Liberty Ball

With only two teams really out of contention for the Wild Card in the National League, every series is big.  The Phillies had been struggling, but they got the job done against the Diamondbacks.  They almost swept them, which is encouraging as we head into the final two months of the season.

Other then the Phillies first inning in which they scored three runs, no more then one run was scored in a half inning the rest of the way.  The Diamondbacks scored all six of their runs in seperate innings but it was Carlos Quentin’s solo homerun in the top of the tenth that did the most damage. Ryan Madson had a rough start but escaped four innings and only gave up two runs.  Ryan Franklin took the loss.  Chase Utley drove in three runs and Jimmy Rollins scored twice in the 6-5 loss.

The Phillies jumped all over Brandon Webb yesterday.  By the end of the third inning, the Phillies had six runs and while they didn’t score the rest of the way, Jon Lieber and the pen held on to win it.  Dave Dellucci drove in two runs and Chase Utley got the job done again and drove in three.  Lieber improved to 4-7 and he gave up four runs on eleven hits and no walks.  Tom Gordon picked up save number 24.

The Diamondbacks tagged Cory Lidle for a run in each of the first two innings but a Mike Lieberthal’s two run homerun tied it up in the fourth and in the fifth, Ryan Howard doubled home a run to give the Phillies the lead for good.  Aaron Rowand added two more with a two run single to give the Phillies some insurance, but it wasn’t needed.  Lidle was very good.  He gave up two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts through eight innings.  Gordon pitched a perfect ninth to pick up save number 25.

There’s some games tonight, but here’s the score.  The Phillies are now tied with the Rockies, and they’re 5 1/2 games back of the Reds.  They’re either tied with or behind seven other teams and they face one of those teams this weekend in a huge five game series.  The Marlins have to go down.  Four of five would be optimal.  Anything less, and we may as well be sellers going into the trade deadline.