The series with the Pirates started Friday night, July 29. On July 29, 2009, Ruben Amaro, Jr. traded for Cliff Lee. On July 29, 2010, he traded for Roy Oswalt. And on this July 29, he traded for Hunter Pence of the Astros, giving up Jarred Cossart, Jonathan Singleton, Josh Zeid, and a player to be named later.
On to the series. Friday night was a 10-3 romp. Roy Halladay threw seven shut-out innings of one-hit ball. Utley homered to start things. Rollins later homered. Everybody hit.
Saturday night was not quite so smooth for Cliff Lee but in the end he got his 10th win of the series in a 7-4 victory. Howard homered, Rollins homered. Hunter Spence made his debut to an adoring crowd and Domonic Brown got a rousing ovation on his return to Triple-A, where he reportedly went straight to manager Ryne Sandberg to say he was back and ready to go, this time in left field.
Raul Ibanez put the Phillies on the board early on Sunday with a solo home run, but the Pirates came back to take a 2-1 lead. The Phillies then went up 3-2, but Worley immediately squandered that and the Pirates took a 5-3. Ibanez then tied it in the eighth with a two-run homer. Ooh, ooh, ooh, Rauuuuul. But he wasn't done. In the 10th, he singled in Hunter Spence to win the game 6-5.
