Results tagged ‘ Antonio Bastardo ’
Phillies Win Mets Series After 8th Inning Adventure
After getting spanked by the Mets on Saturday in an 11-2 loss, the Phillies needed a win today. Kyle Kendrick, sometimes a starter, sometimes a reliever, came through for the team and pitched very well.
Over seven innings, Kendrick allowed only one run on six hits and three walks. He did not strike anyone out, but got ground balls when he needed to, keeping the Phillies in line for a win.
Kendrick was also one of four Phillies who had a multi-hit game today. Kendrick’s two singles matched two hits from Brian Schneider and Raul Ibanez with Jimmy Rollins adding three hits of his own.
But the big bang came off the bat of rookie Michael Martinez who hit his first major league home run against Mets pitcher Mike Pelfry with two men on base. He added a fourth RBI later with a sac fly, so it was a big day for Martinez.
The emergence of Martinez has been great timing for the Phillies. They will need to lean on him a lot in the coming weeks as Placido Polanco is still having back issues and no one is sure when he will return. The more Martinez plays, the more he hits, which may force Charlie Manuel to keep putting him out there.
The Phillies kept adding on until they had an 8-1 lead after the top of the eighth. But in the bottom of the eighth, things got a little hairy for the Phils.
Lefty Juan Perez loaded the bases with Mets on three straight walks without recording an out. Ryan Madson was called in to clean up the mess. Madson got two outs, although two runs did score as he gave up a few hits and a walk. The Phillies wound up bringing Antonio Bastardo in to get the final out and also to pitch the ninth.
Bastardo got out of a wild eighth inning, but wound up allowing a run in the ninth. It was the first run he allowed since May 25th. And although the lead was cut down to 8-5, Bastardo finished the game, earning the save.
The Phillies will travel to Chicago next to play three games against the Cubs. The first is Monday night at 8:05pm with Roy Halladay pitching.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Philadelphia Phillies 2011 First Half Report Card
Having ended the first half of the season with a 57-34 record, the best in baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies have much to look forward to in the second half. And although many injuries and questions still loom in the background, the first half of play was very successful for this team.
What makes the first half even more remarkable is that the Phillies were able to win despite injuries and missed time from a bucket-full of All-Star caliber players including Chase Utley, Roy Oswalt, Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco.
In the bullpen, the Phillies are currently on their fourth closer of the year as the first three all went on the DL. First Brad Lidge, then Jose Contreras and finally, Ryan Madson.
The rest of the pen has been run primarily by rookies and inexperienced players over the last several month. But these players have stepped up and are keeping hope alive.
The following is a look at the Phillies 2011 First Half Report Card.
Starting Pitching: A+
The Phillies ended the first half with the best ERA in baseball at 3.02, the fewest earned runs allowed with 279 plus 11 complete games and 13 shut-outs, both of which are also the most in baseball.
Both Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels have earned 11 wins each and their ERA’s are 2.45 and 2.32, respectively. Those numbers have prompted talk of a Cy Young award for one of the two pitchers. Cliff Lee has been outstanding as well with a 2.82 ERA and nine wins.
The starters have suffered some major injuries, including Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton, both of whom are on the DL. But the rookie Vance Worley has filled in admirably with an occasional spot start from Kyle Kendrick.
Bullpen: B+
The Phillies bullpen has had some real challenges this year, including a plethora of injuries. But thanks to some very young, very solid talent, the pen has endured.
What was thought to be a major team weakness at the start of the year has turned into a strength in many ways.
Lefty Antonio Bastardo has been outstanding and probably should have earned an All-Star nod. In 33 innings, Bastardo has allowed only three earned runs and has a microscopic ERA of 0.82. He has also gone 5-for-5 in save attempts since the Phillies sent their first three closer to the DL.
Michael Stutes and Juan Perez have also been very nice surprises. If Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson can come back healthy in the second half, the bullpen will only be that much stronger.
Offense: C-
The Phillies offense for the first half ranks 20th in all of baseball and 10th in the National League with a .250 team batting average. Statistically, this puts them below average.
But their 377 RBI moves them up the list a little, ranking 11th among all teams and 10th in on-base percentage with .323.
The first couple months were rough without Chase Utley, who is hitting .280 since his return. But other top team hitters like Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco have missed time with injuries as well, making it difficult for manager Charlie Manuel to post any sort of consistent line-up on a regular basis.
Ryan Howard is tied for the league lead in RBI with 72, which has helped carry this weakened offense. But with so many rookies in the line-up because of injuries, the other veteran players will need to step up in the second half.
Defense: A-
Statistically, the Phillies have the best defense in the National League and are around fourth best in all of baseball with 45 errors and a .987 fielding percentage. Many teams have similar numbers, but looking at the major categories, I would put them in about fourth place.
Among position players, Carlos Ruiz and Ryan Howard have the highest fielding percentages on the team with .996 and .995, respectively. Howard has improved his defense greatly over the past couple of years.
This team has a very solid defense. There were a few games this year where sloppy play brought that into question, but they are humans, not robots. Overall, it was a very good first half for the defense.
Attendance: A+
The Phillies ended the first half on Sunday with their 172nd consecutive home sellout. They are also first in total attendance for all of baseball with 2,228,630 fans so far this year, according to ESPN. The Yankees were second with 2,173,619 fans.
The Phillies keep winning, and the fans keep the party going.
1st Half MVP: Roy Halladay
Because their numbers are very similar, I was tempted to go with Cole Hamels on this one. But with six complete games and the most innings pitched in the National League, I am giving the first half MVP to Roy Halladay.
This man is a beast. In Tuesday night’s All-Star game, Brian Wilson of the Giants called Halladay a “Cyborg.” That seems fitting.
There is nothing Halladay won’t do to help his team win. With 11 wins, a 2.45 ERA and team-leading 138 strike-outs, Halladay is the MVP.
Most Memorable 1st Half Moment: Tie, Wilson Valdez & Cliff Lee
This one had to be a draw, because both players provided Phillies fans with some amazing memories this year so far.
First, watching Wilson Valdez tow the rubber in the May 25th 5-4 win in 19 innings over the Reds was simply unforgettable. The Phillies ran out of pitchers and Valdez volunteered. He pitched one perfect inning and the Phillies won the game in the bottom of the 19th as a result of his effort.
Before this win by Valdez, the last player to start a game in the field and get the win as a pitcher was Babe Ruth in 1921. But the best part was hearing Valdez joke after the game that he could have gone three or four more innings if needed.
And then this past Saturday, pitcher Cliff Lee provided another memorable moment. In the third inning, after a 10-pitch at-bat and six foul balls, Lee smashed his 1st career home run off the Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson, who watched in disbelief.
Lee spent most of his career in the American League, with few chances to hit. But Lee has remarked on many occasions that he prefers the National League because he loves to hit. And that joy was all over his face as he rounded the bases in front of thousands of screaming fans who gave him a standing ovation.
Watching a man who truly loves the game of baseball be rewarded in a way that is rarely seen was a real treat. Pitchers do not hit many home runs and it is even less common among pitchers of Lee’s caliber.
That was a moment that both Lee and all of the Philadelphia fans watching will not soon forget.
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Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Lee’s 1st Career Homer Only Offense in Phillies Loss
Saturday’s Phillies game against the Braves featured Cliff Lee doing it all and everyone else, not so much. Lee pitched eight very solid innings of one run ball, allowing only three hits and striking out nine batters. he even made a few diving plays on the field.
But the Braves starting pitcher, Tommy Hanson, matched Lee. He also allowed just one run.
And that one run was something very special. After a 10-pitch at-bat and six foul balls, the Phillies pitcher, Cliff Lee, smashed his 1st career home run off Hanson in the third inning. Yes, the man really can do it all.
Lee ran the bases smiling and even looking a little giddy as fans went wild, realizing the importance of the moment. It is not every day we see a pitcher hit a home run. And for a guy like Lee, who gives it 110% every time he is on the field, it was especially rewarding.
While Lee did everything he could to help the team win, sadly, the rest of the team did not join him. Of course, they were facing an amazing pitcher so most expected this to be a close game. But the Phillies had some opportunities to score and did not execute.
John Mayberry Jr. doubled in the sixth, but then left the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th. Ryan Howard went 0-5, leaving two men on base in the sixth, including Mayberry. And Raul Ibanez, the hero of Friday night’s 10-inning win, made the last out Saturday in the 11th with a fly ball.
In extra innings, the Phillies leaned on the same bullpen pieces as they had the night before, only in a different order. Antonio Bastardo and Juan Perez pitched a scoreless the 9th and 10th. And then Michael Stutes gave up three runs in the 11th.
A foul ball pop-up made the 11th interesting as Howard dropped the ball, but it was a very tough play in and out of the shadows. Overall, the defense was solid, but that one, plus a walk to start the inning, turned out to be important later.
So the Phillies lost 4-1 and go into today’s game with a chance to win the series. Game time is 1:35pm and Cole Hamels will pitch. Derek Lowe is scheduled to start for the Braves.
Here is the full Photo Album from the Photo Day event and also from the game. I will have photos from the Sunday game hopefully later today.
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Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Walk-Off Win After Long Rain Delay
It has been a long while since Phillies fans have been able to shout, “RAUUUUUUUL!” with any real gusto. Raul Ibanez is hitting just .239 with a .287 on-base percentage this year. But Philly still loves Ibanez, and last night, he gave them extra reason to cheer.
After a two-hour rain delay, multiple roll-outs of the tarp on the field and double warm-ups for both starting pitchers, the Phillies – Braves series finally got under way.
So it took almost five hours total, 10 innings and one Ibanez walk-off homer for the Phils to defeat the Braves. Roy Halladay battled Brave Brandon Beachy (say that three times fast) on the mound. The battle ended up in a draw as both pitchers allowed two runs and left with a tie game.
It was then up to the bullpens, where it seemed the Braves had the advantage. But Michael Stutes, Antonio Bastardo and Juan Perez combined for three scoreless innings to keep the Phillies in the game.
In fact, Perez, a newcomer to the Phils, accomplished a feat that has not been done in 20 years of Phillies history. He struck out the side in the 10th on exactly nine pitches, the bare minimum; nine pitches, nine strikes, three outs.
Ibanez rewarded Perez by smashing the game-winning homer in the bottom of the 10th. The 32-year old lefty earned his first major league win thanks to Ibanez and the nine-pitch inning he tossed.
So the Phillies 3-2 win puts them in a great position for the rest of the weekend. I will be at both games Saturday and Sunday and return with photos and, hopefully, two more wins.
Game time today is 4:10pm and Cliff Lee will pitch.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Phillies Offense Sleeping with the Fish; Young Pitching Bails Them Out
The Phillies started a 3-game series tonight with the Fish and both offenses seemed to be floundering. If you had decided to take a nap and did not wake up until the seventh inning, you would have missed practically nothing.
Vance Worley started for the Phillies and was very sharp. He pitched seven innings total, allowing only two hits, two walks and no runs.
But while Worley held his own, the Phillies offense could not seem to manage any action. Domonic Brown was the only hitter with a big night that included two hits and he scored the Phillies’ only run on a Michael Martinez single in the seventh.
As for the scoring, that was it. Worley had a chance to move runners on first and second over with a bunt in the seventh, but he struck out. Worley seriously needs to work on his bunting.
So the bullpen took over after that. Michael Stutes was fantastic as usual, pitching a scoreless, hitless eighth. And then Antonio Bastardo saved the game, winning by a score of just 1-0. It was a combined 2-hitter for three rookies / young players in Worley, Stutes and Bastardo. The fountain of youth takes one for the team…nice.
Game two with the Marlins kicks off tomorrow night at 7:10pm.
By the way, Happy Fourth of July everyone! Enjoy your evening :O)
Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Phillies Ruin Canada Day as Offense Finally Saves The Day
Dear Toronto,
We are sorry for ruining your holiday. Perhaps next year, you can play the Mets on Canada Day instead. Sincerely,
The Phillies
So yes, the Phillies pulled off an improbable 7-6 comeback win today against the Blue Jays, amidst holiday festivities. Canadians take this day very seriously; everything was closed and parties were all over the place. Even Wal-Mart was closed. Know you know how important this day was for Canada. No Wal-Mart…I shudder at the thought.
The festivities also included a pre-game celebration:
And then former Blue-Jay Roy Halladay was asked to present the line-up card for the Phillies and go over the ground rules, like the coach normally does. The Toronto fans gave him a loud standing ovation.
One fan told me the reason they love Halladay so much was not because he is an awesome pitcher, but because he always gave 110% even when the team sucked for all those years. He never slacked off, even though they were not winning.
Also part of the celebration, all players and even the mascots wore jerseys that said “Canada” on the back instead of their names:
The match-up of Kyle Kendrick and Ricky Romero looked ominous as Kendrick plunked the first batter he faced. Yunel Escobar wound up having to leave the game with a badly bruised hand and Kendrick proceeded to give up a bunch of runs.
But while Kendrick faltered, the Phillies offense battled back and by the seventh inning they had a 5-4 lead after a Shane Victorino triple and then a sac fly from Ben Francisco scored two runs.
The defense on both sides was a bit sloppy, but the Phillies were able to recover.
The Jays then landed what looked like a knock-out blow in the bottom of the seventh. With a 5-4 lead and 2 outs, Kendrick made a huge mistake to slugger Jose Bautista who deposited the ball over the fence in left.
With the air out of the balloon and now losing by 6-5, it looked like Kendrick had blown the game. But the Phillies mustered a comeback in the ninth. Placido Polanco walked, Chase Utley doubled and then Ryan Howard served up a 2 RBI-single to give the Phils a 7-6 lead.
Antonio Bastardo sent the shell-shocked Jays down in order in the bottom of the ninth for the save. And now, they Jays have to contend with Halladay and Cliff Lee in the next two games. I like the chances for the Phillies.
Here is the full Photo Album from the game. More photos to come after tomorrow’s game as well!
Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Worley Shows Big League Stuff in Win Over the Red Sox
The rookie Vance Worley faced a difficult task this evening against the Red Sox. Not only was he pitching against a great offense, Worley also had to follow an amazing performance from Cliff Lee the night before. Not to mention, Worley is a young, inexperienced pitcher who had yet to go more than six innings in a major league game.
Worley got the job done. He even pitched a full seven innings for the first time in the majors. The only run Worley allowed was knocked in by the opposing pitcher, John Lackey, who surprised everyone with an RBI-double.
But Worley maintained his composure throughout the game. His final line included only five hits, two walks and one run.
The offense did little to help Worley out, scoring only one run through the sixth inning on a Raul Ibanez RBI-single. With the score tied 1-1 in the seventh, Ibanez finally gave the Phillies the lead with a solo homer. This also put Worley in line for the win.
It would be up to a very young bullpen after that to hold down the slim lead. Fans got a sneak peak at what the near future holds for a pen with three closers on the DL. Michael Stutes served as the set-up man in the eighth inning and sent the Sox down in order.
After the Phillies were again unable to score in the eighth, Antonio Bastardo stepped onto the mound in the ninth as closer #4 on the year for the Phillies. He quickly disposed of the Sox batters to earn the save and award Worley with a win.
The Phillies have taken the first two games of this series, which is very good news. They play the final game tomorrow afternoon at 1:05pm with Cole Hamels on the mound.
Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Cliff Lee Rocks The Sox in 3rd Consecutive Complete Game Shut-Out
Cliff Lee must be wishing that the month of June would never end. Because he has been insanely good in each of his five starts this month.
Today’s 5-0 win over the Red Sox marked Lee’s 32nd consecutive scoreless inning pitched. With only two hits allowed, this game was Lee’s third consecutive complete game shut-out. The last Phillie to accomplish that feat was Robin Roberts in 1950.
For the month, Lee went 5-0 and had only one run allowed in 42 innings. The man is simply amazing.
But Lee did not just pitch well, he also collected an RBI with a sac fly. And while Lee dealt on the mound and at the plate, the Phillies offense pounded Josh Beckett. A pair of two run homers, one from Domonic Brown and the other from Shane Victorino, highlighted the scoring. Brown also had a double on the night.
With this victory, the Phillies became the first team in the majors to reach 50 wins this season.
Vance Worley will pitch tomorrow. And after Lee’s performance tonight, he has very big shoes to fill. Game time is 7:05pm.
Injury Update
The Phillies placed closer Ryan Madson on the DL before today’s game. After getting whacked in the hand with hit ball back in May, Madson has had issues off and on and finally needed a cortisone shot to reduce the chronic swelling.
This means that the Phillies are now on their fourth closer of the season, which will likely be Antonio Bastardo. Each of the first three closers, Brad Lidge, Jose Contreras and Madson, are all on the DL now. Drew Carpenter was brought up from Triple-A to fill the roster spot.
Of the seven pitchers left in the bullpen, only two have not been in the minors this year and only Danys Baez has more than 71 innings pitched in the majors. Scary.
Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
Lee’s Dominance Results in Clean Sweep of the Marlins
The last time the Phillies won seven games in a row in the month of June was in 1982. In 2011, they have done it again…finally. And they also swept the Marlins in a four game series.
Cliff Lee was on fire today, only in a good way, not in a call the fire department way. He was no-hitting the Fish until Mike Stanton singled with 2 outs in the 5th. Still, Lee wound up pitching a complete game shut-out in the 3-0 win.
In addition, Lee was hot at the plate as well. He had two hits in the game, the second of which was an RBI-double off the right-center field wall. He missed a home run by only a few feet.
And that one run, the first of the game, turned out to be all Lee needed to win the game. But just for good measure, Ryan Howard added on with a solo homer in the 5th and Jimmy Rollins knocked in the third run in the 6th with a double.
The Phillies are now on their way to Seattle where they will begin a 3-game series with the Mariners Friday night at 10:10pm. Roy Oswalt will pitch and Cole Hamels will start on Sunday.
Due to the doubleheader yesterday, the Phillies were in need of a spot starter for Saturday, which is going to be rookie Vance Worley. That brings us to the sad news of the day…
To make room for Worley, the Phillies chose to designate J.C. Romero for assignment. They have 10 days to trade him, release him or place him on waivers. Romero could be offered a minor league deal if no one takes him, but the odds are slim that he would accept that deal.
While Romero has struggled since having elbow surgery before the 2010 season, the emergence of lefty Antonio Bastardo has also made it difficult for Romero to get innings. Romero will always be remembered in Philadelphia for his contributions to the 2008 World Series championship plus a League Championship and two NL East titles.
On a personal note, I have had the privilege of being able to spend some time with J.C. and his family over the last 3+ years and I will miss them. The Romero’s are generous, kind people who contributed much more than just baseball to the city of Philadelphia and other communities in need.
I wish them the very best.
Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
2011 Phillies Phestival
The 2011 Phillies Phestival to benefit the ALS Association raised $893,033 this year with a record crowd of 6,800 fans. The Phestival included player autographs, games, prizes, grab bags and photo opportunities.
Here are a few photos I snapped while getting autographs. Here is Ryan Howard, Cliff Lee, Chase Utley and Antonio Bastardo:
Before the autographs began, the players wandered around the field meeting the event sponsors and their families. Something odd I noted was that many Phillies players were wearing plaid shirts, in various colors. It made me wonder, was this a planned theme, a coincidence or is plaid back in style and I am just late getting the news?
So, what do you think? Weird, right? Or maybe it is just me ;o)
Anyway, the Phillies did a fine job as usual putting together a great event. And it is always nice to see an entire team come out on their off-day to support a worthy cause.
But tonight, it is back to baseball. The Phillies will face the Marlins at 7:05pm.
Here is the full Photo Album from the Phestival. Enjoy!
Photos by Jenn Zambri Photography
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin’ Phils Phorum in the MTR Media network*
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