12th Inning Rally Lifts Phils

This game would have been really tough to take in if the Phillies lost. However, they managed to pull out a win by the skin of their teeth.

Over four and a half hours before the game ended, Carlos Ruiz gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Ruiz, who was batting under the Mendoza line, raised his average to .293 in a matter of a week.

The Nationals took the lead off starter Joe Blanton when Ryan Zimmerman and Wil Nieves hit RBI singles and Blanton walked in a run with the bases loaded. In five innings, Blanton allowed four earned runs on five hits and six walks.

The Phillies inched back when Ruiz and Pedro Feliz, who went 4-5, each drove in runs in the sixth inning. In the seventh, Ryan Howard hit a towering, 400+ foot bomb to right center field, giving the Phils a 6-4 lead.

In the ninth inning, a struggling Brad Lidge came in to close the game. The Nationals managed to reach base on a couple of bang-bang plays. Willie Harris doubled, and on a Chase Utley error on the relay, the Nationals tied the game at 6. Lidge's ERA is now over nine.

It wasn't until the 12th inning when the Phillies scored again. Raul Ibanez didn't hit it hard, but managed to drive in two runs. Feliz doubled to give the Phillies a 10-6 lead.

J.A Happ earned the win in his two innings in relief. He was scheduled to start game two of the double header, but instead, Miguel Cairo was designated for assignment and Andrew Carpenter will make his second major league appearance.

The Phillies decided to go with Carpenter instead of Kyle Kendrick, who is scheduled to pitch with the IronPigs on Saturday.

Call of the day: On September 23, 1983, Steve Carlton won his 300th game, striking out 12 in the process. He became the 16th player in Major League history to win 300 games.

"Struck him out! Ball game is over! Phillies win it by a score of
6-2. Steve Carlton wins his 300th major league game, and the big left
hander is the first one to go out and shake the hand of Al Holland. Steve
Carlton, 300 Major League wins, 199 losses. Paul Owens is hugging the big
left hander. What a pleasure it was to watch him pitch over the years
since joining the Phillies in 19 hundred and 72. Thanks left hander.
You've given us a lot of thrills."