Phils Bats Come Alive; Take Weekend Series from Braves

Maybe it was the fact that they were playing the Braves, whom they have owned this year.  Maybe the offense is really starting to come around.  Either way, there were plenty of good signs as the Phillies used two come-from-behind victories to take their weekend series against Atlanta. 

Things didn’t get off to a good start on Friday night.  Kyle Kendrick pitched more than well enough to win the ball game — he lasted six innings and allowed just one run — but the Phillies offense failed to provide him with any support.  Brad Lidge and Clay Condrey combined to allow seven ninth inning runs, and the Phillies dropped the series opener 8-2.

On Saturday, the Phillies bats started to come to life.  After watching their 3-0 lead disappear following a nine-run fourth inning, the Phillies answered with a seven-run fifth to reclaim the lead 10-9.  Though the big hit in the fifth was Greg Dobbs’ pinch-hit home run, the Phillies bunched together hits to chip away at the Braves lead.  It was quite refreshing to see them come together and fight back to bail out their ace, Cole Hamels, who had an uncharacteristically bad start.

Yesterday, the Phillies fell behind early but were able to battle back and hold on for the victory.  Joe Blanton allowed two first-inning runs and was lifted after a nearly two-hour rain delay stopped play in the bottom of the second.  Adam Eaton allowed three more runs, putting the Phillies in a 5-0 hole as they came to bat in the fifth.  The Phillies rebounded from the five-run deficit on the strength of home runs from Chris Coste, Shane Victorino, Pat Burrell, Jayson Werth and Jimmy Rollins. Burrell’s tie breaking blast in the fifth gave the Phils the lead for good.  Rudy Seanez and Ryan Madson helped provide a scare, allowing a five-run eighth for the Braves, but the Phils saw their way out and Brad Lidge collected his 24th save in as many chances. 

It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Phillies do seem to be coming back to life.  Winning this series — especially in the fashion they did — has provided them with some momentum and kept them within one game of the first-place Mets.  They need to keep things going as they open a three-game set with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.