Maybe the Phils should play all their games on the road.
As much as everyone loves Citizens Bank Park, making it literally the place to be in the summer in these parts, the Phils are not exactly enjoying the home cooking so far this year.
The Phils just completed an 8-2 road swing, including a great weekend at the new Yankee Stadium that saw fans decked out in Phillies red literally take over the park.
The Phils responded with a great series, taking two of three from the Bronx Bombers. They easily could have swept, if not for a blown save opportunity Saturday from Brad Lidge, who coughed up a 4-2 Phils lead on the way to a 5-4 loss.
Lidge repeated the process Sunday, but the Phils rallied to win in extra innings.
The momentum did not follow the Phils back down the New Jersey Turnpike.
They were back in Citizens Bank Park last night. They had struggling Jamie Moyer on the mound in the best possible situation, facing the Marlins, a team he seems to own.
But Moyer got squeezed on what looked like a sure-fire strike three against former Phil Wes Helms in the fourth. Given new life, Helms responded to some boos from fans by taking Moyer out of the park, and staking the Marlins to a 3-2 lead. Moyer caused some of his own grief by walking the first two men in the inning. They both scored in front of Helms.
Then there was the small matter of Shane Victorino’s base-running in the ninth. The center-fielder walked to start the inning with the Phils trailing, 5-3. Matt Stairs came to the plate representing the tying run.
But Victorino got thrown out trying to steal second, a brutal mistake for a veteran player to make.
Moyer seems to be coming around, now making two decent starts after a brutal stretch when he literally was getting hammered. Victorino likely will think twice about such base-running antics after having a chat with a not-too-pleased manager Charlie Manuel.
But the Phils will have to find the magic they had at Citizens Bank Park last year if they want to defend their World Series title. Tonight would be a good time to start.
As much as everyone loves Citizens Bank Park, making it literally the place to be in the summer in these parts, the Phils are not exactly enjoying the home cooking so far this year.
The Phils just completed an 8-2 road swing, including a great weekend at the new Yankee Stadium that saw fans decked out in Phillies red literally take over the park.
The Phils responded with a great series, taking two of three from the Bronx Bombers. They easily could have swept, if not for a blown save opportunity Saturday from Brad Lidge, who coughed up a 4-2 Phils lead on the way to a 5-4 loss.
Lidge repeated the process Sunday, but the Phils rallied to win in extra innings.
The momentum did not follow the Phils back down the New Jersey Turnpike.
They were back in Citizens Bank Park last night. They had struggling Jamie Moyer on the mound in the best possible situation, facing the Marlins, a team he seems to own.
But Moyer got squeezed on what looked like a sure-fire strike three against former Phil Wes Helms in the fourth. Given new life, Helms responded to some boos from fans by taking Moyer out of the park, and staking the Marlins to a 3-2 lead. Moyer caused some of his own grief by walking the first two men in the inning. They both scored in front of Helms.
Then there was the small matter of Shane Victorino’s base-running in the ninth. The center-fielder walked to start the inning with the Phils trailing, 5-3. Matt Stairs came to the plate representing the tying run.
But Victorino got thrown out trying to steal second, a brutal mistake for a veteran player to make.
Moyer seems to be coming around, now making two decent starts after a brutal stretch when he literally was getting hammered. Victorino likely will think twice about such base-running antics after having a chat with a not-too-pleased manager Charlie Manuel.
But the Phils will have to find the magic they had at Citizens Bank Park last year if they want to defend their World Series title. Tonight would be a good time to start.
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