myers takes a giant step

It didn't look pretty in the first. After Hanley Ramirez drilled the first pitch of the game up the middle, Brett Myers seemed incapable of throwing a strike. Two walks and three hits later the Marlins had a 3-0 lead. The Phillies, meanwhile, went meekly in the bottom of the inning. The second, however, was a different story: Myers set the Marlins down in quick order and the Phillies--woulda ya know--batted around to the tune of 7 runs. Myers went a strong eight, hitting his spots, using his devastating curve, and pitching inside, while striking out a season-high 11 and allowing just those 3 runs on 6 hits. Mr. Mop-up, Clay Condrey, came in to finish the game. Final score: 12-3. More home runs by Utley, Coste, and Howard. All you can do is enjoy it while it lasts. Phillies now in first by 1/2 game and 8 games over .500.

'pigs fly

Fefe, the Miss Piggy of Coca-Cola Park, smooches a fan at the IronPigs' game this afternoon on Kisscam.

Who'da thunk it? In the 1st, IronPigs outfielder Javon Moran, called up this week from Reading, had an inside-the-park home run, the first in Coca-Cola Park history. In the 4th, with 2 outs and the pitcher up at bat, Indianapolis outfielder Kevin Thompson stole home. What are the chances of seeing either in a game? We saw both. The 'Pigs had to come back twice but in the end they won 8-5 on a hot day in the sun. Moran went 4 for 5. The 'Pigs took 3 of 4 from the Indians and left after the game for Louisville, where I owe an editor some captions. Who'da thunk it?

utley's all-star animals

Chase Utley and his wife Jenn are today hosting a charity casino in Philadelphia to benefit the Pennsylvania SPCA, one of their favorite causes. This logo, from the Chase Utley site (see baseball links) is too much! Right now, though, the Utleys are cat people; they've got two. They live in an apartment and won't get a dog till they have a yard. How lovely that Chase Utley is leading all NL All-Star balloting.

kendrick is solid, offense scores early

Hugs and kisses all around so far during the current homestand. Since scoring just one run in 17 innings last Monday and Tuesday in D.C., the Phillies have rocked their opponents for 67. Consistency is still a goal but this is no feast-or-famine offense. Last night the Phils jumped out early on Rockies' starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who can throw from 70 to 100 with deceptive ease and who last year twice stifled them. Ah, big young man with dazzling fastball, curveball, slider. But the Phils got 4 off Jimenez in the 1st and 3 in the 2nd. Starter Kyle Kendrick took advantage and pitched his best game of the season, going 7.1 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits---and working on his change-up. As with Jamie Moyer the night before, the offense no doubt eclipsed the good starting pitching. But let's hear it for Kendrick, a pitcher I like to watch at work.

In Allentown, meanwhile, the IronPigs were making the most out of a good pitching performance by Brian Mazone and clutch hitting from the bottom of their order to defeat Indianapolis 7-2. I was supposed to go to the game with a friend but a sudden spring cold put me in bed instead.

crushing rocks

The Phillies take the field at the start of last night's game vs. the Colorado Rockies.

It was a seesaw game through three, then turned into a blur of red pinstripes. A day after shredding Astros' pitching in a 15-6 win, the Phillies crushed the decimated Rox 20-5. They batted around three times, in the 4th, 6th, and 8th, and had a season-high 19 hits. Chase Utley had a career-high 6 RBI, including his 16th homer (a 3-run shot). Chris Coste had the only other Phillie homer. Shane Victorino scored four. So Taguchi, getting a start in right, had three hits (woohoo). And Jamie Moyer was solid through seven. With the win, Moyer became the 6th pitcher to record a win against all 30 MLB teams. Curt Schilling and Terry Mulholland, who also pitched for the Phillies, are among the others.

Sweeping the Sox

Mike Sweeney autographs balls for the Oakland Royals
Manny, Julio and Poppy

A's Celebrate Sweep as Dejected Sox Player Walks Away

What a pleasurable series the A's had against the Bosox! I listened to the game on Friday evening and attended the night game and day game over the weekend. Boston came into Oakland with a 7-game winning streak while the A's limped home from a so-so road trip and nearly got swept by the visiting D-Rays. Luckily the A's bats caught on fire in the last game vs the D's but it was the stellar pitching staff that kept the Sox bats and fans quiet. Friday night, Harden turned in a stellar performance, mowing the fearsome Sox lineup in short order. Last night, it was Duchscherer's turn, pitching a no-hitter until the 7th. And today, Kentucky Joe Blanton finally got a "W" with a gritty performance on the mound and help from fellow teammates Keith Foulke, Alan Embree and Houston Street. Too bad for John Lackey, whose no-hitter chances were dashed today in the first inning. The no-star A's were dissed in Japan and the Mac was filled with Red Sox Nation types but it was the A's and their fans who prevailed this time. It was nice too to see the Oakland youth team, Oakland Royals, take to the field before the National Anthem. Go A's!!!!!!

outside affairs

"From my experience I have come to the conclusion that to be a baseball fan, a person must devote his or her time to it, and not let outside affairs interfere as outside affairs will surely suffer. For baseball fever is absolutely incurable, and once you catch it, you might as well resign yourself to the inevitable; that is, your friends might, for you will be willing enough to stand it."

Lulu Glaser, a comic opera prima donna popular around the turn of the 20th century, wrote this in a wonderful piece called The Lady Fan, which appears in Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend, Women Writers on Baseball (edited by Elinor Nauen). I often think of it when, as now, "outside affairs" come knocking.

shattered bats

Fans didn't have much reason to come to their feet at last night's IronPigs game, though the t-shirt toss got them going. Otherwise, much as he used to do to the Philies, Knight starter Tomo Oka flummoxed the 'Pigs in a 5-2 loss. Bats also figured in what excitement there was. One went sailing into the crowd behind the visitors' dugout, as a 'Pig struck out extravagantly. A couple of others shattered spectacularly. One exploded, its jagged pieces flying high into the backscreen and making fans cower. The maple bats put players and coaches at risk. Will it take an injury to a fan for MLB finally to do something about them?

As for the game in Houston, this morning's headline in the Inky said it all: Eaton pitches well, Phils still lose. Ryan Howard more and more makes a case for a future at DH. More effort, please, with the glove!

fun and games

A school band from Nazareth did a good job with the national anthem last night at the IronPigs' game. Note the Phillie Phanatic standing at attention in the background. On a brisk evening more suited for football than baseball, the 'Pigs opened their current homestand with a brisk game. Brian Mazone went 8 innings and basically kept the visiting Charlotte Knights looking slow and clunky. The 'Pigs took an early lead, added on to it, and won 7-2. Quite nicely done.

On the way home I tuned into the Phillies game just about in time to hear Ryan Howard sock another homer to put the Fightings up 5-2 in a seesaw game. By the time I got home, the Astros had come back in the 6th to tie it. But in the 8th Charlie Manuel called on the slumping Pat Burrell, who had sat out the game, to pinch hit. Burrell worked a full count and delivered with a solo homer. The Phillies then tacked on another run to make it 7-5. Tom Gordon pitched a scoreless 8th, then it was Brad Lidge time. Lidge, facing his old team for the first time, got two outs, then gave up a single to Miguel Tejada. Up stepped the sizzling Lance Berkmann, who has been on a total tear. Hideous flashback time: Billy Wagner serving up a meatball to his buddy Craig Biggio in a key game in Philly. But Lidge came right at Berkmann and got him to pop up to short on the first pitch. That's the way! Ryan Howard, still hitting under .210, now has 13 home runs and 31 RBI. He had three hits in the game and was just--LOL--a triple short of the cycle. Also of note: Pedro Feliz worked two 3-2 counts.

all cotton

Cotton candy takes center stage one April evening at a Reading Phillies game.

Charlie Manuel actually smiled after Ryan Howard hit his second home run, a 2-run hang 'em- bang 'em shot in the 6th. By the end of that inning, the Phillies had sent 13 to the plate and put 8 more on the board for a 12-0 lead. Jamie Moyer went six innings and was masterful, allowing hits but keeping the Nats off-balance and off the board. He also drew a pivotal walk in that 6th-inning outburst. Clay Condrey, on for the last three innings, surrendered two runs. Thanks to that peculiar rule of baseball about pitching the last three innings of a game, he got the save in a 12-2 win. It was good to see Charlie smiling again. Of late he's been ducking his head or drumming his fingers on the dugout railing. Howard's first homer, by the bye, was a long-gone solo into the second deck. He got the Phillies on the board in the 1st with an RBI double. Pedro Feliz and Shane Victorino also homered. Last night the Nats' new park was suddenly looking like a hitters' park.

dobbs makes the difference

pop-up
pop-up, pop-up, pop-up
pop-up

After 8 innings of numbing futility, the Phillies went textbook for a 1-0 win over the Nationals. Pedro Feliz led off the 9th with a double and Carlos Ruiz sacrificed Eric Bruntlett, in to pinch run, to 3rd. (Yes, Feliz is that slow.) Gregg Dobbs, nursing a tight back, then pinch hit for the pitcher and blooped a single to shallow center, scoring Bruntlett. Brad Lidge came in for his 11th save in the 1-0 win. The Phillies averted back-to-back shutouts and ended a 3-game skid. Is this so hard?

Dobbs is 10 for 22 as a pinch hitter, leading the majors with a .455 average, 10 pinch hits, and 9 pinch hit RBI. Cole Hamels was again sterling, going 7 innings and striking out 11. But the Phillies again did nothing against another mediocre starter but pop-up, pop-up, pop-up.

I ended up going back-and-forth with the IronPigs in Buffalo. Trailing 5-2 in the 9th, they came back to tie the game. Then on a great hustle play in the 10th they scratched out an unearned run for the 6-5 lead, held on to beat the Bison, and earned themselves a split of the 4-game series. Meanwhile, in Reading Carlos Carrasco went 7, scattering 4 hits, striking out 9, and walking 2. But the Thunder starter just about matched him in a scoreless pitchers' duel that went 10, when the visitors broke through against reliever Pat Overholt for 3 runs.

As for those suddenly clamoring for the Phillies to trade Victorino, you're nuts. This team needs more speed not less. I'm also starting to think Seth Everett of mlb.com was right when he said the Phillies need another bat more than another arm.

buster

playing spoiler--
Nats still won't make it
to the dance

Annoying team, the Nationals. Once again they have made the Phillies look as gormless as Buster, the mascot at Lakewood. Frustrating team, the Phillies. Once again they are not hitting. On Sunday they stranded 11 on base. Yesterday they got just four hits off Tim Redding in a 4-0 shutout. The journeyman Redding shut them out in the season's opening series, too. Shades of ineptitude. The Nats took 3 of 4 from the Mets last week in NY and are bent for sure on doing something similar to the Phillies in D.C. Brett Myers pitched and looked better last night, might even have won the game had there been any offense working for him. The Nats are another ragtag team, even more annoying in that they are averaging under 30,000 per game in their brand-new ballpark. Pathetic. Meanwhile, the Phillies are not getting it done. Where oh where again has the vaunted offense gone?

a league of their own

Several members of the old All-American Girls Professional Baseball League were on hand yesterday at Reading to throw out ceremonial first pitches. That's Ruth Hartman on the far right, who went on to become a high school teacher, softball player and nationally-known sheep breeder after finishing her baseball career. She is now the reigning queen of Baseballtown, as Reading is officially called. The AAGPBL included teams such as the Rockford Peaches, Racine Belles, Fort Wayne Daisies, and Muskegan Lassies. The movie A League of Their Own was based on the women who played in this league from 1943 to 1954.

Again, it was a pity that by the time for these first pitches, most fans had gone home. In Philadelphia, it was a sell-out crowd for the Phanatic's birthday yesterday, but there was a lengthy rain-delay after the first inning, with the Phillies up 2-0. By the time play resumed hours later most of the kids in attendance were gone. By the end of the second long delay, still going on at the end of Reading's game, there were fewer than 5,000 fans left to watch Roy Halladay (puh-leez) come out of the bullpen to pitch in a 6-5 Toronto win. The game should have been delayed from the start or not played at all but of course rescheduling one of these silly interleague games is a big problem. Another reason not to have interleague play at all, or at least not in moody May.

doing the salami trot

Doing the salami trot at Reading this afternoon after Phils' catcher Lou Marson hits his first grand slam of the season.

It started with a rain delay that lasted two hours and four minutes and almost sent us home. The game was a present to my mother, who after 45 minutes had had enough, but I convinced her to drive up to the Reading Pagoda, the city's most famous and bizarre landmark situated atop Mt. Penn. Picture a Japanese-style pagoda built of concrete and tile. In fact, the history of the structure is even more bizarre than its appearance. But the drive up the wooded mountain in the spring rain was lushly beautiful. Just as we left the Pagoda parking lot, the R-Phils' station announced that the game would start in 20 minutes. So it was back to the ballpark and what turned out to be a most entertaining game under slow-clearing skies.

Starter Antonio Bastardo was solid through six, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits and 3 walks, while K'ing 5. I had picked the game to see Bastardo, recently promoted from single A Clearwater, but it was the offense that dominated. The R-Phils loaded the bases in the 1st but got only one run from it. By the end of the 3rd, though, they had put the game away, batting around in the 2nd to the tune of five runs, then repeating that in a 3rd inning which featured a grand slam by catching prospect Lou Marson. In the 8th, Greg Golson capped off his 5 for 6 day with a 3-run homer in the runaway victory over the Akron Aeros. Five guys had two hits each and Joey Hammond, with one, was on base 4 times. Too bad that fewer than 1,000 of the announced paid-attendance of 4500+ hung around for the start of the game.

boos for barajas

Where was this Rod Barajas last year? One of a couple of unpopular offseason acquisitions from 2007, the now-Jays' catcher got revenge last night, hitting a grand slam in the second inning to give his team a 4-0 lead. Booed from the get-go, Barajas only gave the fans more reason to vent, adding a solo shot in the ninth in the eventual 6-3 win for the Jays. Barajas did nothing, nothing, nothing while with the Phillies and will always be remembered for egregiously punking out in a play at the plate in a game down in Florida. That stunning lack of effort sealed his fate in Philadelphia. He may be a nice guy and all that but not a player who gets it. During his mercifully brief tenure with the Phillies, Barajas was perceived as taking up space that would eventually be far better occupied by ageing rookie Chris Coste. Last night the Philiies were not up to what the overpaid on-again, off-again A. J. Burnett was throwing. Their own overpaid pitching disappointment, Adam Eaton, again got his own share of boos. One thing about Adam, though, so far he has taken it like a man. Barajas was never able to own up to playing like mud.

Listening on the radio last night, I heard lots of boos. For Barajas, for being a soft player while in Philly, for Rolen, for scorning the city (though last offseason he said he would have welcomed a trade back to town), for Eaton for being overpaid and under-performing, and even for Ryan Howard, for striking out another 3x. I don't boo but guess fans can do what they want. Players have big egos and get big paychecks. They should be able to take it. Other performers get booed and umpires get booed mercilessly. But what was going on last night was nothing at all like how one NY writer summed up the atmosphere at Shea Stadium this season: " a quick, energy-sapping maliciousness hard to match anywhere else." Delicious.

thrice is nice, eight is great

Other games in the northeast were postponed but the Phillies and Blue Jays played through the rain. And the 36,600+ fans who braved the cold, wet weather were given a treat. Jays' starter David Purcey handed out lots of free passes and Jayson Werth, again playing center, made him pay again and again. In his first at-bat, Werth belted a 3-run homer deep to right. In his second at-bat, he hit a ball off the facing of the second deck in right for a grand slam, the first of his career. By then everyone was giddy and the Phillies were up 8-0, but Werth was not done. Third time up, it was a line drive that just cleared the wall in left center. That gave Werth 8 RBI, tying him with four other Phillies, including Mike Schmidt, for the most RBI in a game. Fourth time up, Werth popped out to the first baseman in foul ground. It's great fun to watch, said Ryan Howard, the last Phillie to hit 3 homers in a game, even more fun to do yourself.

Also of note, Jamie Moyer pitched a great game in the 10-3 win. Scott Rolen, looking good in a Blue Jays' uni, made a couple of spectacular plays at third. What else is new?

a hamels night for baseball

No, Cole Hamels wasn't perfect but his complete game shut-out of the hard-hitting Atlanta Braves was damn close. All the Phillies needed to win was the solo homer by Pedro Feliz, but Ryan Howard added a majestic blast to deep center and Shane Victorino got his first of the year, all of them off of Braves' starter Chuck James. Final score: 5-0. Hamels allowed 4 hits, walked 2 and struck out 6. The game took a brisk 2 hours and 13 minutes and allowed all to beat the traffic from the Flyers' game going on across the street. In the 9th, Jimmy Rollins started a spectacular double play from the seat of his pants.

Bummer news: Scott Mathieson, an attractive power righty who showed much promise, yesterday had a second Tommy John surgery. He had his first in September 2006. Can only hope that this recovery goes well.

where have these 'pigs been

Where indeed have these 'Pigs been? Getting down by 4 in the 1st, coming back with 3, then tying it up, and going ahead with clutch 2-out hits? And making the most of runners in scoring in position? J.A. Happ, a hard-luck loser all season, gave up 4 runs in the 1st without recording an out, then settled down and let his team pick him up with 8 runs. Jason Jaramillo had two pick-offs and Happ had one. Relievers R. J. Swindle and Matt Childers gave up three runs but held the Norfolk Tides off in the 9th for the exciting 8-7 win. The IronPigs have now won 5 of their last 6 games. Minor league fans tout Happ as a starter but I wonder how his stuff would go in the majors. But he's a lefty, which immediately makes him attractive to many. So is R. J. Swindle, who throws some hysterically, seriously slow balls, way below the radar. One ball last night seemed to come out of another time zone.

Pretty scary this morning to read about Chris Coste likening Brett Myers' performance last night to the "Adam Eaton syndrome." The Braves shellacked Myers for 8 runs in 4.1 innings. The Phillies got 6 back but a 9th-inning rally fizzled on the warning track.

that's the way

Crowds waiting for the first Sunday afternoon game of the season at Coca-Cola Park.

It was far milder weather last night at the ballpark. I went with a friend, who while not a baseball fan does like baseball bingo. And Tuesday is baseball bingo night. Behind effective pitching by lefty Les Walrond and some timely hitting, the IronPigs cruised to a 7-0 win over the Norfolk Tides, who feature two ex-Phillie farmhands. They would be Chris Roberson and Mike Costanzo. Except for the 6th-inning, when he had to work out of a bases-loaded jam, Walrond was quick and economical, buoyed no doubt by a 4-run third that put the 'Pigs up 5-0. Walrond went 7 and was followed by John Ennis, who also held the Tide at bay. Both Andy Tracy and Mike Cervenak homered. A good time was had by all. My friend even won at bingo.

In Philly, meanwhile, Kyle Kendrick gave up three hits and three runs to the Braves in the 1st, then settled down and allowed just 3 more hits in the next five innings. The Phillies later took a 5-3 lead. That was trimmed to 5-4 in the 9th, when Jayson Werth, starting in center for Shane Victorino, who was playing right, misplayed a fly ball and allowed a runner to score. That ended Brad Lidge's scoreless streak, but Lidge overcame the glitch to register the save.

'pigs go pink

Lots of giveaway pink hats were in the stands yesterday at the IronPigs' game and the players too wore pink jerseys for Mother's Day and Breast Cancer Awareness.

Most of the 8800 fans in attendance stayed till the end and were treated to a thrilling bottom of the 9th. Early on the game was a seesaw affair but in the 6th starter Brian Mazone gave up a 2-run homer to give the visiting Clippers a 5-3 lead. Steven Randolph, the new lefty in the 'pen, and John Ennis combined to hold the Clippers there through the 9th. In the 8th, the 'Pigs added a run. I then asked my mother, always a fan of getting out of the stands before the crowds, if she wanted to go up to the concourse. "No, no, I want to watch this here," was her reply. "I think they're going to do it."

With the 'Pigs down 1, Oscar Robles worked a walk to lead off the 9th and Brandon Watson sacrificed him over. Mike Rouse then hit a fly ball to center. With 2 outs, Mike Cervenak hit a wind-aided double to left to score the tying run. Next up: John Knott, who had hit the walk-off homer in Friday's 10-inning game. And Knott came through, with another ball over the leftfielder's head, which scored the winning run. Great stuff! The fans loved it, the players loved it. And the hapless IronPigs, at 8-30, now have the first 3-game winning streak in their short history.

Meanwhile, the Phillies were out in San Francisco losing to the ragtag Giants. Ugh. The offense has been brutal for much of this road trip. Taking 2 of 4 from the Diamondbacks was a good start, but dropping 2 of 3 to the Giants is a downer.

no dimples for car-car

Reading's ace did not have much reason to flash his dimples last night. Though big righty Carlos Carrasco lasted seven innings, he issued 5 walks and gave up 5 runs to the weak-hitting Altoona Curve. In all, the two teams split a dozen free passes, but only the Curve were able to capitalize, to the tune of 3 runs. They got their other 2 via the long ball. The Reading Phillies had plenty of chances, stranding at least 10. Fabio Castro finished for Reading, with two scoreless frames in the 5-2 loss. Game time temperature was 61 degrees and it was in all ways a lovely night for baseball. Javan Moran went 4 for 4.

I drove to the game while listening to the Phillies getting whacked by Tim Lincecum, who at last collected a win against them. The Giants, another weak-hitting team, had no trouble with Jamie Moyer, who didn't make it past the 4th in an 8-2 loss. Shades of a terrible Saturday afternoon I spent at the park last May in San Francisco.

In San Diego last night Greg Maddux finally got his 350th win, the 9th pitcher to reach that mark and undoubtedly the last. Congrats!

rollins is back!

Just off the DL, J-Roll got his first start in forever and boy did he look good, with a single, double, and homer in his return. I was about to fall asleep when he hit a 2-run homer to pull the Phillies within one. I did fall asleep after Pedro Feliz, booed in his return to the ballpark by the bay, tied it the next inning. After giving up 4 runs early, Hamels settled down and allowed only one hit the rest of the way. The Phillies went ahead in the 8th to win 7-4. Eric Bruntlett filled in admirably in Jimmy's absence but he's not J-Roll. For the first time in forever the Phillies look like the team we expected.

desert split

Most fans at Coca-Cola Park were bundled up on a recent night, but this guy with the kid stayed with his t-shirt for the whole game.

Thursday's match-up in AZ between Brandon Webb and Brett Myers was pretty one-sided and the Phillies settled for a 2-2 split of the series with the D'backs, who definitely look good. Webb, who went to 8-0, is looking untouchable. If Myers battled in his last outing, he fizzled in this, though catcher Chris Coste said afterwards that he had good stuff. Well, walking two guys to lead off an inning is an invitation to disaster no matter who the team, and the D'backs are a very good team. Shane Victorino and Eric Bruntlett (who had a fabulous series) were responsible for almost all of the Phillies' offense. But Webb went the distance and looked as if he could have kept going. Now on to San Francisco, where Rollins should be waiting and may be ready to go. Maybe he'll be able to pick up buddy RyHo.

late in the desert

Hey, beer man! At the Lakewood park Monday night.

The third time that the D'backs took the lead in last night's game, in the 7th, I was sure it was over. But in the 8th Victorino reached 1st on a strike-out/passed ball. A nasty collision with Snakes' 1st baseman Conor Jackson sent them both to the ground. Victorino was clotheslined, but the much bigger Jackson was the one to leave the game. Vic then stole second on the next pitch thrown and later tied the game on a Bruntlett double. Bruntlett came round for the 5-4 lead on an Utley single. Tom Gordon came on in the bottom of the 8th, gave up a double, then got the next three guys. Brad Lidge closed it against the heart of the D'back line-up. He was again 1-2-3 filthy awesome. Much too late for me but the postgame interview with Tom Gordon was worth it all. The guy is on a mission.

not your lucky seven

walk the pitcher
on just 4 pitches---
no, no, no, no, no!

But that's what Adam Eaton did last night in the 4th in his 7th bid to get a decision this season. Well, he got one: a great big 1 in the loss column. The Phillies had just taken a 2-1 lead on an Eric Bruntlett homer, which came ironically after a double by Eaton. But Eaton gave the lead back in spades, starting with a bases-loaded walk on four straight pitches to Randy Johnson. I understand why Charlie stuck with him but will someone please get this guy straightened out. Just about the time Eaton was exhibiting a frustrating loss of resolve, ex-Phillie Gavin Floyd was taking his 3rd no-hit bid of the season into the 9th in Chicago. Grrrr. Meanwhile, Eric Bruntlett has really been a credible fill-in for J-Roll, who is now this close to a return. Bruntlett's defense has been good and he's been getting key hits, which bodes well for the rest of the season.

having a "clawsome" time

Safe! That was the call last night in this game between the single-A Lexington Legends and Lakewood BlueClaws, at First Energy Park in Lakewood, New Jersey.

What a delightful park this place is! The game, my first there, was eventful, if not crisp. The Legends (Houston Astros' affiliate) made 7 errors. Their shortstop accounted for 4 all on his own. The BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies) capitalized on them all, but also showed some good starting pitching and timely hitting to take a 8-1 lead. It wasn't safe, though, once the starter (Tejeda) was lifted. In the end, a couple of late homers gave the BlueClaws an 11-7 win.

The park is in the mode of the Phillies' spring training park in Clearwater and new Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, yet all three have features distinctly their own. Lakewood is about a two-hour drive from here so I won't be going often but I hope to go at least one more time. There were issues along the way yesterday and I ended up reaching the park just in time for the anthem. No time at all to explore. Only this morning, while looking at the program, did I see that macaroni and cheese, brisket and mashed potatoes, are among the foods available in the food court. Wow!

Best of all the park has a truly wonderful atmosphere. On a beautiful but brisk Monday evening, fans kept drifting in and everyone was into the game. Love it! The only disappointment was that the store was already out of two items I wanted dearly. And there are no plans to get more in. Come on, now, it's only May. Early May, at that.

The Phillies are now in Arizona for a 4-game series. Last night's featured Jamie Moyer vs. rookie fireballer Max Scherzer. In the end, it was no contest. Phils won 11-4. Moyer pitched seven solid and also singled and doubled. Scherzer was born two weeks before Moyer was drafted. On the drive home we switched back and forth between the Phillies and the Mets, who were losing in LA. A good night.

a lot, too little, and then eight belles

Brett Myers showed me a lot on another chilly, blanket night at the ballpark. He went seven, striking out 10 and working hard. He and Giant starter Matt Cain combined for a fairly quick duel. In the end it again came down to the bullpens in the 10th. This time the Phillies were on the short end, as the Giants scratched out a go-ahead run against Rudy Seanez in a 3-2 win. Pox on the fans who booed Ryan Howard, who admittedly continues to frustrate. The demographic is the 18-34 talk-radio male, the same group that was mindlessly chanting MVP each time Utley (NL Player of the Month for April) came to bat. Enough with that at games in May. It's like voting for the All-Star game before June. Who except homers would do that? Meanwhile, the Phillies vaunted offense has been anemic since last Sunday. Except of course for Chutley and the Bat.

I stuck to the rule of nine and left after the 9th. On my way out, the Flyers sealed the deal in Montreal, finishing off the 1st-seed Canadiens in five. By the time I got to the car, the Phillies were down to their last at-bats.

I listened to the Kentucky Derby in the parking lot before the game. After hearing my two faves in the race come in 1st (Big Brown) and 2nd (Eight Belles), I turned off the radio and headed for the park. Only on the way home, in rain and fog, did I hear about Eight Belles. It breaks the heart. Today I've got to take a time-out from everything, including baseball.

pat walks off

It's the 100th anniversary of baseball's most famous anthem.

Oh, the drama. Bottom of the 10th and the Phillies are trailing 5-4 on an Aaron Rowand homer in the top of the frame. Werth strikes out, Chutley singles, Howard is called out and gets himself tossed for disagreeing, Burrell is the last hope and he's in a 3-2 count. Then he connects on a ball that goes sailing deep into the center field seats and the game ends with a hometown bunny hop.

That homer by Rowand was the only time he got booed last night. The Philly fan favorite who last off-season followed the money trail to a Giants' uni, Rowand got a huge O when the starting line-ups were announced, another when he took the field in the 1st, and again when he first came to bat.

125 and still going

A bit of deja-vu all round last night. Randy Wolf started against his old team but the Wolf Pack was nowhere in sight. Adam Eaton started against his old team and I don't know how anyone felt about it. Both allowed 2 runs in 6 innings. San Diego started the scoring with, shades of the night before, a single by Iguchi, followed by a homer by Gonzalez. For the Phillies, Shane Victorino led off with double and was doubled in by Ryan Howard, who was then doubled in by Pat Burrell. Yes, Vic was back where he should be, in center field; Werth played right. Howard untied things in the 8th with a solo blast to right. Brad (My Guy) Lidge came in for his 7th save: 1-2-3.

This all happened on the 125th anniversary of the first game played in Philadelphia Phillies' history, back on May 1, 1883. At the time catchers played 20 or more feet behind home plate and caught the ball on a bounce. Not until 1885 did they start wearing chest protectors and in 1907, shinguards. The Phillies lost that first game but won last night to claim, for now, first in the NL East.

Meanwhile, one light was dimmed at the Sports Complex as the Sixers fizzled against the Pistons, losing the series 4-2. In the end, their surprising run was indeed a learning experience. Here's to next year.

red goes green

Chase Utley hit a 2-run homer, his majors-leading 11th, but that was all the Phillies did against big (6'10") righty Chris Young in a 4-2 loss to the struggling Pads. The biggest cheers of the night came when the Flyers, playing across the street, scored what was, ultimately, the winning goal in their series against the Canadiens. With last night's loss, the Phillies finished April with something of a mirabile dictu record of 15-13, just 1/2 game out of first. Wondrous because this is a team that always digs a hole in April, then comes from behind. Doubly wondrous because they have done it without MVP Jimmy Rollins or second speedster Shane Victorino in the line-up for most of the month. Not to mention that half of the everyday line-up is barely hitting. See Eric Bruntlett (.227), Pedro Feliz (.209), Carlos Ruiz (.206) and Ryan Howard (.172). Says a lot about the heart of these guys and the way Chase Utley, Pat Burrell, and the pitching staff have carried things. Bad news, though, that Rollins is nowhere near making a rehab assignment.

The Phillies wore green caps last night to celebrate becoming the first MLB team to join the EPA's Green Power Partnership program. The team has purchased 20 million kilowatt hours of Green-e Energy Certified Renewable Certificates (REC's), the largest single purchase of 100 % renewable energy in pro sports. It is, we are told, the equivalent of planting 100,000 trees. The team has also instituted a comprehensive variety of recycling and other environmentally friendly programs at the ballpark. Details are given on the Phillies' website, with links to energy-saving and recycling tips for fans.