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.
