Happ-y days are here again for the Phillies. For a couple of reasons.
First and foremost, they won last night, beating the Cardinals 4-2 to snap a four-game losing skid.
They also got another solid outing from fill-in starter J.A. Happ. The lefty called up to fill the fairly big shoes of troubled starter Brett Myers gave the Phils six and a third solid innings, giving up just two runs on five hits. More importantly, he kept the Cards off the scoreboard and allowed the Phils to actually get a lead for a change. Happ didn’t get the win, but he did his job.
There’s another reason for smiles in Phillies land this morning. This group desperately needs someone to put this team on his shoulders and lead them out of their offensive malaise. Looks like maybe Ryan Howard just might be the guy.
Howard, who actually tried to bunt to get something going Tuesday night, last night crushed his 25th home run of the season in the eighth to answer back after the Cardinals had tied the game.
Howard now stands even with teammate Chase Utley for the NL lead in homers. He sits atop the RBI race with 80. He singled earlier in the game to drive in a run. That’s important for another reason else as well. Howard is starting to make contact, not just hitting home runs, as is evidenced by his single earlier in the game.
If Howard gets hot, he could be the guy to break the Phils out of their offensive doldrums.
Let’s call it Ryan’s hope, and the Phillies as well.
First and foremost, they won last night, beating the Cardinals 4-2 to snap a four-game losing skid.
They also got another solid outing from fill-in starter J.A. Happ. The lefty called up to fill the fairly big shoes of troubled starter Brett Myers gave the Phils six and a third solid innings, giving up just two runs on five hits. More importantly, he kept the Cards off the scoreboard and allowed the Phils to actually get a lead for a change. Happ didn’t get the win, but he did his job.
There’s another reason for smiles in Phillies land this morning. This group desperately needs someone to put this team on his shoulders and lead them out of their offensive malaise. Looks like maybe Ryan Howard just might be the guy.
Howard, who actually tried to bunt to get something going Tuesday night, last night crushed his 25th home run of the season in the eighth to answer back after the Cardinals had tied the game.
Howard now stands even with teammate Chase Utley for the NL lead in homers. He sits atop the RBI race with 80. He singled earlier in the game to drive in a run. That’s important for another reason else as well. Howard is starting to make contact, not just hitting home runs, as is evidenced by his single earlier in the game.
If Howard gets hot, he could be the guy to break the Phils out of their offensive doldrums.
Let’s call it Ryan’s hope, and the Phillies as well.
Comments