Just two weeks ago, 'sweeping' didn't seem to be in the Phillies vocabulary. The word was used only for teams that could contend, teams that had a legitimate playoff opportunity. Teams would sweep the Phillies, and would rarely play out the opposite way. However, as the dawn of June 19th, 2014, rose upon us, this Philadelphia squad just came off their second sweep in three series. Better than the first, the sweep of the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field was particularly special. It in no way indicated the Phillies had become World Series favorites, or even Wild Card contenders. It did, though, give life to a season that many thought dead. The bats were connecting, and the pitchers were in control from start to finish. For a few days, Phillies fans could cheer. Heading into St. Louis tonight for the start of a 4-game set, it was natural for those same fans to worry again. It'd be David Buchanan taking the hill, in an effort to mow down Shelby Miller and the Cardinals.
The Game: Buchanan and Miller had a good battle going through the first three innings. A few hits, walks, and hit batsmen got each pitcher into minimal trouble, but neither seemed to sweat it out too much. Each pitcher was coming off respectable outings in their previous games, and seemed to have continued their streaks into this series. Fortunately, the Phillies would be the first ones to break through on the scoreboard.
It all got started with Carlos Ruiz. For the fifteenth time this season, he'd record a double, this one bouncing out toward Allen Craig in right field. Chooch would be able to advance to third when Chase Utley singled out to the same area of the ballpark. With nobody out, the Phillies were in business. As he seems to have been doing plenty lately, Ryan Howard came through in the clutch. His single (coincidentally, also to Craig) brought Ruiz in to score, breaking the 0-0 tie. A second run would come in two batters later, when Domonic Brown lifted a sacrifice fly out to, you guessed it, Allen Craig. Give the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
Scoring would commence once again in the sixth inning, and it came from the likeliest of sources. Known for his abundance of success in his hometown of St. Louis, Ryan Howard continued to pound the ball. With one away, Chase Utley reached base with a single to give Howard his opportunity. After falling into a 1-2 count, The Big Piece lifted a ball deep the opposite way. It had a ton of spin on it, and nearly turned foul. He put enough on it, however, and the ball tucked just inside the pole for a two-run home run, Howard's fourteenth of the season. David Buchanan now held a comfortable 4-0 lead.
Speaking of the rookie right-hander, Buchanan looked outstanding in tonight's ball game. He recorded seven one-pitch outs, and fell into three-ball counts just three times in the games. His one blemish came on pitch number 105 in the eighth inning. Early in the inning, Buchanan allowed Johnny Peralta to reach on a walk. Peralta would eventually move up to second, and would soon come home to score on a two-out Matt Carpenter single. It'd be the end of Buchanan's night, but Jake Diekman came in to record the final out and move the teams into the ninth.
With a 4-1 lead, Jonathan Papelbon came in to pitch the ninth and close Buchanan's game. A 1-2-3 performance wrapped things up, and the Phillies now have a 4-game winning streak.
Worth noting is an injury in the fifth inning. When trying to beat out a ground ball to first, third baseman Reid Brignac attempted to slide into first base. An awkward lead in caused a twist in Brignac's ankle, forcing Cesar Hernandez to take his place. Brignac may hit the DL when Cody Asche is activated tomorrow.
Notable Offensive Performances:
Ryan Howard: 2-for-4, 3 RBIs, 1 HR
Chase Utley: 2-for-4, 2 R
Carlos Ruiz: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB
Impact: As the headline notes, the biggest performances came from both David Buchanan and Ryan Howard. After going nearly eight full innings, Buchanan's final line read 7.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, and 4 Ks. It was, by far, the rookie's best ever start, and against the potent Cardinals lineup, it is something for both he and Phillies fans to be proud of. Ryan Howard continued on his rampage, collecting three more RBIs to move his season total to an even 50. He's in the top ten in the National League in both home runs and RBIs, a good sign for a man who's career seemed to be slipping away.
Up Next: With a four game winning streak going, the Phillies will look to guarantee themselves at least a series split with the Cardinals. They'll have to do so with A.J. Burnett taking to the mound to battle Jaime Garcia at 8:15 PM Eastern.
