Jun 17, 2010

Unlikley Heroes: Phils have surprise leaders in 7-1 win over Yankees.

(New York, NY) Coming into tonight's interleague series finale the Phillies were just hoping to escape the Bronx with a win. The tea, sent struggling righty Kyle Kendrick to the mound to take on the always dangerous Andy Pettitte.

Little did the Phillies know that not only would their bats come alive but so would their gloves, as the game was a defensive showcase for the Phils.

Shane Victorino, whom was on a 1/17 slump in the last two series, went 2-3 including a two-run homerun to lead the Phillies offense.

The Phillies got the offense started in the fourth as Ryan Howard roped a one out single to right field that scored Shane Victorino from second base.

Victorino matched Howard one inning later with his two out homerun to right that gave the Phillies an early 2-0 lead.


One inning late the Phillies defense took over when Placido Polanco made a spectacular catch in foul territory as he dove over the rain tarp to snag a Nick Swisher foul ball to end the sixth inning.

The catch was crucial for the Phillies because it came one batter after Robinson Cano drove in the Yankees first and only run of the inning on a single to right field that scored Mark Teixeira. The catch came on a 2-2 count with runners on first and third.

Kyle Kendrick shut down the Yankees in order in the seventh to finish off his fourth win of the season.
Kendrick (4-2) allowed one run on four hits and lasted a solid seven innings before giving the game up to the bullpen. Once Kendrick was finished the combination of Jose Contreras and J.C. Romero finished off the final two inning without allowing a hit as the Phillies won their best-of-three series 2-1.

With the game all but over the Phillies piled on the runs in the ninth inning as the Phillies scored four runs in the top of the ninth.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi sent out Joba Chamberlain to extend the game for the Yankees and make the game manageable but after a Carlos Ruiz lead off double the Phillies bats went to work. The first run came on a Wilson Valdez single to left that plated Ruiz.

After the Valdez single Chamberlain was pulled and the Phillies continued the rally. After Chase Utley was walked by Damaso Marte to load the bases Placido Polanco and Ryan Howard had back-to-back sacrifice fly that scored two more Phillies runs.

Chamberlain allowed three runs without recording an out and his ERA has increased to an miserable 5.72.

The Phillies capped off their offensive effort on a Raul Ibanez two-out double that scored Chase Utley. The run was accredited to former Phillie Chan Ho Park. Park was the same pitcher to closed out the Phillies in game one of the series to avenge the team that refused to resign him in the off-season.

The loss went to Pettitte (8-2) as he allowed two runs on six hits, including the Victorino homer, in seven innings of work. Pettitte suffered only his second loss of the season and sat the Phillies down in order in his first three innings of work.

Box Score

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