Moyer's Gem Can't Make Up for Bats

As seen on Phillies Nation.

There aren’t too many complaints about the Phillies’ pitching of late. The starting pitchers and bullpen have dazzled hitters over the past couple of weeks. Jamie Moyer continued his success against the Florida Marlins, but unfortunately wasn’t perfect.

Moyer limited the Marlins to just one run on four hits over six innings of work. He struck out two.

The lone run came off the bat of Ronnie Paulino, who singled on a ground ball to right field, bringing in Hanley Ramirez. The sixth inning run broke the tie, but the Phillies were never able to produce runs offensively.

Anibal Sanchez limited the Phillies to just three hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out seven. The Phillies did not have any luck against the Florida bullpen either.

The Phillies left eight men on base, and were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The 1-0 loss makes it the fifth time the Phillies have been shutout in the last eight games.

The Phillies still managed to take two out of three from the Marlins, but they are still lost offensively. The Phillies despertely need to find their bats.

Moyer Looks to Continue Filet-ing of Fish

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Philadelphia Phillies (28-20) at Florida Marlins (24-26).
Jamie Moyer (5-4, 4.55 ERA) vs. Anibal Sanchez (4-2, 3.23 ERA).

No, it wasn't a dream. That really happened. Roy Halladay pitched a perfect game!. It's still unbelievable.

Many would assume that the Marlins would be bummed after getting no-hit, but Cody Ross had a different approach to the perfect game. "It's the best pitcher in baseball. It's not embarrassing," Cody Ross said. The Marlins are probably going to come out swinging today.

While we are all still thinking about perfection, Jamie Moyer will take the hill against a team he has had so much success against. Moyer is 13-5 with a 3.18 ERA against Florida. At Sun Life Stadium, his ERA is a minuscule 1.66.

Moyer will be opposed by Anibal Sanchez, who has a no hitter on his resume. Sanchez has struggled against the Phillies, going 2-5 with a 5.70 ERA against the Phillies. When he is on, Sanchez has no-hit material, but is wild when he is off. The way the Phillies offense has been going, the edge could go to Sanchez.

This would be a perfect time for the Phillies to turn around their offensive struggles. It would also be a nice time for a sweep.

Mailbag: Who's the Phillies Biggest Threat?

In this post, I answered a question that was presented by Pat Gallen of Phillies Nation.

The Phillies play the Mets, Marlins, and Braves this week. The Braves were looked at as the 2nd best team in the NL East before the season started but haven't quite lived up to that hype. The Marlins are who they are. The Mets are the bottom feeder right now, but have had an up and down season. Who of these three teams do you believe will give the Phillies the closest race in the NL East and why?

This is a tough question. So far, the Phillies have been superior in most categories, but you can never count any team out. They can all be a threat.

Entering Sunday, the Marlins were 11th in baseball in overall ERA. However, they have a better rotation than the Mets and Braves. From Josh Johnson to Anibal Sanchez, all five guys in their rotation can get the job done. However, their bullpen is a little worrisome. Leo Nunez has been a solid closer, but they don't really have anybody other than him.

Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla can get the job done offensively. Even Cody Ross and Jorge Cantu have done well. Chris Coghlan hit a sophomore slump, and Cameron Maybin has yet to play to his potential, but you have to like the Florida offense. However, I think the Mets have more offensive potential than the Marlins.

The Mets are last of the four teams in runs scored, but with players like Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Jason Bay, you'd have to imagine that they will snap out of the funk.

The thing that will hold the Mets back is their pitching. Entering Sunday, the Mets were 8th in the majors in ERA, but they've had all kinds of problems, from injuries to moving Oliver Perez to the bullpen. Johan Santana hasn't been "the best pitcher in the NL East" as he proclaimed, but you'd have to figure he'll come around. Francisco Rodriguez can close the doors, but they have to get to him. Pitching is not something the Mets can rely on right now.

The Braves have yet to play to their expectations, but they still can't be counted out. Every pitcher hates facing Chipper Jones and Brian McCann, and Jason Heyward is finding his way onto that list.

The Braves have the better bullpen of all the teams in the National League, but other than Tommy Hanson, they haven't gotten much from their starting rotation.

Of course, there are the Nationals, who can't be counted out. They've been streaky, but I don't see them contending this year. Much improved? Absolutely. Stephen Strasburg is going to make his debut soon, but I still give them two more years, maybe when Bryce Harper is on the team.

So, after all this, I have yet to answer the question, but I really had to think it out, and break it down. I think I'm going to have to go with the Marlins, but it is very close. They have the NL East's best rotation, plus a solid offense.

Blog of Note: WhatIfSports put together an all budget team, comprised of the biggest bargains and revenue risks. They also interviewed general manager Jim Bowden about his thoughts on small market baseball.

Year In Review: Phils Rally in 9th on Victorino's Salami

Swing and a Long Drive will be looking at some of 2009's top moments. We had a similar "Year in Review" last year, but instead of month-by-month, we'll look at some of the top games. They are also a part of Phillies Nation's Top 25 Moments of 2009.

On April 24, Brett Myers pitched six solid innings against the Florida Marlins. All three runs he allowed came in the first inning, thanks to Dan Uggla's three-run bomb. Myers was stellar, but Josh Johnson was better.

Johnson dominated, as he did all season. He struck out eight in seven shutout innings. The Phillies had trouble getting on base as Johnson only allowed three hits and two walks.

Clay Condrey and Ryan Madson combined for three scoreless innings to keep the Phillies in the game. Still, the Phillies trailed 3-0 in top of the ninth, and were practically without hope. One swing of the bat changed everything.

Jayson Werth started the rally by smacking a one-out double to center field. He later scored on Matt Stairs' single that squeaked through the right side of the field. Jimmy Rollins drew a bases loaded walk. The bases remained juiced for Shane Victorino, who followed with a high drive down the right field line. Victorino smashed his first official grand slam, and erased the Phillies' deficit.

Chase Utley followed with a two-run home run, and all of a sudden the Phillies put up a crooked seven on the scoreboard. It was an unbelievable 7-3 victory, all thanks to the Flyin' Hawaiian.

Other Top Moments: Jayson Werth steals second base, third base, and home in the same inning!

Hot Stove Commentary

Here is the latest Hot Stove news and rumors, and some unnecessary commentary:

Roy Halladay said that he would approve a trade to the New York Yankees. Traitor! Going to a division rival!? The Blue Jays want a pitcher and a hitter for him.

The Marlins might be looking to deal Josh Johnson. Typical Marlins: draft a good player. Bring him up through the farm system. Have a successful first few years in the big leagues. Then, trade him away for some prospects. Have those prospects come up and put together a successful team. Possibly win, then trade those players away. Repeat the process.

The Cubs are looking for an outfield bat. They still have to get rid of Monopoly-- errr, Milton Bradley.

Pirates would like to bring Mike Gonzalez back, but would it matter? They also might be looking at Blalock and Ankiel. Iwamura, Gonzo, Blalock, Ankiel, are they trying to be contenders?

The Baltimore Orioles would consider Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets. This is not much of a risk. Orioles probably won't contend in 2010 and both these guys have health issues. It would be worth a shot, as long as it's not too expensive.

Tim Lincecum is looking for a one year deal. Probably smart for him because when he wins another Cy Young, he'll be able to get another contract that makes even more money.

Jamie Moyer is doing well after minor surgery. Moyer had surgery to wash out a small collection of blood cells that could have been infected.

“The surgery is not likely to impact his rehab schedule and is likely to have minimal impact on his spring training schedule,” said Michael Ciccotti, the team doctor. Moyer will remain hospitalized until Monday.

"Buying" a Championship

Since the New York Yankees won their 27th World Series a few weeks ago, there have been numerous talks about the Yankees "buying" a championship. With a $208 million payroll and a third baseman that makes more money than every Florida Marlins players combined, it may give fans a reason to think that the Yankees "purchased" a championship or to campaign for a salary cap. However, there is no rule against spending money. There's no salary cap at the moment.

There is no rule against how the Yankees run their team. Baseball is a business. The Marlins are business too. They just run their business differently: grow players in their farm system, win a World Series, let those players go, repeat step one.

The Yankees are -- well -- the Yankees. The have a great history. They built a successful team, and earned a lot of money. Players came up through their farm system, and they spent money on players. Then, they won championships. Then, they won a few more. Now, they have a reputation of a winning team. Players want to play for a winning team. The Yankees spend the money to get good players who want to play for them, and want to get paid big bucks. Then, they win some championships. It's a whole repetitive process.

Any MLB team could be the Yankees. As of now, the Yankees have run their business better than the other 29 teams in the league. At the same time, every team has an equal chance at a title. It's what's on paper that makes a team a favorite. Spending that extra cash for a top player in the league will help a team become that favorite. However, being a favorite doesn't do you any good. The "overpaid" players still have to perform on the field.

Some teams do spend money, but are unable to put together a franchise like the Yankees. Look at the Detroit Tigers. Look at the Chicago Cubs. They each had a pay roll in MLB's top five. Also, it is not like the Yankees buy every player out there. They had 12 home grown players on their roster this year.

This topic brings up the debate about a salary cap, which I'm indifferent about. It wouldn't bother me if MLB adopted one, but right now I think it's fine without one. If a person is a millionaire, they can spend all their money if they want. If MLB has a rich team, let them spend all their money too.

In conclusion, you can't walk into a store with a wad of cash in your back pocket and come out with a World Series trophy in your hand. You gotta play the game. But spending some money to get talented players certainly isn't hurting your cause.

Call of the Day: Howard hits a shot to Ashburn Alley in 2007.

"Well hit to deep left center field. Outta here! Tremendous home run,
Ryan Howard and the Phillies jump to a two-nothing lead here in the first
inning. Number 36 for the big man."

Final Tuneup Before NLDS

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Florida Marlins (87-74) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-69)
Josh Johnson (15-5) vs. J.A Happ (12-4)

This is it. Game number 162. The final game of the regular season. It will be the Phillies final tuneup before facing the Colorado Rockies in the National League Division Series on Wednesday.

J.A Happ will make his final campaign for the Rookie of the Year Award, but he may also be pitching for a spot in the postseason rotation. "When I think about it, you want him in [the rotation] because he is a starter, but missing [J.C] Romero ... if [Happ] pitches one inning in three days, he could come back and pitch on his regular turn. I'm not saying we're going to do that, but that does enter my mind," Charlie Manuel said.

It is unlikely Happ will pitch more than six innings today. He'll pitch long enough so he doesn't become rusty, but short enough to avoid an injury. It will also allow relievers to audition for a spot on the playoff roster. Happ pitched seven shutout innings when he last faced the Marlins.

Happ will be opposed by the Marlins' ace, Josh Johnson. Johnson is 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA against the Phillies this year. In 18 innings, Johnson has struck out 24 Phillies. Phillies hitters are batting .212 against him.

It is Fan Appreciation Day at Citizens Bank Park. The fans would really appreciate a win, ending the season on a positive note. Being swept is not a good way to enter the postseason.

Today's Lineup: Cairo 2B, Dobbs 3B, Werth RF, Stairs LF, Francisco CF, Tracy 1B, Bruntlett SS, Bako C, Happ P

Phils Attempt to Clinch Home Field

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Florida Marlins (86-74) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-68)

Anibal Sanchez, RHP (3-8, 4.10 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels, LHP (10-10, 4.25 ERA)

The regular season is quickly coming to a close. The Phillies already clinched, but it will still be an intense series at The Bank. In game 161, the Phillies continue to fight for home field advantage. The Phillies dropped last night's game to the Marlins, so this is a "must win" in order to win to keep their home field hopes alive.

Cole Hamels will make his last tuneup before the postseason. Hamels would like to end his roller coaster season on a positive note. Against the Marlins this season, Hamels is 0-1 with a 4.67 ERA in 17.1 innings. Marlins hitters are batting .254 against him. Chris Coghlan is 4-for-7 with two home runs against Hamels.

Hamels will be opposed by Anibal Sanchez. In the second game of a double header, Sanchez tossed eight scoreless innings against the Phillies. If Sanchez is on, he can be really good. However, if he is off, he can be very wild.

Today's lineup: All the regulars are in. On a side note, the Phillies added some pitching depth, recalling Antonio Bastardo.

Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Ibanez LF, Werth RF, Feliz 3B, Ruiz C, Hamels P.

Just Plain Miserable: Marlins Sweep Phillies

Also posted on Phillies Nation.

There is no other way to put it. The 12-3 loss to the Florida Marlins was the Phillies worst loss of the season. The early morning thunderstorms in the Philadelphia region set the tone for a miserable day. Blame Ed Rapuano. Blame Jamie Moyer. Blame Jayson Werth. Blame anybody. The Phillies were awful on all cylinders.

Actually, Moyer didn't pitch that bad. He pitched 5+ innings giving up 3 runs, 2 earned. He gave up 11 hits, but they were all singles-- bloop singles. The Marlins weren't hitting the ball hard against Moyer, who has had so much success against the Fish throughout his career.

The Phillies were the first to get on the board. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino each reached base to start the first inning. Chase Utley flew out to center field, and Rollins advanced to third. Ryan Howard smoked the ball to right, but Jermey Hermida made a spectacular leaping catch against the wall. Or was it? It may have bounced off the wall and into his glove, but it was ruled a catch. Victorino was doubled off first base for the unconventional double play. Rollins tagged from third on the sacrifice fly, crossing the plate before Victorino was out.

The Phils held the 1-0 lead until the fifth. Jorge Cantu, Wes Helms, and Cody Ross each hit consecutive RBI singles, and the Marlins jumped to a 3-1 lead.

The Phillies had trouble manufacturing runs off Josh Johnson (6 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 SO). The Phillies were hitting the ball hard, but hit into a lot of tough luck. The Phillies are having problems with runners in scoring position, but they only had three runners past first base. Luckily, the Marlins stranded 12 men themselves. The Phillies were able to keep it close-- that was until the floodgates opened in a controversial seventh inning.

With runners at the corners in the sixth, Howard struck out. The pitch was clearly low, but Rapuano called it a strike. He had an inconsistent strike zone all day. In the first inning, Utley clearly did not agree with some of the pitches Rapuano called. It seemed like Johnson was getting certain pitches called, and Moyer wasn't.

In the seventh, Rodrigo Lopez threw a pitch to Wes Helms, which looked like a strike. Victorino disagreed, and threw his arms up in the air as he stood in center. Nobody seemed to notice, except Rapuano, who ejected Victorino. At first, Victorino jogged in like it was no big deal, but once he reached the infield, he sprinted towards the home plate umpire. Pumped up from last night's UFC fight, Victorino was restrained by teammates Paul Bako and Howard. Jayson Werth came into replace Victorino, and that was when the doors opened for the Marlins.

The sold-out crowd was into it, booing every pitch that wasn't a strike. However, it didn't take long for the fans to head to the exits.

Chris Coghlan (4-for-6) has been trouble all series. With the bases loaded and two outs, Lopez could see his way out of the inning. That wasn't the case as Coghlan singled to center. Werth was unable to keep the ball in front of him as he completely missed it. Three runs scored on the error.

The Marlins weren't quite finished. Hanley Ramirez doubled over the head of Werth. Jorge Cantu singled to Werth. Instead of getting the ball into the infield, Werth fired home, and the ball scooted past the catcher. The Marlins blew the game wide open, 9-1.

The Phillies had a long ways to rally, but showed signs of life when Pedro Feliz homered. The Marlins got those runs back against Brad Lidge, who gave up a RBI single to Hanley Ramirez and a two-run homer to Helms.

It was a pathetic day for the Phillies, committing three errors, managing just six hits, and giving up 12 runs. The lead in the division is down to four games, thanks to the sweep.

Phils Trying to Avoid Sweep

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Florida Marlins (57-53) at Philadelphia Phillies (61-47)

Josh Johnson (10-2) vs. Jamie Moyer (10-8, 5.55 ERA)

The Phillies need to avoid the sweep against the Florida Marlins. A loss would cut their lead in the division to just four games.

The offense has struggled, especially with runners in scoring position. It will not be an easy task against Josh Johnson. In his last start, Johnson had one bad inning against the Washington Nationals. He gave up four consecutive hits before recording an out and the Marlins ended up losing. Overall he has a 3.66 career ERA against the Phillies.

The Phillies have their fisherman, Jamie Moyer on the mound. Moyer pitched seven shutout innings against the Fish in July. While the rotation and Moyer's future remains up in the air, Moyer is 13-2 with a 2.83 ERA against the Marlins in his career.

Unclutch Offense Struggles in Loss

Also seen on Phillies Nation.

Eleven men stranded. 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position. The Phillies offensive woes continued in the 6-4 loss to the Florida Marlins. A poor outing from Cole Hamels didn't help.

Chris Coghlan greeted Hamels with a home run to lead off the game. It was just the beginning of his troubles.

Hamels was moving well, though. In an attempt to sacrifice bunt, Hamels legged out a single as the throw pulled Dan Uggla off the bag. Then, Hamels broke up a double play, which allowed a run to score. Shane Victorino followed Jimmy Rollins' force out with a RBI single. The Phillies led 2-1, but it didn't last long. The Marlins tied it up in the next inning.

Throughout the night, the Marlins played shabby defense, and Carlos Ruiz caught a break. Nick Johnson dropped a pop-up (a la Luis Castillo), and a run scored. The Phillies regained the lead.

Unfortunately, Hamels struggled with his command. Cody Ross hit his 20th home run of the year, which gave the Marlins a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning. The two home runs and four walks hurt Hamels. He was pulled after 5.1 innings after allowing four earned runs on five hits.

It was up to the bullpen to keep it close. Chan Ho Park, who has been excellent since his transition to the bullpen, was due for a bad outing. He pitched two innings, but gave up two runs, both in the eighth inning.

The offense never gave the Phillies a chance. Their first three runs were mostly luck, coming on Marlin miscues. For the rest of the game, the offense couldn't come through in the clutch. Jayson Werth left six men on base, Raul Ibanez left two, Pedro Feliz left five, and Rollins left three.

The Phillies made some noise in the ninth after Victorino (2-for-5) led off with a triple. Chase Utley's ground-out (which may have been a foul ball) drove in Victorino. Ryan Howard (4-for-4) singled to put the tying run on base. The no-doubles defense took a hit away from Werth, but Ibanez flied out to end the game.

The Phillies dropped the series to the Marlins, but hope to avoid the sweep tomorrow. The Phillies still have a five game lead over the second place Fish in the division.

Marlins/Phillies Preview

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Florida Marlins (56-53) at Philadelphia Phillies (61-46)
Sean West (3-4, 4.91 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (7-6, 4.68 ERA)

After dropping the first game of the series, the Phillies can't let the Marlins gain any more ground. Right now, the Phillies have a six game lead over the second place Marlins, but don't want that lead to shorten.

The Phillies offense has been quiet for the past couple weeks. The bats are due to explode, and they have a good chance against Sean West, who has allowed five earned runs in his last three starts. West has bounced up and down from the Majors and Double-A.

Do we really know what we're going to get out of Cole Hamels these days? Hamels has been very inconsistent. One day he'll return to his old World Series MVP form, the next day he'll struggle.

HK Inducted; Phils Can't Win

Also posted on Phillies Nation.

"Harry never swung a bat or threw a pitch, or wore a uniform, but most likely, he had a more profound effect on Phillies baseball than any of us," Michael Jack Schmidt said in a beautiful pre-game ceremony inducting Harry Kalas into the Wall of Fame.

Thanks to technology and video archives, Kalas' own voice introduced Phillies legends as they walked onto the field. The start of Alumni Weekend brought out many former Phillies stars, but it didn't bring out the current Phillies bats.

The Florida Marlins jumped on Joe Blanton early. Larry Bowa's nephew, and newly acquired Marlin, Nick Johnson, homered to give the Fish a 1-0 lead. In the same inning, Raul Ibanez misplayed Dan Uggla's double which drove in another run. An inning later, Cody Ross homered and the Marlins were up by three.

After his early struggles, Blanton settled down. Those were the only three runs he allowed in 6.2 innings. He allowed eight hits, walked one, and struck out four.

The Phillies had a perfect opportunity to score after Ryan Howard led off the second inning with a double. Ibanez singled, and Howard was waved by Sam Perlozzo. For whatever reason, Howard stopped at third even though he clearly could have scored since Hanley Ramirez bobbled the ball. Ricky Nolasco got the next two batters, Ben Francisco and Greg Dobbs. Then, he unintentionally-intentionally walked Carlos Ruiz to get to Blanton and load the bases. Nolasco escaped without damage.

Francisco, who started in place of Shane Victorino (quad), made it a ballgame again with a left field home run into the flower bed. Before he homered, Francisco threw a runner out at home plate. It wasn't enough as the hitting woes continued. With two on and one out in the eighth, Howard struck out and Ibanez grounded out. The Phils left six men on base and were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

The Phillies were lucky that the bullpen kept the game close. With a runner on second in the ninth inning, Scott Eyre struck out Chris Coghlan on a wild pitch, but Ruiz failed to throw to first for the final out. It led to a bases loaded jam. Thankfully, Tyler Walker struck out Hanley Ramirez, avoiding further damage.

It took Leo Nunez five pitches to convert the save, securing the Marlins 3-2 win. It was a great night to honor the legacy of Harry Kalas, but the game did not go the way the Phillies would've liked.

QUOTE SOURCE: Phillies.com

Marlins/Phils Open Alumni Weekend

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Florida Marlins (55-53) play at Philadelphia Phillies (61-45).

Ricky Nolasco (7-7, 5.00 ERA) starts vs. Joe Blanton (7-5, 4.02 ERA).

The Phillies open Alumni Weekend by inducting the legendary Harry Kalas into the Wall of Fame prior to tonight's game. Many Phillies legends from the past will be in town to celebrate the legacy of the late great, Harry Kalas.

Joe Blanton has been an inning eater. Since May 21, Big Joe is 5-2 with a 2.33 ERA. He has been a lot better since the beginning of the season when his ERA was over seven. The way he has been pitching lately, it is shocking that his ERA was once that high.

Speaking of high earned run averages, Ricky Nolasco gets the start for the Fish. Like, Blanton, Nolasco struggled at the beginning of the season. Nolasco was sent down to the minors, but since his re-call he has been dominant. He faced the Phillies earlier in the season and gave up four runs in six innings.

The Phillies have a seven game lead over the second place Marlins, so this is the perfect opportunity for the Phillies to add to their lead. The Phillies can't let the Marlins gain any ground. Like every game since the middle of April, listening to this game won't be the same. Kalas is missed. Let's get a win for him tonight.

Call of the Day: Shane Victorino's disputed home run in 2008.

"Shane lines it deep to left. Fair or foul? It is a fair ball! Outta
Here! Victorino with a two-run home run and the Phillies are on the board.
It is now a four to two game!"

*Looks at replay* "Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow." *laughs* "It is a foul
ball. Cantu had a good look at it at third base. He immediately went
to Dale Scott. It was the third base umpire who called the ball
fair."

(Chris Wheeler says that Phils catch a break) "Yes sir, and the Phillies
get two runs."

Sweep Makes Everybody Happ-y

Also posted on Phillies Nation.

The Phillies are cruising. Their eighth straight win marked their longest winning streak since April 30-May 9, 2006, when they won nine consecutive games. Also, they extended their lead in the division by seven games, their largest margin since June, 2001.

J.A Happ is making a case for the Rookie of Year Award. Happ has been the ace since joining the rotation. In 11 starts (72.1 IP), Happ is 5-0 with a 2.74 ERA and opponents are hitting .233 against him.

Today, Happ wiggled out of jams. He allowed only five hits and one walk, but a few Pedro Feliz miscues put Happ in a tough spot. Happ made his best Harry Houdini impression in the sixth by escaping a bases-loaded, no out jam. He ended the inning by striking out Wes Helms. Happ has pitched 7+ innings in five straight starts. In that span his ERA is 1.46.

The offense provided five runs, plenty for Happ and the bullpen. The offense had a chance to score in the first inning after Jimmy Rollins led off with a triple. However, Rollins made a baserunning mistake and was nailed at home on a fielders choice. The bases were loaded that inning, but the Phillies were unable to capitalize. Luckily, the Marlins found themselves in a similar situation in the bottom half of the inning and weren't able to take advantage.

The Phillies got on the board in the second after Chase Utley was plunked with the bases loaded. Raul Ibanez doubled to extend the lead by three. In the next inning, Rollins' RBI double made it 4-0. Rollins finished 3-for-5, a home run shy of the cycle.

Utley scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth, making it 5-0. Ryan Madson, J.C Romero, Scott Eyre, and Brad Lidge finished the game to secure the seventh victory for Happ and yet another sweep.

Phillies Seek Another Sweep

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Philadelphia Phillies (50-38) at Florida Marlins (46-46) in the final game of the series.

J.A Happ (6-0, 2.90 ERA) starts vs. Andrew Miller (3-4, 4.50 ERA).

Is J.A Happ the new Cole Hamels? While Hamels may be having an off year, Happ has made himself the most reliable and consistent starter since joining the rotation. He has pitched at least seven innings in four consecutive starts and is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in that span. Happ has allowed eight runs in 7.1 innings against the Marlins-- all in relief. Happ will be making his first start of the second half, the perfect time to start his Rookie of the Year campaign.

Andrew Miller has been bounced from starter to reliever to disabled list. Since returning from the disable list (oblique strain), he is 3-3 with a 4.04 ERA. In 11 starts in that time frame, he has allowed more than three runs twice. Miller is 0-2 with a 4.05 ERA against the Phillies throughout his career.

The Phillies look to extend their win streak by sweeping the Fish. Hopefully the rain will hold off after a long rain delay on Friday and a postponement on Saturday.

Postponed & Pedro

After a 90 minute rain delay, the umpires decided to postpone the Phillies and Marlins game. The Marlins led 2-0 after one and a half innings. The lead will be erased (will start at 0-0) once the game is made up. No make up date has been announced, although late September is a possibility.

Also, Joe Blanton will start on Tuesday night.

Pedro Martinez took the next step to be in the Phillies rotation by throwing a 55-pitch bullpen session. Despite not throwing for a week after a fluid injection for an arthrogram, Pedro was pleased with the session saying it went better than he thought. Martinez felt little soreness in his shoulder, but was able to throw all his pitches. Charlie Manuel said Pedro had good command.

"You know, since I've been here, I just get the feeling that we're going to win
every night," Martinez said. "This team is so relaxed and is so confident that
it seems like we're going to win every day. I can do whatever, and we're going
to win. That's it. I can just take off in the fourth, fifth inning, and they're
going to win."

Pedro should feel confident. The Phillies are 2-0 since the Phillies inked Martinez to a one year deal on July 15. No date has been scheduled for when he will rehab in a minor league game nor has their been a timetable as to when he makes his Phillies debut.

In former Phillie news, the Los Angeles Angels released Rudy Seanez. The 40 year old was signed to a minor league contract in May.

Another Deep Outing for Blanton Is Key

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Philadelphia Phillies (50-38) will face the Florida Marlins (46-46) jn game three of the four game series.

Joe Blanton (6-4, 4.44 ERA) starts vs. Josh Johnson (8-2, 2.74 ERA).

Joe Blanton's ERA keeps lowering. In his last nine starts, Blanton is 4-1 with a 2.44 earned run average. Blanton is coming off back-to-back great outings after out-dueling Johan Santana and dominating the Pirates. It was the first time Blanton pitched seven innings in consecutive starts since April of 2008. In his last start against the Marlins, Blanton pitched seven shutout innings while striking out eleven. The Phillies could use another seven inning performance from Blanton after every bullpen pitcher was used in last night's 12 inning marathon.

Josh Johnson's Tommy John surgery last season hasn't slowed him down. Out of the 19 games he has started, 16 have been quality starts. The Marlins have the perfect guy on the mound to try to end their two game skid. Joshnson is 3-1 with a 3.66 ERA in his career against the Phillies.

Call of the Day: Despite trailing 9-3 at one point, the Phillies first lead of the 2009 season on the day they received their rings.

"There's a line drive, base hit! Into right field! Everybody
moves up one, and it is now a one run game!"

"Tapper. They're gonna get one out on this play, and the go-ahead run
is going to score in the presence of Jimmy Rollins. Phils take an 11-10
lead off the bat of Ryan Howard."

Clutchley The Only One Awake

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Four hours and five minutes plus a one hour and 18 minute rain delay, 12 innings, 104 plate appearances and 625 combined pitches between both teams. That's what it took for the Phillies to win their seventh straight game in their 6-5 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Chase Utley opened the scoring in the first inning with a two run home run. However, Chris Coghlan responded with a solo shot off Cole Hamels, making it 2-1. Jayson Werth's RBI single and Pedro Feliz's RBI double in the fourth inning extended the Phillies lead by three.

The Marlins celebrated Christmas in July a week early, but they received Cole in their stockings. Hamels was cruising, but Santa brought Florida snow.

Hamels always seems to be the victim of a rain delay, and once again the rains forced both starters out of the game. Hamels gave up one earned run over five innings. He allowed four hits, one walk, and he struck out five. Ricky Nolasco allowed four earned runs on seven hits in six innings.

After the tarp was removed and play resumed, it didn't take long for the Marlins to tie it up. In the bottom of the seventh, Ross Gload and Ronny Paulino's RBI singles made it 4-3.

Former Phillies that struggled in their stint with the Phils seem to go wild when they face their former club. First it was Rod Barajas with the Blue Jays, then Paulino with a big single, and now it was Wes Helms' turn. Helms' RBI single tied the game at four, and another run did not cross the plate until the top of the twelfth.

Both teams had several opportunities to score. After what appeared to be a balk, Carlos Ruiz was caught between third and home trying to score on Jimmy Rollins' fielders choice. Chad Durbin escaped a jam with two on and nobody out. Later, Jorge Cantu grounded into a huge double play. Overall, the Phillies left ten men on base. The Marlins left 13 and were 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

It felt like a decade since Utley homered, but in the bottom of the twelfth, he put us all to bed with a single that scored Jimmy Rollins. Jayson Werth added insurance with a RBI single of own. The Phillies took a 6-4 lead.

Despite allowing a run to score and the tying run to reach third, Brad Lidge converted his 19th save of the year.

The Phillies and Marlins gave the 22,891 fans in attendance a thriller. A lengthy game resulted in a loss of sleep, but thanks to Chase Utley, watching the Phillies was worth the late night. A long wait for Santa to come, but the perfect Christmas present: a Phillies win.

Round 2: Philet the Phish

For full gameday, visit Phillies Nation.

The Philadelphia Phillies (49-38) are at the Florida Marlins (46-45).

Cole Hamels (5-5, 4.87 ERA) starts vs. Ricky Nolasco (6-7, 5.76 ERA).

After a steady increase in workload over the past few years, Cole Hamels was given an extra day to rest his arm. In his first start of the second half, Hamels hopes to build consistency. Hamels got the no-decision in his last outing despite allowing three home runs. Hamels is 2-4 with a 4.15 ERA in eight career starts against the Marlins. He hasn't beaten the Marlins since September 2006, but playing in a pitcher-oriented yard should help Hamels get back on track.

Ricky Nolasco struggled at the beginning of the season, so the Marlins optioned him to Triple-A to work things out. Despite a shaky start in his last outing, he must have solved his problems; he is 4-2 with a 2.68 ERA since returning to the Major Leagues. Nolasco is 4-3 with a 4.25 ERA against the Phillies in his career.

A win will not only increase the Phillies winning streak, but increase their lead in the division over the second-place Marlins.