Recap: Atlanta vs. Philadelphia
Sports Network | September 16, 2008
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Ryan Howard's two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning was the difference, as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied past the Atlanta Braves, 8-7, in the opener of a three-game series at Turner Field.
Howard finished 4-for-5, falling a double shy of the cycle, with three RBI and two runs scored the Phillies, who have won five games in a row and moved a half-game ahead of New York for first place in the NL East. The Mets were blanked by Odalis Perez and the Washington Nationals, 1-0, on Tuesday. The Phillies are atop the division for the first time since August 26.
Jayson Werth collected three hits, including a two-run homer, and scored three runs, while Shane Victorino also had three hits and a run batted in. Carlos Ruiz added a solo home run in the victory.
Philadelphia starter Jamie Moyer was touched for six runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings while walking four and fanning six. Ryan Madson (4-2) tossed two perfect frames to get the win, and Brad Lidge overcame a shaky ninth inning to notch his 37th save.
Brian McCann went 3-for-5 and drove in two runs for Atlanta, which has dropped two of its last three games.
James Parr allowed four runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings, with four strikeouts, but did not receive a decision. Mike Gonzalez (0-3) was saddled with the loss after he surrendered the longball to Howard.
After the Braves pulled ahead, 7-4, with a four-run sixth, the Phillies began to chip away at the deficit. Will Ohman started the seventh for Atlanta and gave up a one-out hit to Werth, who scored on Howard's triple off the left field wall. Jeff Bennett took over for Atlanta, and one out later Victorino made it a 7-6 game with an RBI single to right.
Julian Tavarez issued a two-out walk to Werth in the eighth. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox elected to bring in his closer, Gonzalez, to face Howard, who took a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall for his 45th homer of the season and an 8-7 Phillies advantage.
Lidge walked the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, but fanned Gregor Blanco to remain perfect in save situations this season.
The Phillies jumped in front of the Braves with three runs in the third. After Moyer went down swinging, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley smacked consecutive doubles to snap Parr's 14 1/3 scoreless innings streak, which spanned his first two major league starts. Werth then hammered a 3-2 pitch over the left- field wall for a 3-0 Phillies lead.
Atlanta countered by putting three runs on the board in the next frame. The Braves loaded the bases with one out on a hit batsman, a walk and a single. McCann then slapped a single to right to chase home Josh Anderson. One out later, Casey Kotchman lined a two-run single to center to tie the game.
Philadelphia, though, regained the lead in the fourth on Ruiz's fourth home run of the season, a one-out blast to left.
The Braves put up a four-spot in the sixth to grab a 7-4 lead. A one-out single by Jeff Francoeur and back-to-back walks to Brent Lillibridge and pinch-hitter Greg Norton loaded the bases for Anderson, who grounded out to force in the tying run. Chad Durbin took over on the mound and promptly served up a two-run single to Kelly Johnson. Scott Eyre came on in relief two batters later and gave up an RBI single to McCann.
Howard leads the majors with 136 RBI...Jones leads the majors with a .365 batting average...The Phils have won 11 of 13 versus the Braves in 2008, including a 7-0 record in Atlanta...Johnson is riding a career-high 14-game hitting streak...Pat Burrell was 0-for-5 with five strikeouts, marking just the fifth time in Phillies history a player struck out five times in a one game...Philadelphia rookie J.A. Happ will replace the slumping Kyle Kendrick in the rotation for Wednesday's contest against the Braves. Jair Jurrjens is slated to start for Atlanta.
