Phils Snap Week Long Skid
It has been a rough week for the Philadelphia Phillies ball club. The team has struggled at the plate and on the mound, manager Pete Mackanin decided to bench the Phillies starting first basemen for the past 10 years, Ryan Howard, in favor of the younger Tommy Joseph, and the team dipped below .500 for the first time since early April. All signs have been pointing towards the Phillies returning to the status expected of them before the season started, but tonight, on “70’s night” at the ballpark, the Phillies were able to snap their week long losing streak and defeat the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 6-3, while rocking some sweet throwback uniforms.
The Phillies offense delivered early in the game tonight and scored all 6 of its runs in the third and fourth innings of tonight’s contest. Cameron Rupp opened up the scoring tonight with a line drive home run to right center field off of Brewers’ starter Jimmy Nelson to lead off the inning. Later in the inning, Maikel Franco drove in Odubel Herrera with a line drive base hit to left field to give the Phillies a 2-0 advantage. Two batters later, newly acquired outfielder Jimmy Paredes singled home Franco to give the Phils a 3-0 lead. The next inning, Andres Blanco delivered the big blow, sending a three-run homer out to right field scoring Rupp and Herrera that gave the Phillies the 6-0 lead that they would not surrender. Rupp was the Phillies’ offensive player of the game as he went 2-2 with a double, a homerun, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored.
Starting pitcher Vince Velazquez was effective tonight but due to a high pitch count, the Phillies hard throwing right hander was only able to go four and 1/3 innings. Velasquez allowed two earned runs on four hits and three walks and six strikeouts. Velasquez came away with the no-decision in the contest so his record remains at 5-2 on the year. Andrew Bailey earned his third victory of the season in an inning and 2/3 of relief while allowing no runs on no hits or walks. Hector Neris recorded his thirteenth hold of the season while pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Neris allowed the first two batters to get on base, but got Chris Carter to ground into a double play that halted the Brewers’ momentum. Phillies’ closer Jeanmar Gomez earned his 18th save of the year while pitching a perfect ninth inning and recording two strikeouts.
The Phillies will be back at it tomorrow afternoon against the Brewers at 3:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.68 ERA) will face off against Brewers starter Junior Guerra (3-1, 3.47 ERA) as the Phils will look to get back to .500 and start up another winning streak.
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Categorized:Phillies