This was definitely a good, bad, and ugly game. However a win is a win. I think.
The game started out better than any have all season. The Phillies tagged Mike Fiers for five runs in the first inning including just another three run blast from Domonic Brown. Fiers would be chased from the game in the second inning after surrendering another pair of runs. That was pretty much it for the offense. Brown flirted with the cycle with a homer, triple, and single but fell short when he was walked in the eighth. He did drive in four of the seven runs though so we'll allow David Bell to live another day as the last Phillie to accomplish that feat.
Cliff Lee was dominant. Through seven innings, the Brewers did virtually nothing. The in the eighth, he started to surrender some hits. De Fratus came in to get the last five outs. After getting surrendering a three run triple, that was the only out he'd record. All of a sudden it's a save situation which is nothing to worry about with Papelbon on your team right? Except Papelbon was out with a stomach virus so the wild and unpredictable Antonio Bastardo was the closer. After what may have been the most brutal ninth ever with two walks, two hits, and another run, Bastardo finished them off.
As I said, kind of an ugly game at the end but heroics from Lee and Brown held off all the ugliness. Brown is the most fun hitter to watch in the league right now. The power is legit, he's seeing the ball really well, it's one of those streaks you don't want to see end. He seems a favorite to take home NL Player of the Month honors as well as another Player of the Week award as well.
Next up for the Phillies are the Marlins who just swept the Mets. Tom Koehler, who's pitched well for the Marlins gets the ball against Kyle Kendrick who is coming off a really nice outing against Boston last week. 7:05 start.
