The Philadelphia Phillies won their second straight game on Sunday afternoon, taking down the Nationals 1-0. Their record improves to 15-14.
- Roberto Hernandez had his strongest start of the season, lasting 7.1 scoreless innings. Hernandez gave up only four hits and three walks, and struck out three. He lowered his ERA to 4.50.
- Jimmy Rollins tripled and came around to score the game’s only run in the first inning.
- Chase Utley drove in Rollins with a base hit.
- The Phillies managed just two more hits for the rest of the game.
- Jayson Nix, who got the start at third, and picked up one of the team’s hits.
- Ryan Howard went 0-3 with two strikeouts.
- They did manage to draw three walks, coming from Jimmy Rollins, John Mayberry (who got a start in left for Domonic Brown), and Nix.
- Mike Adams picked up the second out of the eighth inning to earn a hold.
- Antonio Bastardo got the final out of the eighth.
- Jonathan Papelbon recorded his ninth save of the season.
Final Thoughts
Its great that the Phillies managed to take two of three from the Nationals, but they didn’t exactly do it in convincing fashion.
The offense continues to struggle against left-handers. Gio Gonzalez shut this team down after the first inning.
Roberto Hernandez shutting down the Nationals for over seven innings is impressive, but its not the type of performance we can expect from him on a regular basis. But give credit to the veteran for stepping up and filling in for Cole Hamels, who had to miss his scheduled start because of the flu.
The bullpen was able to get through a tight eighth inning, but after what happened on Friday, I can’t say that I feel particularly confident in what Mike Adams can do for this team.
The offense really only showed up for one game in this series. If not for a Jayson Werth error that allowed Marlon Byrd to hit his home run, the offense would have only generated one run in the first and final games of this series. They’re not going to win many 1-0 games, not with an unreliable bullpen.
But a win is a win, and they did take a series against a division rival while pushing their record back above .500. We just have to be patient and see where things go week to week.
2/3 not convincing? Hmmm they outpitched, out hit them.,. It’s a nice series ?. Timely hits good pitching … A hiccup on Friday kept this from being a sweep… The bats rally was started on a shattered bat.
HAC, let’s be honest here…
In three of their four games this week (counting the one they played against the Mets), the offense was almost non-existant. They wouldn’t have scored their three runs on Friday if not for Werth’s error, and today and Tuesday they manage just one run. That sounds like a pretty feeble, inconsistent offense to me, not exactly the kind of group that I would proudly look and say that they “outhit” anyone.
No doubt starting pitching has been great, but can you really feel better about Mike Adams or anyone that they roll out there for the eighth inning after Adams comes in and records one out in a meaningful situation today?
Honestly, coming away from this series I don’t feel better about the Phillies, I just think less of the Nats ha.
Today’s game could have easily gone the other way, they were lucky to win a 1-0 game. Its great they were able to take two of three and get back above .500, but in the big picture there wasn’t anything from this series that makes me feel better about the team’s outlook.
Baseball is ah funny game… Werths error helped them score three runs and a shattered bat helped the Nats win a game… They faced three good pitchers and won 2/3… This isn’t 2011 they won’t win 100 games… But can they win 94? I don’t know… If you think they are playing awful without a chance you are nuts
They’re not awful, but they’re inconsistent…and an inconsistent team doesn’t win 94 games.
Sometimes you’re going to have weeks where older guys on offense catch a little lightning in a bottle and provide solid support for the starting rotation.
Sometimes, you’re going to see weeks where scoring three runs is a labor like it was in three of four games this week, and like it was several weeks ago when they dropped two of three to Atlanta and Colorado.
Even at the height of my optimism, there’s no way I can see this team getting 90 or better. 80-85 is the absolute best that I see, and even that I think may be a little overly optimistic.
Time will tell. They are inconsistent for sure but they have played two playoff teams dodgers and Nats and have 5/7… So their competition is flawed as well
A nice Win and Big Series by the Phils..
1 & 1/2 Games out..
The Braves are coming back down to earth and struggling, the Nats & Mets are similar to the Phils that they are up & down and inconsistent , but the Phils have experience and a good Clubhouse which I can’t say the same for the Nats/Mets
Phils are in this Race for the NL East is wide open..
The Nats defense is horrible and will take it’s toll…. Phil’s sure up 7th and 8th and it’s a race
Phillies are actually close. They must replace a centerfielder who has 2 walks on the season, 1 extra base hit, a OBP of .300 with zero power and the worst arm in major league baseball. He is like a little league batter. Tony Gwynn Jr. needs to play. They also must sink or swin with Ashe. 3rd base is a power hitting position but is a black hole on offense for the Phils. We could of lived wit Fransens bat. Like the starting rotation and can live with 1 more quality player out of the bullpen. The NL East is nothing special and with some luck and the right moves the Phils can win this division.
Nats were missing their 3 and 4 hitters this series in Harvey and Zimmerman but 2 wins is 2 wins against a division opponent and one game over .500 is promising.
And the phils scratched their $20 million pitcher… its baseball. Also, remember that now the nats are in a position to pay big bucks to their home growns…. zimmerman might be a cripple…werth is aging after a big contract. Its the market..
I think they moved on from Frandswn Dag because they know they need to infuse youth and they have to commit to asche…
Infuse youth????? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Thanks for the laugh! That was classic! X’D
Lets see
Ruiz- 35
Nieves- 37
Utley- 36
Howard- 35
Rollins- 36
Byrd- 37
Nix- 32
Mayberry- 31
Gwynn Jr.- 32
Hamels- 31
Lee- 36
Burnett- 37
Hernandez- 34
Kendrick- 30
Papelbon- 34
Adams- 36
Rosenberg- 29
Manship- 29
Bastardo- 29
Camp- 39
Youngest
Brown- 27; Revere- 26; Ashe, Galvis, Hernandez- 24;
Man, that infusion of quality youth, is staggering, & mind blowing!!!! Ruin 2morrow Jr. has done a stupendous job. Executive of the decade, thus far. Can’t believe I was ever critical of him, because he is such a great, proactive, creative GM, who is a visionary at his craft, with great foresight, & planning abilities to build & sustain a Championship quality team, while infusing quality youth, & not wasting the Ownership’s money, & while not being at the top of the MLB highest paid team salaries. All the while, maintaining a great Scouting staff, & Medical staff, who are both able to judge talent & grow talent, & sustain & properly diagnose injuries. Man, what was I thinking? Here comes the division, then the WS BAAABY!!!!
hey dont watch nitwit… its ok front runner. your list is incomplete for sure… and saying a 29 year old baseball player is old is ridiculous… this team is a year younger on average then 83 phils and 6 months older than the red sox ws champs.
Not a front runner, I watch every game. Just proving again, what a know nothing, kool-aid guzzling, chest beating, nitwit, that you are. 29 isn’t old, but isn’t the imaginary “Infusion of youth”, you said your hero is trying to do! Get lost nitwit troll. You are delusional, & live in La La land!
Not a front runner, I watch every game. Just proving again, what a know nothing, kool-aid guzzling, chest beating, nitwit, that you are. 29 isn’t old, but isn’t the imaginary “Infusion of youth”, you said your hero is trying to do! Get lost nitwit troll. You are delusional, & live in La La land!
Weird schedule coming up – Phils play Toronto Monday and Tuesday home then at Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday.
J. A. Happ returns to Philly with toronto against Kendricks tonight who essentially took Happ’s job after the trade.
If the bullpen is there this team competes for the nl east, their top three in the rotation is the best in the division, papelbon is getting better, and they have s seasoned productive lineup, no negativity Denny
Phils pulled themselves out of last place into 4th place.
Phils— 15-14 .517
Marlins 16-15 .516
by a single hundredths of a percentage point.
1.5 out of first… going to be a nice tight race… i think we will have ‘baseball’ this summer.
i should have said ‘baseball this summer, unfortunately for the doomsdayers! “
Agreed HAC. No one is going to run away with this division. Have seen that the Marlins and Mets are also capable of stealing games from the Phils, Nats and Braves also. They should be in it.
Need Brown and Asche to start hitting though.