The Phils capitalized on some fantastic individual performances this weekend as they took two of three for the Mets. Mayberry and Martinez had huge games with the bats and Kendrick held New York to a run over seven innings yesterday as the Phils took the rubber game.
The bullpen was notably unspectacular in the set. Called on to pitch 9 1/3 innings over the three games, the pen allowed nine runs on 13 hits and six walks, throwing to an 8.68 ERA with a 2.04 ratio.
On Friday, John Mayberry drove in five runs and Vance Worley pitched well as the Phils won 7-2. Mayberry’s two-run single in the top of the second put the Phils up 2-0 and was followed by a ground out by Worley that gave the Phils another run. Ibanez homered to right in the sixth to make it 4-0. Worley gave up two walks and a single in the sixth as the Mets cut the lead to 4-1 and Perez got the last two outs to end the inning. Mayberry hit a three-run double in the eight to make it 7-1. Carlos Beltran homered off of Stutes in the bottom of the eighth.
The Mets clubbed Hamels on Saturday, scoring seven runs charged to him in his 4 1/3 innings for the game. They scored a run on two hits in the first and two more in the third on two hits and two walks. Hamels walked two more in the fourth as New York scored again, upping their lead to 4-0. Daniel Murphy led off the fifth with a home run off of Hamels, and Nick Evans followed that with an RBI-triple two batters later that made it 6-0. Herndon took over for Hamels and Evans came in to score on a sac fly by Angel Pagan to extend the lead to 7-0. Singles by Ibanez, Ruiz and Valdez to start the inning helped the Phils score two in the seventh, but Baez got blasted for four runs in a bottom of the seventh that featured a three-run homer by Scott Hairston.
Yesterday the Phils got a great start by Kendrick and a monster game from Michael Martinez in an 8-5 win.
The Phillies are 59-35 on the year after beating the Mets 8-5 last night. The Phils take two of three in the series and are in first place in the NL East, 3 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Braves.
Kendrick got the start and went seven innings, allowing a run on six hits and three walks. Three of the hits went for extra-bases, all doubles. He didn’t strike anybody out and dropped his ERA on the year to 3.44.
He started the bottom of the first up 1-0. With two outs he allowed back-to-back singles to Willie Harris and Daniel Murphy. It brought Jason Bay to the plate with men on first and third. Bay grounded to short to leave both men stranded.
Lucas Duda doubled to start the second, but Kendrick got the next three hitters behind him.
He walked Pagan to start the third, but got Justin Turner to hit into a double-play behind him. Harris followed that with a double and Murphy walked behind Harris, but Kendrick got Bay on a ground ball to short again, leaving the runners stranded at second and third.
He threw a 1-2-3 fourth.
He was up 4-0 when he started the fifth. He walked pinch-hitter Jason Pridie to start the frame, but got the next three hitters behind him.
He set the Mets down in order in the sixth.
He was up 5-0 when he started the seventh. Ronny Paulino led off with a double to center. Ruben Tejada popped to Utley for the first out behind him before the righty Hairston hit for the pitcher Tim Byrdak and singled to left, scoring Paulino to make it 5-1. Kendrick got the next two to end the inning.
Perez started the eighth with the Phils up 8-1 and walked the bases loaded, walking Harris, Murphy and then Bay on four pitches. Madson took over for him and got Duda to hit into a double-play, with Harris scoring to make it 8-2 with two outs and a man on third for Paulino. Paulino singled to center, scoring Murphy. 8-3. Madson hit Tejada with a 2-2 pitch, putting men on first and second. Righty Nick Evans hit for the pitcher Ryota Igarashi and Madson walked him, loading the bases for Pagan. Pagan singled to right and everyone moved up a base. 8-4 with the bases still loaded for righty Justin Turner. Bastardo came in to pitch to Turner and got him swinging 2-2 to end the inning with the bases loaded.
Miserable outings for Perez and Madson and a big strikeout for Bastardo. Perez walked the only three batters he faced. Madson got the big double-play, but then allowed the next four men to reach on single, hit-by-pitch, walk, single.
Bastardo was back for the ninth. He allowed a one-out double to Murphy, but got bay on a foul ball handled by Howard for the second out. Duda was next and he tripled to center, scoring Murphy to make it 8-5 with a man on third for Paulino. Paulino hit a ground ball in the hole between third and short. Martinez made a nice play, moving to his left to field, then spinning and making a strong throw to first to get Paulino and end the game.
The pen allows four runs in two innings in the game a day after Baez gets hammered for four runs in the seventh. Stutes allowed the home run to Beltran in game one. So not a good series for the pen.
Bastardo threw 31 pitches in the game. Madson 22 and Perez 15. None of those guys have thrown more than one day in a row.
The Phillies lineup against righty Mike Pelfrey went (1) Rollins (2) Martinez (3) Utley (4) Howard (5) Ibanez (6) Brown (7) Mayberry (8) Schneider. Martinez starts at third in place of Polanco while Mayberry plays center for the sidelined Victorino. Schneider catches the day game with Ruiz on the bench.
Utley walked with two outs in the first and stole second. Howard was next and singled to right, scoring Utley to put the Phils up 1-0. Ibanez grounded to the pitcher Pelfrey for the third out.
No run for the Phils in the inning without the stolen base by Utley ahead of Howard’s single.
Schneider singled to center with two outs in the second and moved to second when Kendrick followed with a single. Rollins flew to right to leave the runners at first and second.
The Phils went in order in the third. Ibanez and Brown struck out as they went in order in the fourth.
In the fifth, Kendrick and Rollins singled back-to-back with one out. It put men on first and second for Martinez and Martinez hit a 2-0 pitch out to right for his first career home run, putting the Phils up 4-0. Utley and Howard went down behind him.
Huge hit for Martinez. Second hit in five innings for Kendrick.
Ibanez started the sixth with a single. Brown popped out behind him and Mayberry hit into a double-play.
Schneider started the seventh with a single and Kendrick bunted him to second with the first out. Rollins singled to right, moving Schneider to third. Martinez flew to left deep enough for Schneider to tag and score, putting the Phils up 5-0. Utley flew to right for the third out.
Up 5-1, Howard started the eighth with a fly ball to left that Bay just didn’t catch for an error that left Howard safe at first. Ibanez popped to Duda for the first out before Brown walked. Mayberry popped to a sliding Duda for the second out before a walk to Schneider loaded the bases. With the righty Pedro Beato on the mound for New York, Gload hit for Kendrick and walked, forcing in Howard. 6-1. Rollins followed that with a single to right that plated Brown and Schneider. 8-1. Martinez struck out swinging to leave the runners at first and third.
Howard walked with one out in the ninth and the lead cut to 8-4. A single by Ibanez pushed Howard to second, but Brown and Mayberry both struck out to leave both men stranded.
Rollins was 3-for-5 with two RBI in the game. He was 5-for-14 in the series with two RBI and is hitting 271/341/382 for the year.
Martinez 1-for-4 with a three-run homer and a sac fly. He was 1-for-10 with a walk, a home run and five RBI in the set. 215/257/301 for the year.
Utley 0-for-4. 1-for-11 with a double and three walks in the series. He’s hitting 268/364/423 for the year.
Howard 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. 1-for-11 with a single, a walk and an RBI in the series. 251/349/463.
Ibanez 2-for-5. 6-for-13 with a home run in the series. 333/347/625 in July and 249/293/426 for the year.
Brown 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. 0-for-7 with two walks and three strikeouts in the series. 240/322/390 for the season.
Mayberry 0-for-5 and left five men on base. 2-for-13 with a double and five RBI in the set. 235/311/419 on the season.
Schneider 2-for-3 with a walk. 2-for-4 with a walk in the series. 185/243/308 for the season.
Halladay (11-3, 2.25) faces righty Rodrigo Lopez (1-2, 4.02) tonight in Chicago. Lopez has been good over his last two starts, allowing three runs in 13 innings. Righties are on-basing .233 against Halladay for the year.
Victorino is expected to be activated for Tuesday’s game.
July 18th, 2011 on 9:55 am
I think we’re all in Bizarro World. Phils win 2/3 of with Hamels losing the one game while getting hammered with Worley and Kendrick pitching well. Martinez hits a home run and Mayberry drives in everybody. What the hell is going on here?
July 18th, 2011 on 12:07 pm
Kendrick will never blow folks away (he has only 27 Ks so far this year and always seems to have guys on base against him – the definition of a pitch-to-contact pitcher), but his ERA is 3.34, which is not like the top three guys in the order but don’t you wish everyone else outside the Big Three on this staff had that ERA? He makes me more nervous than anyone not named Baez or Herdon, but he has given his team a chance to win most all of the time. For a #4 or #5 guy, it is hard to expect more than that.
Still, if you had asked me which one of the games we would have lost in NY, I would have picked game three, NOT game two. And yes, it was a weird series.
Anyone have an opinion about when the scouting reports will catch up with Worley?
July 18th, 2011 on 1:09 pm
Soon would be my guess. Still, that’s not going to change the fact that he’s helped the Phils a ton already.
I’ve seriously thought Baez was going to be waived for a year and a half now. So I don’t know what’s going on there. His ERA with the Phillies is up to 5.81 over two years now.
July 18th, 2011 on 1:57 pm
My guess is that Baez is just holding a spot until some of the others on the staff get healthy and/or a trade is made. He has to be the first to go, right?
July 18th, 2011 on 2:55 pm
I don’t think Perez is ready for the big show.. 3 straight K’s is good. 3 straight BB’s is too reminiscent of Romero.
But Baez would be #2 on my list to ditch.
July 18th, 2011 on 2:57 pm
Baez in the major league uniform of a top team makes less sense as time moves forward and his ERA rises. He throws hard, which is the only reason I can imagine for his still being here; why he is not effective is a mystery to me, but he is sure isn’t. Someone in the minors has to bring as much to the mound as Baez does. i’d love to know Amaro’s reasoning for keeping him.
July 18th, 2011 on 2:59 pm
For the moment, I think I’d still hang onto Perez over Baez.
July 18th, 2011 on 3:48 pm
If Baez could throw with his left hand, I’d prefer to keep him. Maybe he should try it, he can’t be much worse. However, Perez has some pretty sick stuff from the left side, so I’d rather have him on the team even if he has no idea where the ball is going when he lets it go.
There are plenty of arms in the minors who would be better than Baez, although I can’t really see the point in bringing any of them up. With the amount of work he gets, it just wouldn’t make sense to replace him with a kid that is only going to throw once a week.
July 18th, 2011 on 3:54 pm
@Greg… Good point about not sitting a kid on the bench just to replace Baez.
July 18th, 2011 on 4:10 pm
I don’t understand how Baez has hung on so long. I assume it must have something to do with past success and thinking they need a veteran presence, but golly he’s been bad. I’m all for a veteran presence, but would really prefer one that could get someone out. it’s also not like the Phillies are putting him into a ton of situations with the game on the line. In Baez’s defense, five scoreless innings from him against the Reds on May 25 were huge. In his not-defense, he’s thrown to a 12.34 ERA in his ten appearances since and opponents have hit 365/450/615 against him. So maybe 73 pitches wasn’t the best idea.
July 18th, 2011 on 8:41 pm
Sigh. I just watched our center fielder and right fielder bat. They are hitting seventh and eighth in the order. Somehow, I do not think that is optimum for a ball club.
July 18th, 2011 on 9:25 pm
If you don’t like that, how bout Halladay leaves after four innings looking like he’s not feeling real good?
July 19th, 2011 on 9:05 am
It’s awesome to see Vance Worley and Kyle Kendrick stepping up and winning games for us when our team is struggling to stay healthy. I watched these kids play in the minors with the Lakewood BlueClaws a while back and it’s nice to see them still winning games for our system. Go Phills!
July 27th, 2011 on 11:48 am
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