang it from, the chain or the pearls?
Dorothy: Neither, I'm gonna spray paint it on my hump!

Phillies@Diamondbacks

Game 1: It was Cole Hamels' first start since his strong outing against the Marlins. He went six innings, 6 ER, and 4(!) homeruns. It's consistency that's needed from Cole Hamels and that's not what he's giving. This year is going to be important for Cole. He needs to be a true no.2 in this rotation. The Phillies did actually have a 2-0 lead in this game that was over in a blink of an eye as the D-bags scored 5 runs on the strength of 3 homeruns. Ouch. D-bags 7-4

Game 2: With J.A. Happ on the DL, Nelson Figueroa got the start in game 2. He pitched well in 5 innings of work, allowing 2 ER. He gave the Phillies a chance to win. The offense in three words: WERTH, IBANEZ, WERTH. Three solo shots and this is after a long homerun drought. Werth got it started with a solo shot that gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. Ibanez tied the game at 2 with a line-drive shot to right field. In the top of the 9th, Werth hit a monstrous shot to give the Phils the lead and the win. Ryan Madson came in, in the bottom of the 9th. He got the first out, allowed a single, and struck out the last two batters to end the game. It was nice to the Phillies hit their share of the longball. Phils 3-2

Game 3: It started out so well. Greg Dobbs hit a 2-run homerun in the first inning (playing in place of Polanco). Also, Ross Gload was the lead off man, replacing Shane Victorino. Kyle Kendrick started off well but the wheels fell off in the 5th when he gave up a hit to the pitcher, followed by a homerun and later on in the game, a 3-run homerun. The Phillies at this point, trailing 5-3 would rally back later in the game to tie it up on a Chooch 2-run single. Dave Herndon came in and gave up the 2 go-ahead runs. It was just a game that the Phillies looked like they should have won and ended up losing. It's their second series loss this season (albeit, young season). D-bags 8-6

Sarah Palin was in attendance. With me now, EWWWW!

Golden Girls quote of the day:
Dorothy: "Ohhh, do you know how many great, late night talks we've had at this kitchen table over cheesecake?"

Rose: "No. How many?"
Dorothy: "One hundred and forty-six, Rose!"

The Stretch Run, I Guess

Can't lose to the Nationals, Braves, or Marlins. With the Mets win and Phillies loss, they are now 2 games back with Cole on the mound tonight. They just have to win or obviously they won't make the playoffs. Plus Kyle Kendrick has been god-awful recently. He's clearly afraid to throw so that has to change. Maybe they'll give his next start to J.A. Happ; see how he does.
Brad Lidge is still perfect!--AND he has a cute butt.

P.S.

Get this shirt and vote for Obama!

No Implosion..Yet

Kyle Kendrick had another solid start. 7 innings, 8 hits, 2ER, 1 BB. He stayed out of trouble and gave the bullpen a needed rest. The Phillies keep playing well and smart baseball. Jimmy had 3 more hits. While Chase went 2-3 with 3 RBIs--playing like he never missed any time. The Phillies have to take advantage of this series and go for 7 in a row. JD Durbin has to be solid tonight. We have 3 potential MVPs on the team...that's unbelievable. They'll likely take votes away from each other though. It'll be fine, so long the Phillies make it to play October baseball.