Recap: Florida vs. Philadelphia
Sports Network | September 20, 2008
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Greg Dobbs' RBI single in the sixth proved to be the game-winner as the Philadelphia Phillies regained first place in the NL East with a 3-2 win over the Florida Marlins in the second of a three-game set.
Shane Victorino hit a solo home run while Chase Utley also drove in a run for the Phillies, who have won eight of their last nine and moved a half-game ahead of New York, which lost to Atlanta, 4-2, for first place in the NL East.
Joe Blanton (3-0) gave up just two runs on four hits with a season-high nine strikeouts while Brad Lidge remained perfect in save opportunities this season as he picked up his 39th save in as many chances by throwing a scoreless ninth.
John Baker hit a two-run double while Alfredo Amezaga went 3-for-3 with a run scored for the Marlins, who were riding a franchise-high nine-game winning streak coming into the game.
Anibal Sanchez (2-5) picked up the loss by giving up three runs -- two earned -- on four hits in 5 2/3 innings of work for Florida, which is five games behind New York for the NL Wild Card spot.
The Phillies got on the board in the third inning thanks to a pair of errors. Carlos Ruiz led off with a grounder to third that Jorge Cantu fielded, but his throw to first went wild. Blanton then laid down a bunt that Sanchez fielded, but he threw the ball over the head of Mike Jacobs to put runners at the corners. After Jimmy Rollins looked at strike three, Utley punched a single to right that brought home Ruiz for a 1-0 lead.
Florida answered in the bottom of the inning. Amezaga led off with a single and Cameron Maybin later hit a single. Baker then followed with a double to right to chase home both runners for a 2-1 lead.
Victorino responded in the fourth by hitting a 1-0 pitch into the right-field seats to tie the contest.
Philadelphia then grabbed the lead in the sixth inning. Back-to-back one-out walks to Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell were followed by a strikeout from Victorino. Dobbs then hit a bloop single to left and Howard crossed the plate for a 3-2 lead. Sanchez was pulled and the Phils loaded the bases after Logan Kensing issued a walk to Ruiz, but Mark Hendrickson took the mound and got Tadahito Iguchi to fly out.
Chad Durbin gave up a two-out walk to Josh Willingham in the sixth, but Ruiz picked off Willingham at first to end the inning.
Durbin stayed on to pitch the seventh and got the first out, but then gave up a single to Amezaga and J.C. Romero took the mound. Paul Lo Duca worked a pinch-hit walk, but Romero struck out Maybin and Baker to protect the one-run lead.
Things got scary for Philadelphia in the eighth. Ryan Madson took the hill and immediately got into trouble as Cantu led off with a single and moved to third on Jacobs' double. Dan Uggla then hit a chopper to third that Dobbs fielded on the run and threw out Cantu at home. Willingham then grounded out to short and Cody Ross struck out swinging to end the frame.
Brad Lidge was called upon in the ninth to close out the game and walked Amezaga to start things. Lidge then got pinch-hitter Dallas McPherson to strike out, but on the third strike Amezaga stole second. Lidge then struck out Maybin with a high slider and followed by striking out Baker to finish the game.
The Phillies improved to 74-0 this season when holding a lead after eight innings...Philadelphia right fielder Jayson Werth, who went 0-for-4 in the game, had a 13-game hitting streak stopped...Cantu, who went 1-for-4, has a 10-game hitting streak...The Marlins have won 10 of the 17 games against the Phillies this season.
New FanShot
