Wednesday, June 18, 2008

0 for 12 shut-out

A crisp breeze was blowing last night at Citizens Bank Park. Some people wrapped themselves in blankets. It almost felt like October.

When the heart of the order, Utley, Howard, and Burrell, go 0 for 12, not much is likely to happen. And that's exactly what did happen in a 3-0 shutout at the hands of lefty Jon Lester and the back end of the Sox bullpen. Okajima threw a scoreless 8th and Papelbon came in to blow away Howard, Burrell, and Werth to the delight of the Red Sox fans in attendance. With little command, Jamie Moyer labored mightily for five innings, giving up just 2 runs on 4 hits, but one of those was a 2-run homer to the light-hitting Coco Crisp. The bottom of the Sox order got it done. Both teams had 7 hits, but the Phillies never converted. Utley, now in the worst slump of his career, looks all out of sorts. He now leads both leagues in All-Star votes.