Image courtesy of Matt Sautter
The Phillies were looking for a quality start from Vance Worley tonight to snap out of their five-game losing streak. Impatient at-bats last night led to a 6-2 loss, and a terrible way to kick off the second half of the season.
Thankfully, an outburst of offense gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead in the first inning. First, Chase Utley singled to left to score Shane Victorino from second. After Ryan Howard walked, Carlos Ruiz sent a ball deep to the seats in left field for a three-run homer. Chooch continues his outstanding season.
Rookie Josh Rutledge was able to score in the third inning thanks to a single from Dexter Fowler. Fowler later scored on an RBI double from Carlos Gonzalez. The Rockies cut the Phillies' lead in half, but that's all they would get in the inning.
Vance Worley has been hitless all season, which is surprising since he went 10-45 last year. Tonight, he got his first hit on an infield single which was bobbled, and luckily, Vance was booking it down the line, so he was safe at first. Of course, all that momentum led to him falling over and rolling in the dirt. He laughed it off.
Later, Vance came through with a two-run double in the sixth which scored Juan Pierre and Mike Fontenot. This gave him a 6-2 lead.
After 6 and 2/3 innings tonight, this became a bullpen game. Vance allowed two earned runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out two. Not bad at all. Jake Diekman finished the seventh inning for him.
In the eighth with one out, Brian Sanches served up a three-run home run to Wilin Rosario. Rosario brought the Rockies within one run of tying the ballgame, which prompted Charlie to bring in Jonathan Papelbon for the five-out save.
Shane Victorino gave Papelbon an insurance run in the ninth inning with an RBI triple which sent Jimmy Rollins home from second. Chase added another with an RBI single down the line to right field.
Papelbon closed it out in five innings tonight, which was a much better plan than having another arm from the bullpen come in. The Phillies took game two of this series, 8-5, and will look to take the series tomorrow at 3:10.
