Results tagged ‘ Vanimal ’
The Vanimal Returns
After a shaky start to the season, Phillies pitcher Vance Worley was trying to locate his inner animal last night against the Padres. In 7 innings of shut-out ball, the Vanimal has indeed returned.
The 11 strikeouts Worley recorded were a career high and left many Padres shaking their heads. Worley did walk 3 batters, but only allowed 4 hits, fewer than Cliff Lee allowed the night before. If Worley can maintain this pace, it will be a huge boost for the team going forward.
And they could use a boost because the Phillies batters have still not found their inner animal. Right now they are playing at the level of a timid lamb instead of a proud lion, like Worley. This zoo needs a serious upgrade.
After getting only 4 hits against the Giants in the previous game, against the Padres, the Phils posted only 6 hits. It looked like they may get going when they scored a run in the first on a Jimmy Rollins sac fly. But then with a man on third and only one out, the Phillies could not add on.
They scored only 2 total bookend runs, one in the 1st and one in the 9th on a wild pitch. Thanks to the pitching from Worley, Chad Qualls and Jonathan Papelbon, 2 runs wound up being enough for the win.
Game 2 with the Padres starts at 10pm tonight…TGIF!
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Photoshopping by Jenn Zambri Photography
Phillies Overcome 6-Run Deficit To Sweep Dodgers
Before today’s game against the Dodgers, the Phillies rookie pitcher Vance Worley was hearing his name tossed around in the same sentence as “Rookie of the Year.” But after allowing five runs in the first inning, Worley looked more like a regular rookie than an award-winning one. The Vanimal lost a bit of his bite today.
Still, Worley picked himself up after the disastrous 1st inning and went back to pitching like usual. He surrendered one more run in the 3rd, but for the most part, he settled down. Being able to bounce back in the face of adversity is a very good sign from a very young pitcher.
In the 3rd inning, Worley helped his own cause with an RBI-single. The Phillies cut the 6-0 lead in half that inning, scoring three runs with the Worley hit and a Hunter Pence 2-run homer.
After four innings, the bullpen took over and so did the Phillies offense. The Phils kept tacking on runs and the Dodgers scored one more off Kyle Kendrick.
But in the 6th, Chase Utley came through big to tie the game with a 2-RBI single. The next batter, Ryan Howard, put an exclamation point on the inning with a 2-run homer to give the Phillies a 9-7 lead.
The Phillies took the lead into the 9th inning where, for the second night in a row, Ryan Madson tried to give us all heart failure. After the first batter got on base, a run scored on a force out. With two outs and one on, Madson, for the second night in a row again, struck out ex-Phillie Rod Barajas to end the game.
This 3-game sweep of the Dodgers gives the Phillies a 9-1 record on the 10-game road trip. It is the first ever 9-1 road trip for the franchise.
This has been an amazing run for the Phillies and especially for Hunter Pence. In 12 days and 12 games with his new team, Pence has lost only one game and that was also the only game he did not have a hit in.
The energy Pence has brought with him is a huge boost for an already outstanding Phillies team. And while it is unrealistic, this run gives the Phillies a feel of being almost unstoppable.
So enjoy the off-day tomorrow! The Nats come to town on Friday; game time is 7:05pm and Cole Hamels will pitch.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
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