The Braves were in town for a much-ballyhooed weekend of pitching. On Friday, Halladay and Beachey each held gave up two runs and into the 10th we went. Raul Ibanez walked it off with a home run to deep right. Journeyman call-up Juan Perez pitched the 10th for the Phillies, striking out the heart of the Braves line-up on exactly nine pitches. Awesome!
All of the Phillie offense in game 2 came via a solo home run by Cliff Lee, who unfortunately also gave up a solo homer to Dan Uggla. Into the 11th this time, when Michael Stutes gave up three. The Braves took it 4-1.
Yesterday pitted Cole Hamels against Derek Lowe. Hamels was masterful, allowing just one run on three hits in eight innings. Lowe gave up four runs in six, then the Phillie offense lit up the soft part of the Braves' bullpen in the seventh and eighth, scoring 10. Raul Ibanez hit a three-run homer and had six RBI on the day. He also made a sterling catch. Except for a sloppy second that contributed to the Braves' scoring, the defense was pretty dazzling.
The Phillies took another series and now it is on to the All-Star break. The IronPigs, too, won, which keeps them quite nicely atop their division.
