The Phils got number 101 last night, tying the ’76 and ’77 teams for wins in a season. They will look to set the franchise record tonight as the Braves try desperately to beat them and get into the playoffs.
With the win, Charlie Manuel also tied Gene Mauch for most wins in franchise history as a manager with 645. Mauch managed the Phillies in parts or all of nine seasons from 1960-68 and the Phillies played to a .486 winning percentage under him. This is Manuel’s seventh year with the Phils. They have gone 645-488 under him (.569).
The Phillies are 101-60 on the year after beating the Atlanta Braves 7-1 last night. The Phils have won the first two games of the series and three in a row. The Braves and Cardinals have the same 89-72 record and are tied the race for the Wild Card with one game left in the regular season for each team.
Oswalt started last night’s game for the Phils and threw six shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk. One of the hits went for extra-bases, a double. He struck out four and dropped his ERA on the year to 3.69, which is sixth-best among the seven pitchers who have started at least one game for the Phils this season. Oswalt goes into the post-season having allowed six runs in 20 2/3 innings over his last three starts. In two of those starts he threw 13 shutout innings combined in which he allowed eight hits and a walk. In the other he allowed six runs in 7 2/3 innings, but pitched way better than his line, allowing four runs in the eighth inning to ruin what had been a solid start.
Utley gave him a 1-0 lead with a homer off of Derek Lowe in the top of the first. Rollins and Pence both knocked in runs in the third to extend the lead to 3-0. Polanco scored Victorino with a sac fly in the fourth. 4-0. Pence hit a two-run homer in the fifth to make it 6-0 and Rollins hit a solo shot in the seventh. 7-0. Martin Prado led off the ninth with a homer off of Kendrick to cut the lead to 7-1.
Savery threw a scoreless seventh for the Phils. In four appearances for the Phils he has now thrown 2 2/3 scoreless innings in which he has allowed one hit and struck out two.
Bastardo pitched a 1-2-3 eighth with a 7-0 lead, getting Brooks Conrad on a ground ball to short, Matt Diaz on a fly ball to center and Michael Bourn swinging. That’s an outstanding development for the Phils — Bastardo came into the outing having allowed nine runs on nine hits and seven walks over 3 2/3 innings over his last eight appearances. Sixteen of the last 27 batters he had faced had reached based and he had allowed at least one hit or walk in each of the eight outings.
Kendrick pitched the ninth and allowed the solo shot to Prado. Coming off of four straight starts, Kendrick has now appeared in relief his last two times out and neither appearance has gone that well. In those two appearances he has allowed three runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings.
Rollins was 3-for-5 with a homer in the game. He’s 11-for-his-last-19 with two home runs.
Utley 2-for-4 with a homer. He came into the game 3-for-his-last-25 and hitting 214/292/313 over his last 202 plate appearances.
Pence 1-for-3 with a home run. 5-for-his-last-12 with two home runs.
Top three in the order for the Phils go 6-for-12 with three home runs and six RBI.
Howard was 0-for-4. 4-for-his-last-11.
Victorino 1-for-4. 6-for-his-last-20 with four extra-base hits.
Ibanez 1-for-4. 8-for-his-last-24 with eight singles.
Polanco 0-for-3 with an RBI. He’s 2-for-his-last-20. From August 5 to September 20 he hit 308/390/355 over 123 plate appearances. 2-for-20 since.
Ruiz 1-for-4 with a double and two strikeouts. 5-for-his-last-12.
Mayberry walked in his only chance last night. 2-for-his-last-10 with three walks. 302/355/590 since the All-Star break. 306/353/595 against lefties for the year. Ibanez has hit 212/234/356 against lefties for the year. I’m going to be surprised if Ibanez doesn’t start in left against lefties in the post-season, but I don’t think it will be the right decision.
Bowker struck out pinch-hitting for Oswalt in the seventh last night. He’s 0-for-13 with seven strikeouts with the Phils.
Blanton (1-2, 5.03) faces righty Tim Hudson (16-10, 3.23) tonight.
September 28th, 2011 on 10:39 am
On paper, looks like a mismatch of pitchers tonight. Probably is in reality too.
Speaking of paper, it looks like a pretty easy choice as to who whould bat against a lefthanded pitcher in the playoffs. Maybe Charlie will surprise us.
Charlie may also surprise us (look at me with two nice segues) with the line up in the playoffs. I think he may stick with the latest version as they have been playing better with it. We shall see on Saturday though. I know who will be batting ninth, and that makes me happy. The guy batting ninth in games 2 and 3 (and now game 4 with Oswalt’s last few outings) make me pretty happy too.
September 28th, 2011 on 10:40 am
P.S. Welcome back Dominating Antonio. Be nice if you stuck around for a while.
September 28th, 2011 on 10:49 am
I think Charlie’s going to play the veteran cause that what makes him Charlie. At least when it comes down to a big game with elimination on the line — I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mayberry get a start or two against lefties, but I think it’s Ibanez getting the start against a lefty when it matters most.
If you go back when it’s over and replay the thing as a sim using the numbers of what Ibanez and Mayberry actually did this year, not a lot of folks are going to put Ibanez in there instead of Mayberry. Of course, trying to get results based on what has already happened instead of trying to anticipate what’s going to happen next are two different things. If Manuel does play Ibanez in left against lefties and the Phillies lose, he’s going to get hammered for it.
I will be interested to see what the Phillies do with the order. I assume we’re back to Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Pence, Ibanez, Polanco, Ruiz. But I’m surprised he’s moved guys around so much recently.
Great to see Bastardo look good. Not so great that Kendrick has had two shaky outings as a reliever in a row after looking good starting.
September 28th, 2011 on 11:17 am
I actually kinda like the Rollins, Utley, Pence, Howard, Victorino, Ibanez, Polanco, Ruiz lineup. Seems more balanced to me, but then again it really isn’t up to me now is it.
I’m not too worried about Kendrick just because I don’t think we’ll see a ton of him in high leverage situations. Bastardo is much more likely to be in the game throwing pitches that matter.
September 28th, 2011 on 11:23 am
I like the lineup a lot, but I’m thinking more and more that Mayberry’s going to get a day or two at First. Howard just isn’t right..
September 28th, 2011 on 11:36 am
I think Bastardo gets the first chance in non-save situations in the post-season, but with a very quick hook. He’s obviously been atrocious of late before last night’s appearance. I’ve always gotten the feeling that Manuel didn’t completely trust Bastardo. For some reason, game one of the ’09 NLCS against the Dodgers has always stuck out for me. Bastardo started the seventh with the Phils up 5-4, faced one batter and gave up a double to Andre Ethier.
http://www.philliesflow.com/2009/10/16/sherrill-you-cant-be-serious/
Since then the Phillies have played 17 playoff games, Bastardo has faced two batters and gotten one out. He’s clearly going to get more chances this year, but, again, I’m not sure how long Manuel will stay with him if he struggles early.
I think Mayberry for Howard at first against a lefty, especially if Howard is hurting, which he is, is a good idea. Again, unless the Phils are up big I don’t think it’s going to happen unless Howard almost literally can’t walk. I think Manuel thinks that Howard is the guy that got them here and he deserves to play. Not sure if I agree, but he’s a lot more likely than I am to wind up in the Hall of Fame.
September 28th, 2011 on 2:00 pm
I’d rather see Howard at first against a lefty than Ibanez in left…and since Mayberry can’t be two places at once, I vote for Raul on the bench. That’s just me.
September 28th, 2011 on 2:21 pm
No argument here on that one — given there’s only one Mayberry, if he’s going to take Ibanez or Howard out of the lineup against a lefty it should be Ibanez. If for some reason the only way to get Mayberry into the lineup against a lefty was to play him at first, I think you still have to go with Howard unless Howard is badly hobbled.
Can Mayberry play second? Maybe he can pitch. Now could be the time to find out.
September 28th, 2011 on 2:22 pm
I think he played third once in little league.
September 28th, 2011 on 5:27 pm
I kind of like Utley in the two hole, though the dinger to center was impressive. But have not seen that kind of power from him in a looooooooooong time.
We may see Bastardo tonight if Charlie can find a way, just to see him one more time.
Mayberry for Ibanez, but not for Howard unless as a late inning replacement when the game is safe.
I doubt Charlie cares whether or not he takes a beating for his player choices. He knows he is smarter thsn we are. Occasionally a fan can be fund who knows that too.
Here is hoping that the arc of this offense remains up.
Here is hoping that the look on Oswalt’s face last night means that he knows that he is back. That is what it looked like to me.
September 28th, 2011 on 5:32 pm
If Howard doesn’t need crutches to circle the bases, I agree with Mayberry kicking Ibanez out. Problem is, Howard looks an awful lot like he could use the crutches.
September 28th, 2011 on 8:06 pm
Hamels. Another stupid home run.
September 28th, 2011 on 9:03 pm
Pence to the plate. Uggle out. Not really close. Wow.
October 11th, 2011 on 4:57 pm
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