Year In Review: Howard's NLDS Sac Fly

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.

The third game of the National League Division Series was truly one for the ages. It had to wait an extra day due to snow, but for four hours and six minutes, the Phillies and the Rockies see-sawed in one of the most well played games of the postseason.

Chase Utley opened the scoring with a solo shot in the first inning. The Rockies answered back off J.A Happ, who couldn't seem to find a rhythm. It wasn't often Happ struggled, but the frigid temperatures got to Happ. He lasted only three innings, surrendering three runs.

The Phillies finally got to Jason Hammel in the fourth. Howard stroked a RBI single, Raul Ibanez drew a bases loaded walk, and Carlos Ruiz slapped a single to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. After Carlos Gonzalez tied the game with a home run (he gave the Phillies plenty of trouble during the NLDS), Chooch delivered again to continue his unbelievable postseason hitting. But again, the Rockies tied it.

In the ninth inning, Chase Utley checked his swing, and the baseball bounced off his foot. However, the umpires missed the call (like they did so many times during the postseason), and a hustling Utley was ruled safe at first. Ryan Howard followed with a deep sacrifice fly that scored Jimmy Rollins from third. The Phillies took a 6-5 lead, and Brad Lidge completed the save despite allowing a couple base runners.

It is notable that Game 3 was the coldest game in playoff history, and it wasn't over until 2:14 AM Eastern time. The Phillies took a 2-1 series lead, and Philadelphia fans could finally get some sleep -- but it was worth the late night.

Other Top Moments: The Phillies had some exciting moments against the New York Mets. One includes Chase Utley's game winning home run into "Utley's Corner." Another is Raul Ibanez's tenth inning home run. Pelota, no regressa!

Phillies Stun Rockies, Clinch NLDS

Take a deep breath Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Phillies clinched the National League Division Series with their 5-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Just when all life was sucked out, the Phillies dramatically rallied in the ninth inning.

Cliff Lee was spectacular. In 7.1 innings, Lee allowed three runs (1 earned). He gave up five hits, walked three, and struck out five. However, his dominant performance diminished when Ryan Madson came into relieve in the eighth.

Shane Victorino statred the scoring with a solo shot in the first inning. Jayson Werth's home run in the sixth inning made it 2-0. Troy Tulowitzki cut the lead in half with a RBI double against Lee in the bottom half of the sixth.

Lee started the eighth inning, but was replaced by Ryan Madson after the circus came to town. Dexter Fowler reached with a walk. Todd Helton hit a soft grounder to Chase Utley. Utley reached out to tag Fowler, who went airborne, leaping over Utley. Utley flipped to Rollins at second, but he missed the catch. Everybody was safe, and Madson entered with one out as part of a key double switch. Ben Francisco entered the game for Raul Ibanez. Francisco made a terrific diving catch, robbing Tulowitzski.

With two outs, Madson could see his way out of the inning. How quickly a stellar performance from Lee and an amazing catch were erased. Jason Giambi's RBI single tied the game.

Yorvit Torrealba caused the Phillies a lot of trouble, homering off Cole Hamels earlier in the series. He struck again, ripping the hearts out of Philadelphia fans all across the country with a two-run, go-ahead double.

The game was over. Get ready for game five. The Phillies stranding the bases loaded twice proved to be costly. The offense didn't show up against Ubaldo Jiminez. Why didn't Charlie Manuel keep Lee in? Not so fast. The Phillies led the league in come from behind wins in 2009. Once again, they showed their resilience.

With two outs in the ninth inning, Utley drew a walk against closer Huston Street. Then, Ryan Howard clobbered Street's 2-1 offering over the head of Carlos Gonzalez. Victorino rounded third, but missed the bag. He went back to tag, with Utley on his heels. Victorino and Utley scored, tying the game at four. Werth followed with a RBI single, giving the Phillies a 5-4 lead.

It was not Brad Lidge who started the ninth, but Scott Eyre. Eyre rolled his ankle on Sunday night, but that did not stop him from getting two quick outs. He allowed two runners, and it was up to Lidge to seal the deal. He did. Tulowitzski chased a nasty slider to end the game.

This game, and this entire series, will go down in the books as one of the greatest in Phillies franchise history. The Rockies played the Phillies tough, but luckily the Phillies finished on top. Los Angeles Dodgers, we'll meet again on Thursday.

As seen on Phillies Nation.

NLDS Game 3 Preview

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Philadelphia Phillies (1-1) at Colorado Rockies (1-1)
J.A Happ, LHP (0-0) vs. Jason Hammel, RHP (0-0)

There has been much anticipation for the third game of the series, and the wait is finally over. Originally scheduled for Saturday night, snow postponed the National League Division Series. Play returns tonight with better weather conditions.

Cole Hamels' hanging curveball to Yorvit Torreabla is the main reason why this series is locked at one. The Phillies had an opportunity to take advantage of their home turf, but now they'll have to carry their road success into the postseason. The Phillies were a National League (tied with the Los Angeles Angels for MLB) best 48-33 away from The Bank this season.

Pedro Martinez was originally scheduled to pitch game three, but thanks to the postponement, J.A Happ will be handed the ball. Happ was struck in the knee during a relief appearance on Thursday, forcing him to exit the game. Happ suffered from a contusion, but insisted on being fine. The rookie, who won 12 games with a sub-3 ERA, will make his first postseason start. On August 5, Happ tossed a complete game shutout against the Rockies. In that outing, he struck out ten.

The Rockies opted to go with Jason Hammel, who came over from the Tampa Bay Rays at the very beginning of the season. Hammel went 10-8 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP this season. He started the year in the bullpen, but spent the majority of the season as a starter. Hammel pitched 9.1 innings against the Phillies, including one start. He allowed five earned against the Phillies, whose collective lineup batted .359 against him. Jimmy Rollins and Raul Ibanez each homered off him.

Tonight's game is the most important one yet. A victory would give the Phillies some breathing room, but a loss will make their chances of repeating much more difficult.

Tonight's Lineup: Rollins (SS), Victorino (CF), Utley (2B), Howard (1B), Werth (LF), Ibanez (LF), Feliz (3B), Ruiz (C), Happ (P).

Game 3 Postponed

Game three of the National League Division Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies has been postponed due to snow.

The game is rescheduled for Sunday night at 10:07 p.m EST. Game four has been moved to Monday.

The postponement could turn out to be a good thing for the Phillies. Pedro Martinez was originally slated, but J.A Happ will start tomorrow. Also, Cliff Lee will have enough rest to make him a possibility to start on Monday.

Jamie Moyer will be released from the hospital today. Moyer has been in the hospital since Wednesday due to a type of blood infection. Ruben Amaro Jr. said that Moyer is okay.

Blog of Note: We Should be GM's celebrated the end of the decade by putting together the "Team of the 2000's."

Call of the Day: Jimmy Rollins' first major league hit.

"Jimmy Rollins is going to have his first major league hit. Off the fence and
watch him fly! It's going to be a triple! Rollins... heading for third... Head
first slide. He's there with a triple!"

Hamels Struggles; Rockies Even Series

As seen on Phillies Nation.

A perfect record at home last postseason was a key factor in last year’s World Championship. Today, the Phillies lost their first playoff game at home since 2007. The Rockies edged the Phillies, 5-4, evening the series at a game apiece.

Last October, Hamels stepped up as the big game pitcher. Today, he looked more like the pitcher that went 0-6 during day games than the one who earned the NLCS and World Series MVP.

Hamels cruised through the first three innings, allowing a run on a fielder’s choice. A curveball that hung over the plate to Yorvit Torrealba changed everything. Torrealba’s two-run home run gave the Rockies a 3-0 lead and silenced the crowd for most of the game.

Hamels was finished after five, and left the ballpark to be with his wife who went into labor. Hamels allowed four earned runs on seven hits and struck out five.

It took awhile for the offense to wake up. Ryan Howard’s RBI double and Raul Ibanez’s RBI single made it a one-run game. The rally was killed when Carlos Ruiz grounded into an inning-ending double play. The Phillies grounded into a total of three double plays in game two.

Charlie Manuel showed his lack of confidence in his bullpen by using starters Joe Blanton and J.A Happ. Happ entered the game after Blanton got into a jam, but exited after being struck by a line drive. He suffered a knee contusion and X-Rays were negative. Scott Eyre was able to escape the jam, only allowing a sacrifice fly. An inning later, Antonio Bastardo struck out Jason Giambi with the bases loaded and two outs to end the threat.

Dexter Fowler sacrifice flied twice to add onto the Rockies’ lead. Jayson Werth homered in the eighth inning, cutting the lead to one. The ninth inning became interesting when Matt Stairs walked and Jimmy Rollins singled, but the Phillies fell short against Huston Street.

The outcome is frustrating, but there are a few positives to take from today; Cole Hamels did not walk a batter and the Phillies went 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The series heads to Colorado on Saturday, where it is expected to snow. Using Blanton and Happ makes Pedro Martinez the favorite to start, but also questions Charlie Manuel’s managing style during Game 2.

Part IV: NLDS Preview: Bullpen

This is Part IV of the NLDS Preview. Click here for Part III, or see the full article on Phillies Nation.

The bullpen is a weakness for both teams. Charlie Manuel is unsure who will close for the Phillies, but it will likely be between Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge. Lidge’s struggles are well documented, blowing the most saves in the majors. Madson struggled when he closed, but his high velocity and nasty changeup are closing material. Huston Street, the Rockies closer, isn’t automatically light’s out either. His numbers are impressive: 3.06 ERA, 35 saves, 0.91 WHIP and a .194 opponents average. However, he can be very inconsistent. When he gets hit, he gets rocked.

The Phillies bullpen has been plagued with injuries. J.C Romero and Jamie Moyer both had season ending surgery. Brett Myers has a 6.43 since returning from hip surgery. The Phillies made an interesting move by leaving Clay Condrey off the roster and adding Antonio Bastardo and Kyle Kendrick. Condrey may still be suffering from his back injury, but adding Bastardo is questionable. The Phillies added a rookie with limited and unsuccessful major league experience, but they are in desperate need of a left-handed reliever. With Scott Eyre the lefty specialist, Bastardo will get limited action, much like Happ last season. Pedro Martinez’s role has yet to be defined, but chances are he will pitch out of the bullpen.

The Colorado bullpen includes Joe Beimel, Rafeal Betancourt, Franklin Morales, Matt Daley, and Matt Belisle. Biemel, their primary left-handed specialist, went 1-6 with a 3.58 ERA this season. Since joining the Rockies, Betancourt has a 1.78 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. Franklin Morales has yet to live up to his expectation, but he can be a solid pitcher. Belisle has struggled this season, and Daley is a rookie who has had some success.

In two hitter-friendly parks, pitching can prove to be a key factor. As the saying goes, pitching wins championships.

Part III: NLDS Preview: Starting Rotation

This is Part III of the NLDS Preview. Read Part II here. The full preview is on Phillies Nation.

Like their offenses, the Phillies and Rockies pitching staffs match up fairly equally. Both teams are known for their offense, but it would not be surprising to see a low scoring game.

The Phillies pitching staff collectively has a 4.16 earned run average, sixth in the National Legaue. The Rockies pitching staff ranked eighth, posting a team ERA of 4.22. Their starting rotation posted a 4.10 ERA, beating the Phillies’ 4.29 ERA. Despite blowing the most saves in baseball, the Phillies bullpen collected a 3.91 ERA. On paper, the Rockies bullpen appears to be stronger, however their ‘pen posted a 4.53 ERA.

The Phillies hit a lot of home runs, but they also allow a lot. The Phillies gave up 189 home runs, second most in the National League. The Rockies kept the ball in the yard, surrendering 141. Both staffs allowed an opponents batting average of approximately .330.

The Phillies caught a break by not facing Jorge De La Rosa, the Rockies’ leader in wins. Cliff Lee and Ubaldo Jiminez were handed the ball in game one. Jiminez’s velocity was impressive, topping in the high 90’s. The 25-year old went 15-12 with a 3.47 ERA during the season. Lee was a perfect 5-0 with a 0.68 ERA when he first came over from the Cleveland Indians. Then, Lee went on a cold spell, but he returned to form yesterday. Unlike Jiminez, Lee previously did not have any postseason experience. In addition, he threw a career high in innings pitched, but that did not prevent him from throwing a complete game. Jiminez has made it a habit of struggling against the Phillies. In the regular season, he allowed nine runs and fourteen hits in ten innings. Lee allowed one run in seven innings against the Rockies in August, and one run again on Wednesday.

Aaron Cook and Cole Hamels will pitch in game two. Cook was bothered by a sore shoulder throughout the season, but is still an effective ground ball pitcher. At Citizens Bank Park, Cook is 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA. Cole Hamels, last year’s NLCS and World Series MVP, hopes for another postseason run. Hamels’ roller coaster season ended with a 4.32 ERA and 1.28 walks and hits per innings pitched.

Joe Blanton and J.A Happ will start the postseason in the bullpen, but will likely start in games three and four respectively. Happ is a top candidate for the Rookie of the Year Award. He recorded the most wins of any Phillies rookie since the 1980’s. Blanton has been an inning eater, and rebounded from his 0-2, 8.41 ERA start.

The Rockies rotation also includes Jason Marquis, who quietly had a solid season. He went 15-13 with a 4.04 ERA. Marquis allows a lot of hits; 218 in 216 innings. However, the Phillies lineup batted .208 against him this season. The Rockies final starter will be either Jose Contreras or Jason Hammel. Since coming over from the Chicago White Sox, Contreras is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA in seven games. As a starter, Hammel is 10-8 with a 4.45 ERA.

Part II: NLDS Preview: Offensive Player Breakdown

This is Part II of a NLDS preview for the offense. For Part I, click here. Or, view the full version on Phillies Nation.

The Phillies and Rockies have very similar offenses. The lineups are almost identical to the ones that were seen two years ago, with the biggest difference being in left field. Matt Holliday is now with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pat Burrell has moved on to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Phillies star-studded offense leads off with Jimmy Rollins. Rollins has come a long way since being benched in late June because of a career worst 0-for-28 slump. During the second half of the season, the former MVP batted .272 with 14 home runs. Rollins’ shadow, Shane Victorino, was the team’s leading hitter. Nobody can forget Victorino’s heroics in last year’s NLDS when he homered against C.C Sabathia.

The meat of the order is capable of doing a lot of damage. Chase Utley is currently in a 0-for-15 slump and batted .204 in September, but he is always a major offensive threat. Ryan Howard was tied with Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder for the most runs batted in the major leagues with 141. Jayson Werth finished a RBI short of reaching 100 for the season. He had a career high .879 on-base plus slugging percentage. Raul Ibanez had a monster first half, but struggled when he returned from a groin injury.

Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz sit at the bottom of the order, but they are each capable of starting rallies and coming up clutch. Feliz has been arguably the team’s most clutch hitter, leading the team with a .325 average with runners on base.

The bench has been one of the Phillies Achilles’ heels. Matt Stairs’ home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2008 National League Championship will never be forgotten, but the big hacker is hitting .194. Like the NLCS blast, Stairs’ home run against the Rockies this season will always be remembered. The game-winning shot was Harry Kalas’ last home run call before tragically passing away in April.

An average under the Mendoza line isn’t strange for a Phillies bench player. Eric Bruntlett, a career .231 hitter, was left of the roster after Miguel Cairo made a strong push during the final weeks of the season. Ben Francisco, who was acquired with Cliff Lee, has been a reliable bat off the bench. Greg Dobbs set a Phillies record last season for the most pinch hits, but he has been plagued with injuries this season. Paul Bako has done a fine job as the backup catcher after Chris Coste was let go.

The Rockies will have to look out for the Phillies on the basepaths. They’ve had a healthy mix of speed and power throughout the season. They are second in the National League with 119 steals.

The Rockies lineup doesn’t feature as many big names, but they still have a potent offense. The Rockies start at the top with speed. Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez have spent time leading off for the Rockies. Fowler stole 27 bases this season, and Gonzalez batted .284 in 89 games. The outfield also includes Seth Smith. Smith batted .293 with 15 home runs and a .889 OPS.

The middle of the lineup features a possible future Hall of Famer, Todd Helton. Helton hit .325 this year, very close to his career average of .328. The 36-year old doesn’t hit the long ball like he used to. In 2001, he hit a career high 49. This year, he hit 15 home runs, ten below his career average. The Rockies lineup also includes Troy Tulowitzski. Tulo may be known for his defense and strong arm, but he can also rake. Tulo started the year slowly, batting .200 in April. Like Rollins, the shortstop turned his season around. He finished the season with a .297 average, 32 home runs and a .930 OPS. Following Tulo is one of the game’s most underrated hitters, Brad Hawpe. Hawpe batted .285 with a .519 slugging percentage. Hawpe finished the season with ten runs batted in during his final ten games.

Second baseman Clint Barmes slugged 23 home runs this season. Ian Stewart and Garrett Atkins have been sharing time at third base. Atkins, Chase Utley’s UCLA teammate, disappointed many with a .226 average and nine home runs this season. Ian Stewart’s average is not much better sitting at .228, however he smacked 28 home runs. Backstop Chris Iannetta has the same average, but he is still a dangerous hitter. It’s notable that he has a .804 OPS.

The platoons in the outfield and at third base make their bench deeper. The bench includes Ryan Spilborghs, who the Phillies almost acquired at the trade deadline. Yorvit Torreabla is the backup catcher, and the Rockies added Jason Giambi from the Oakland A’s. Giambi provides a left handed bat off the bench, much like Stairs for the Phillies.

The Phillies batted .302 with nine home runs in six games against the Rockies this season. Four of those home runs came at Coors Field. The Rockies cumulative lineup batted .251 with six homers against the Phillies this season.

The first game of the series will open in Philadelphia, and head to Colorado for game three. The Phillies seek redemption after the Rockies swept them in 2007. When these two teams meet, slugfests are anticipated. It wouldn’t be a shock to see a couple of them in this best of five series.

Part I: NLDS Preview: Head to Head

This is Part I of a NLDS preview for the offense. The full article can be viewed on Phillies Nation.

October baseball has arrived! The Philadelphia Phillies and the Colorado Rockies square off in the National League Division Series on Wednesday. With the 2007 NLDS fresh in mind, the Phillies hope for a better outcome this time around.

The last time the Rockies entered the postseason, they were the hottest team in baseball, winning 21 out of their last 22 games. This year, they closed the season 18-9 in September. They haven’t been as impressive as they were in their pennant year, although they had an impressive turnaround. The Rockies opened April with a record of 8-12 before firing manager Clint Hurdle. Jim Tracy took over as skipper, leading the Rockies to a Wild Card berth.

Charlie Manuel’s crew will try to defend their 2008 World Championship. The Phillies finished the year with a record of 93-69, one more win than the Rockies. The Phillies won the season series, 4-2, and outscored the Rockies, 31-28.

This Division Series may be loaded with offense. Both Citizens Bank Park and Coors Field are extremely hitter friendly. In addition, these two teams are power houses that rank first and second atop many offensive categories. The Phillies 820 runs scored rank first in the National League. The Rockies are right behind with 804 runs. The Phillies led the National League with 224 home runs and a .447 slugging percentage. The Rockies finished second with 190 home runs and a .441 slugging percentage. The Rockies have a .343 on-base percentage, which is higher than the Phillies’.

The Phillies struggled with runners in scoring position, batting .255 in that situation. The Rockies were slightly better, hitting .259, just below the league’s average.

Bako's Homer Lifts Lee in Home Debut

As seen on Phillies Nation.

In front of 45,316 in his Citizens Bank Park debut, Cliff Lee pitched in front of the largest crowd since he pitched on April 16 at Yankee Stadium.

Lee's outing started off a little shaky. The Rockies took an early lead on Todd Helton's sacrifice fly. The Phillies mirrored the Rockies in the bottom half of the first inning, tying the game at one on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly.

Other than that, Lee cruised. In seven innings, he allowed just one earned run. He gave up seven hits, walked one, and struck out nine. However, Lee is all too-familiar with a lack of run support. Once again, the Phillies had trouble manufacturing runs as Aaron Cook was able to keep the ball down in the zone. Lee received just enough run support, but it came from an unlikely source: Paul Bako.

On the 1-0 pitch, Cook threw a changeup right down the middle. Bako waited, and crushed it into the first row in the right center field seats. It gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning.

A couple batters later, Jimmy Rollins (3-for-4) tripled. Rollins extended his hitting streak to 12, and fell a homer shy of the cycle. Then, Shane Victorino chopped a ball to Clint Barmes, who fired home. The throw was wide, and scooted past the catcher. The insurance run made it 3-1.

Lee and the bullpen worked with what they were given, and mowed down the Rockies. Ryan Madson pitched an easy eighth. Next, it was Brad Lidge's turn. Lidge has been pitching in non-save situations lately, and struggled. Recently, he's been a lot better in actual save opportunities. Ian Stewart swung and missed Lidge's slider to end the game. He allowed one base-runner, but Lidge managed to convert his 21st save of the season.

With the 3-1 victory in the final game of a three game set, the Phillies took the series from the Colorado Rockies, two games to one.

Lee Making Debut in Front of Home Crowd

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Colorado Rockies (59-48) at Philadelphia Phillies (60-45)
Aaron Cook (10-3, 3.88 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (8-9, 3.02 ERA)

Cliff Lee will be making his first start in front of the Phillies' faithful. He has already earned support from the fans with a complete game in his last start. He has never faced any of the current Rockies hitters in his career, so the advantage is to him.

Lee will be opposed by the Rockies ace, Aaron Cook. Cook is a groundball pitcher, which will benefit him at Citizens Bank Park. He faced the Phillies in April and gave up three runs in six innings. Ryan Howard has Cook in his book. He is hitting .429 and has a home run against him.

Because it is a day game, and cooler, the ball probably will not fly out of the yard like it did last night. The Phillies will need to manufacture runs in a different way, and build consistency with the offense. A win today will win the series.

Happ Makes Rotation Bid

As Pedro Martinez struck out 11 batters in six innings during a rehab appearance, somebody will be the odd man out of the rotation. With talk as to whether he will move to the bullpen, James Anthony Happ certainly made his case to keep his job as a starter. Tonight, he was both starter and reliever in a complete game shutout.

In the bottom of the first, something rare happened. With a runner in scoring position, Ryan Howard drove in a run. Finally, a run driven in with a man on base! It wasn't the only time. Pedro Feliz and Jimmy Rollins homered in the second inning to make it 4-0. Jayson Werth later homered extending the lead to seven.

Prior to tonight, Jorge De La Rosa won seven consecutive games, a franchise record. He was the perfect pitcher for the Phillies to take advantage of and get back on track. They had no problem ending his streak. De La Rosa now has a 9.78 career earned run average against the Phillies.

The ball was flying out of the park for the Phillies. Not so much for the Rockies, mainly due to Happ's dominance. Nine innings, four hits, two walks, but more importantly, no runs. He struck out a new career high, 10 batters. The complete game shutout was Happ's second of his career. The last came against the Toronto Blue Jays in June. It's not like Happ shutout a bad team. With a potent lineup, the Rockies are in the mix for the National League Wild Card.

Something a starter does that a reliever doesn't is hit. If pitching wasn't enough to prove why he should start, Happ laid down a sacrifice bunt, in addition to his first extra base hit of his career, a double to center.

Fans anticipated the final out and adrenaline took the 127th offering from Happ. All Troy Tulowitskicould do was stare at a fastball on the outside corner. Game over, 7-0, Phillies.

He walked off the mound at the end of the eighth to a standing ovation. He stepped up to the plate to the same reaction. He received another round of applause after completing the shutout. There is no doubt the fans want Happ in the rotation, and there is no doubt that Happ wants it too. He survived spring training. He made it through the trade deadline. Will he remain a starter? He is making a tough decision for the team.

Originally posted on Phillies Nation.

Phils Look To Turn Around Struggles

Colorado Rockies (59-47) play at Philadelphia Phillies (59-45).

Jorge De La Rosa (9-7, 4.68 ERA) gets the start againstt J.A Happ (7-2, 2.97 ERA).

August hasn't been friendly to the Phillies, who started the month 0-3.

The Phillies will send J.A Happ to the mound, in possibly his last start before being moved back to the bullpen. He survived spring training. He survived the trade deadline. Now he needs to survive and stay in the rotation. His performance tonight could further tell his destiny. Happ pitched 2.1 scoreless innings against the Rockies in April.

Jorge De La Rosa is improving as the season moves on. He set a franchise record for most consecutive wins, seven. He will look to extend that streak to eight, but he is 0-2 with a 8.79 career ERA against the Phillies. He gave up six earned runs in 3.2 innings at Citizens Bank Park. If there is a pitcher that can cure the Phillies bats, it is De La Rosa. But at the same time, De Rosa can pile up on strikeouts, something the Phillies do quite a bit.

Offense, Moyer, Struggled

As seen on Phillies Nation.

When ducks are on the pond, bring them home. The Phillies haven't figured out that concept during the last few games. Maybe they’re allergic to RISP, because they continue to strand runners on base.

Only 13 pitches were thrown by Jamie Moyer in an easy 1-2-3 first inning. However, it took one pitch for the Rockies to take a 2-0 lead on Garrett Atkins’ home run.

In the third, the Phillies had a perfect opportunity to take the lead. Ryan Howard, the franchise leader in grand slams, had a chance for another. Instead, he chased a pitch in the dirt, striking out to end the threat. Howard is struggling mightily. He is 2-for-his-last-18 with nine strikeouts. To succeed against Howard, the pitcher needs to throw an offspeed pitch out of the zone and he will swing and miss.

In the meantime, Ryan Spilborghs drove in a run and Moyer walked Chris Iannetta with the bases loaded. The Rockies led, 4-0. There was life when Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run home run to make it 4-2. But the Rockies are known for their offense, and they had no trouble piling runs on Moyer and the Phillies.

Moyer lasted five innings, giving up six earned runs on six hits and four walks. Rodrigo Lopez wasn’t much better out of the bullpen. In two innings, he allowed two runs, in addition to allowing both of Moyer’s inherited runners to score.

The Rockies embarrassed the Phillies in their 8-3 victory. In order to be a successful team, the Phillies need their offense to pick up the pace and they can not have Moyer pitching like this.

Similar Teams Open Series

Visit Phillies Nation for full gameday.

The Colorado Rockies (58-47) will face the Philadelphia Phillies (59-44).

Jason Hammel (5-6, 4.66 ERA) starts vs. Jamie Moyer (10-7, 5.32 ERA).

The Phillies return home after going 3-4 on the west coast. Losing at home is a thing of the past; the Phillies have won 13 out of their last 17 games at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies will open their six game home stand with the Colorado Rockies. Both teams are very similar, on all cylinders:

Stats AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
COL .257 520 121 494 78 786 4.20 930.0 935 319 700
PHI .260 547 143 524 79 740 4.37 933.0 952 337 730

Jamie Moyer is coming off a stellar month of July. He went 4-1 with a 3.30 ERA in the month.

Hammel was rocked for five runs in 1.1 innings in his last outing. Hammel has pitched 2.2 innings in relief in his career against the Phillies. Raul Ibanez (2-for-5) and Matt Stairs (5-for-8) have faced Hammel multiple times in their careers. Each homered off him (Stairs twice).

When the Phillies and Rockies play, whether it is at Coors or The Bank, a lot of offense is expected. The Phillies offense struggled on the road trip, averaging 2.7 runs per game, well below the ordinary. Coming back home to a hitter friendly stadium should kick-start the offense, which will include Shane Victorino (knee) tonight.

Eaton Heartbreak Rumors

I'm not going to even bother posting a recap of the game. If you missed the game, consider yourself lucky. It was that bad.

Here is a perfect recap of the game from Phillies Nation. We all feel the same way. Two heartbreaks in a row.

In other news, Adam Eaton signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies. Eaton, who was released by the Phillies in spring training and the Orioles in May, has a 8.56 ERA in 41.1 innings with Baltimore this season.

There has been rumors that the Phillies have been looking at Brad Penny, but the Red Sox would want Jason Donald in return. It doesn't seem to be that Vincente Padilla and Tom Glavine are targets for the Phillies, although at one point they might of been.

Bats Come Alive in Phils Win

Brett Myers earned the win as the Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies, 8-4. Myers is now 7-0 lifetime against the Rockies, and 5-0 at Coors Field.

The Rockies took a 2-0 lead in the second on Troy Tulowitzki's third home run of the season. Ryan Howard responded with a bases clearing double off Jorge De La Rosa with two outs, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead.

Garrett Atkins tied the game in the fourth inning with a solo home run, but Jayson Werth hit a two-run triple to give the Phillies a lead.

For the first time all season, the Phillies managed to have a starter last longer than five innings. Myers pitched 7 innings despite allowing three home runs for his second straight start. Myers struck out six and allowed four hits while walking one.

The Phillies pounded out 15 hits including Raul Ibanez's second home run of the season. Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz would later have RBI of their own.

Hamels Rocked by Rockies

The Colorado Rockies rocked Cole Hamels, as they beat the Phillies 10-3.

Hamels lasted just 3.2 innings allowing 7 earned runs on 11 hits and one walk. Hamels only struck out one batter in arguably the worst outing of his career.

From the start, the Rockies started to make some noise off Hamels in the first inning, but ran themselves out of the inning. Dexter Fowler made a base running mistake on his way to third base. Ryan Spilborghs was picked off and Hamels saw his way out of the inning with no damage.

The Rockies rally started in the third inning when pitcher Jason Marquis helped himself with an RBI single. The Rockies ended up putting a 5 spot on the board that inning, captivated by Garrett Atkins' home run, his first hit of the year.

During spring, Hamels velocity was down, not throwing harder than 86 mph. Friday, his velocity was increased slightly, topping 89 mph. The problem was his command. His location was off, missing his spots, resulting in pitches thrown down the middle of the plate.

The Phillies offense couldn't rally like they did on Wednesday. Jayson Werth had an outstanding game going 4-4 with a home run and 2 doubles, but Ryan Howard grounded into 3 double plays to end potential Phillies threats.

With the help of Howard's double play ground outs, Jason Marquis limited the Phillies to just 2 runs over 7 innings of work.

J.A. Happ who relieved Hamels, threw 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Chad Durbin struggled allowing 3 earned runs in one inning of work.

The Phillies are now 1-3. The Rockies are 3-1.

Year In Review: May

A successful April brought on May, where the Phillies went 17-12 in the month.

After a red hot April, Utley and Burrell's numbers started to drop. Utley hit .259 in May, his lowest monthly batting average. Burrell's May batting average was as low as .227. Cole Hamels had a 4.89 ERA, his highest monthly ERA. Brett Myers continued his struggles posting a 5.94 ERA in May.

As a team, the Phillies posted a 4.25 team ERA. As a team they hit .273 with 42 homeruns.

Despite a statistically down month for some key players, the Phillies still managed to win. Other players stepped up.

Ryan Howard tore up Spring Training, but started the year stone cold hitting .168. In May, slowly started to pick up the pace as he hit .238 with 10 HR.

Jayson Werth was added to the disabled list at the end of May, but Jimmy Rollins returned from his month long stint on the DL. Rollins helped carry the team in May as he hit .298 with 12 RBI. Jenkins, who filled in for Werth, batted .303 with 10 RBI. Pedro Feliz hit .311 with 18 RBI.

The big games:

May 2: Aaron Rowand returned to Philadelphia for the first time. He received a big round of applause in his first at bat as he tipped his helmet. The applause turned into boos as he hit the go ahead homerun in the 10th inning to give the Giants a 5-4 lead. However, his ex-teammate, Pat Burrell hit a walk off homerun as the Phillies won.

Two days later, the Phillies beat the Giants again as Geoff Jenkins reached on an error in the 9th inning that scored Ryan Howard from second base as the Phillies won, 6-5.

May 15: Cole Hamels threw a complete game shutout against the Braves. In his next start, Hamels would throw 7 shutout innings.

May 20: Greg Dobbs drove in the Phillies only run against the Washington Nationals in the 9th inning. The Phillies won the game 1-0. Greg Dobbs delivered once again with another pinch hit.

May 26: The Phillies pound 20 runs against the Rockies, a night after they scored 15 runs off the Houston Astros.

Other highlights:

In Rollins return, he had 3 hits, 1 HR, and 3 RBI to help the Phillies win 7-4 against the Giants.

May 16: Jayson Werth hit 3 HRs against the Toronto Blue Jays.

May 23: Pedro Feliz rips a single off the Astros close, Jose Valverde. The Phillies started to rally, but came off short. Valverde stayed in the game.

The Phillies would have a tough schedule coming up in June as the Phillies would face American League teams.

A's Acquire Holliday

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Oakland Athletics acquired Matt Holliday from the Colorado Rockies.

The A's came out of nowhere for the trade. The Phillies and Cardinals were rumored as trade possibilities for Holliday. Ryan Ludwick was the Cardinals main trade bait. Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, and J.A. Happ were among possibilities of a trade for Holliday for the Phillies.

The package for Holliday includes Carlos Gonzalez, Huston Street, and Greg Smith.

Billy Beane, the A's GM has had a reputation of trading away players at the deadline for prospects. Perhaps this year is not the case as he may feel the A's have a chance to contend in 2009. If that isn't the case, then we could see an old stunt by the A's as they could trade Holliday to a contending team for prospects.

Holliday has one year on his contract left, so he will likely become a free agent after the 2009 season unless he is re-signed. With Scott Boras as his agent, it is likely the 2007 MVP runner up will test the free agent market.

Phillies Note: Phillies resign relief pitcher Scott Eyre. Eyre signed a 1 year, $2 million contract. Also, Jimy Williams will not return as bench coach in 2009.