Late Offense Sparks Phils

PBR- With both starters having strong outings, the Phillies outlasted the Mets. Cliff Lee threw six innings and gave up three runs, while Dillon Gee threw six and two-thirds giving up only two runs.

Late game bursts in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings produced six runs for the Phillies as they went on to win 10-6.

Jimmy Rollins had three hits, one of which was a homerun in the top of the ninth that drove in three runs and solidified Philadelphia's lead.

Right fielder Lucas Duda drove in two runs for New York on a home run off of Lee in the bottom of the sixth.

The Phillies move to 27-25, helping gain on their division rival Mets.

Tomorrow Kyle Kendrick faces off against Mark Buehrle, as the Phillies travel back to Citizens Bank Park to take on the Miami Marlins.

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Hamels, Wigginton lead Phillies over Mets on Memorial Day

PBR - Starting a series at Citi Field, Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels was set to face the one team in the division that he has never quite got a hold on facing - the New York Mets.

That said, there's nothing that seems to be derailing Hamels this year.

He went eight innings, giving up four runs with six strikeouts in not his best start but one good enough for his eighth win on the season (tied for MLB-lead) as the Phils beat the Mets, 8-4, on Memorial Day in division play.

After first basemen Ty Wigginton knocked in the go-ahead run with a single off Mets reliever Bobby Parnell that plated shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the seventh inning, he wasn't finished with his contribution from the dish just yet.

Wigginton added some insurance with a three-run bomb in the ninth to break it open. He was 3-for-3 on the day with a career-high six RBI.

Phillies closer Jonathon Papelbon came out of the bullpen in a non-save situation, working a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Hamels is now 8-1 with a 2.43 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP as he continues his early quest for his first National League Cy Young award.

Tied 2-2 in the sixth, both teams added two more runs when Phillies left fielder John Mayberry, Jr. crushed a fastball off New York starter Jon Niese for a two-run home run to take the lead back.

Then, Mets Scott Hairston drilled his own two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-4.

With the inconsistent accuracy and the Phils' offense working counts, Niese was out after five innings and four runs due to a high pitch count despite seven strikeouts.

With the win, the Phillies (26-24) are now 1 1/2 games behind New York (27-22) in the NL East standings, and four games back of first-place Washington (29-20 record after loss Monday to Marlins).

On Tuesday night, Joe Blanton (4-3, 4.45 ERA as starter) will be on the mound for the Phillies against Mets rookie Jeremy Hefner. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 at Citi Field.

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Phils ride Kendrick's shutout in 4-0 win over St. Louis

PBR - If only this success at Busch Stadium could have come late last year ...

The Phillies picked up its fourth-straight victory after defeating the Cardinals, 4-0, Saturday night to put the club's record to 25-23.

Kyle Kendrick made another statement in his start for the Phils, proving he is capable of filling in as a spot starter whenever called upon with his first complete-game shutout of his career, giving up seven hits with four strikeouts against St. Louis (25-22) in his first win this year.

Kendrick has pitched well in his six starts on the season, posting a 3.25 ERA and ultimately throwing well enough each time out for the offense to win ballgames. He is now 5-1 with a 2.63 ERA in six career starts against the Cardinals.

Shane Victorino lined an RBI-double that scored Hunter Pence in the fourth inning to take the 1-0 lead for the Phils.

In the sixth, John Mayberry Jr. hit a two-run double down the line that easily scored Placido Polanco and Pence before Freddy Galvis knocked in Victorino the next at-bat with a single for his 23rd RBI (leads MLB rookies) to make it 4-0.

Pence went 2-for-3 at the plate, helping to slowly lift his batting average (.259) over the last few games and backup catcher Brian Schneider had a 2-for-4 with a double night filling in for Carlos Ruiz on his day off. 

Cardinals lefty Jaime Garcia tossed six innings, allowing four runs on six hits with six strikeouts in the losing effort.

For St. Louis, third basemen David Freese was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles in the game.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who was robbed of a leadoff home run by Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday, hasn't been able to find an answer, now batting a measly .225 after going 0-for-5 Saturday.

Roy Halladay (4-4, 3.58 ERA) will try to get five wins straight and the sweep for the Phillies Sunday when he faces Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright (3-5, 4.78 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 2:15 at Busch Stadium.

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Lee gets no-decision in Phillies 5-3 win against Cards in 10 innings

PBR - Cliff Lee did everything he could to get his first win of the season, from throwing a quality start on the mound to helping his cause offensively.

Even though that wait for the first victory will be longer for Lee, a good sign was the lineup deciding to show up late as the Phillies defeated St. Louis, 5-3, in 10 innings Friday night at Busch Stadium.

Lee allowed three runs on eight hits over seven innings of work, striking out seven and walking three in the no-decision. The lefthander might not have a win yet, but still holds a sub-3.00 ERA (2.82) and a WHIP of 0.96, both impressive numbers.

His most impressive play, though, might have been his ability to get the leadoff single in the top of the seventh, then later scoring the tying run on a double by Juan Pierre to pull the Phillies even at 3-3. The pitcher was perhaps the best hitter on the night for the Phillies, not a very good sign. Lee went 2-for-3 batting on the night.

In the 10th, Hunter Pence hit an opposite-field, two-run home run for his 11th of the season that proved to be the game-winner after closer Jonathon Papelbon slammed the door for his National League-leading 14th save.

Kyle Lohse made the start for the Cardinals (25-21), giving up two runs - one unearned - in 6 1/3 innings for the no-decision. 

Jose Contreras and the left-handed rookie Jake Diekman both came on to pitch a scoreless eight inning in relief of Lee, who seemed like he still had some left in the tank despite hurling 111 pitches.

Who could blame a guy trying to get his first win with little to no run support almost two months into the year?

Phils reliever Raul Valdes, a day after recording his first win with the Phillies, pitched the ninth inning and gets his second win after surviving a small jam that saw the winning run in scoring position.

Jimmy Rollins got things started for the Phillies (24-23) with a two-out single in the second inning that drove in Polanco before Pierre chopped one in the infield that was botch defensively, helping to score Galvis for a 2-0 lead.

Cardinals center fielder Shane Robinson doubled off Lee to plate Matt Adams to cut the lead in half at 2-1 in the bottom half of the inning.

After Cards shortstop Rafael Furcal hit a solo home run that just got over the wall (after further review) in the third to tie the game, Yadier Molina drove in David Freese to take the lead. Freese went 1-for-5, with his lone hit a triple off the center field wall that Shane Victorino lost in the air at the warning track.

The third game in the four-game set will bring Kyle Kendrick (0-3, 4.33 ERA as starter) to the mound for the Phils against lefty Jaime Garcia (3-2, 3.55 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 at Busch Stadium.

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Saint Joseph's eliminated from A-10 tournament in 6-0 loss to Saint Louis

PBR - With its third game in less than 24 hours, Saint Joseph's stalled out against top-seeded Dayton in the final game of an impressive run through the A-10 Tournament this week, losing 6-0 to the Billikens Friday night at Houlihan Park in Bronx, N.Y.

With some excellent starting pitching, the Hawks (25-32) were able to hang around much longer than most expected being a lower seed. However, come tournament time, days of rest are not on your side, and the back end of the rotation has to set up.

It was Hawks sophomore pitcher Jordan Carter that was put to the test.

To start, Carter put two Billikens on right away before dodging a jam and ultimately surviving the inning unscathed. Carter would finish the night after 4 1/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in the loss.

Saint Louis (41-17) did put three runs on the board, however, over the second and third innings when catcher Connor Gandessy and Alec Sole added back-to-back RBI singles, then junior outfielder Alex Kelly hit a double in the fourth and scored on the next at-bat to give the Billikens a 3-0 advantage.

Lansing Veeder took the hill in relief of Carter, who stranded Kelly at second. Kelly would eventually score on a single from first basemen Mike Vigliarolo for a 4-0 lead for Saint Louis.

The Billikens, who will face Richmond in the next round, added two more runs in the ninth inning.

Out of the bullpen, Mike Muha,Tim Ponto and Jimmy Yacabonis made appearance for the Hawks.

Saint Louis starter Clay Smith was superb, throwing a three-hit shutout with four strikeouts.

Offensively, the only Hawks to register hits off Smith were Brian O'Keefe and Brett Tiagwad, who went 2-for-3 on the night.

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After tough loss, Hawks bounce back hours later with win over Rams

PBR - Sure, the loss to Dayton in extra innings was depleting for Saint Joseph's at the A-10 Tournament to say the least, as the final outs leaked into the early hours of Friday morning.

About nine hours later, the Hawks were at it again, determined not to let one loss derail them as it came out on top with a 3-2 win over Rhode Island Friday afternoon at Houlihan Park in the Bronx ... thanks to a costly error by the Rams.

In the bottom of the ninth, with the scored knotted 2-2, Hawks slugger Kevin Taylor came up to the dish with the bases-loaded and one out, looking to end the game with one swing of the bat.

Well, he did just that, but not exactly how you would script it. Taylor hit a grounder to the Rams first basemen Jeff Cammens quickly fired the ball home to get the lead runner Brett Tiagwad from third. However, the 90-foot toss to R.I. catcher Milan Adams was off the mark and Tiagwad scored easily for the walkoff win.

Saint Joseph's (25-31) starter Daniel Thorpe was remarkable, throwing a complete game for the Hawks to continue a string of fine outings from St. Joe's rotation. Thrope allowed two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts in the win.

For the Rams (33-25-1), Chris Pickering threw 7 1/3 innings, giving up two runs, the first which tied the game 1-1 in the fifth inning when Tiagwad scored a sacrifice from leftfieder Kevin Kratochwill.

The sixth inning saw the Hawks take the lead as Anthony Cirillo  pulled through with an RBI-double to knock in third basmen Stefan Kancylarz. Kancylarz went 2-for-3 while Tiagwad was 3-for-4 on the day.

But, in the top of the eighth, Rhode Island evened the score with Cammens' sacrifice fly that allowed Chris Famiglietti to cross homeplate.

In three games at the tournament this week, the Hawks' starters have posted a 1.39 ERA with two wins. They will look to improve on those numbers when they take on top-seeded St. Louis next. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 today.

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Saint Joseph's fall in extras 4-3 to Dayton in second round of A-10 tournament

PBR - With this year being the first appearance for Saint Joseph's in the Atlantic-10 Championship tournament in program history, just getting to there can be considered an achievement to some.

For the Hawks, they traveled to Fordham University in the Bronx this week to for one reason: win an A-10 title, underdog or not.

After knocking off Rhode Island in the opening round, Saint Joseph's were not able to eek out another win, losing to second-seeded Dayton 4-3 in extra innings on Thursday night at Houlihan Park.

Hawks shortstop Anthony Cirillo did hit a double down the right-field line that scored catcher Brian O'Keefe for the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, but Dayton (30-28) responded right back with a run to send it into extras.

In the 13th inning (and into Friday morning), Hawks reliever Mike Muha gave up a double to shortstop Robby Sunderland. The next at-bat, Sunderland crossed the plate on the game-winning single from Flyers' Josh Jeffery.

Cirillo went 1-for-4 on the night while Lansing Veeder was 2-for-6 with a double for the Hawks (24-31) in the fourth that put St. Joe's up, 2-0.

However, the Flyers bounced back when leftfielder Ian Hundley had two RBI singles, one in the fifth inning and another in the seventh to tie the game.

It was a pitcher's duel between Hawks starter Kyle Mullen and Dayton ace Mike Hauschild.

Mullen hurled eight innings, allowing two runs on 10 hits and recording 12 strikeouts for the win while the Flyers' ace Hauschild went 8 1/3 innings and giving up a pair of runs.

In a save situation, Hawks closer Kevin Burum came on and out two baserunners on after just one out. He was replaced for Steven Schuler, who ended up pitching more than three innings in relief.

On the other hand, Dayton reliever Burny Mitchem got the win after tossing 4 2/3 scoreless inning.

With the loss, Saint Joseph's is now set to play Rhode Island once again on Friday.

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Phils hold on, best St. Louis 10-9 on road in offensive battle

PBR - The last time the Phillies were at Busch Stadium, they were eliminated from the playoffs and setting out for a long offseason.

On Thursday night, back in St. Louis, the team looked to get back to its winning ways and put the past in the rear view mirror with a 10-9 victory against St. Louis starter Jake Westbrook.

Phils first basemen Ty Wigginton hit a solo home run in the eighth inning that proved to be the game-winner.

Joe Blanton started, getting knocked around for seven runs on 10 hits in 7 1/3 innings in a slug fest that went back-and-forth for the majority of the night.

On the other hand, Westbrook was just as bad on the mound, getting shelled for six runs in only 3 2/3 innings in the no-decision for the Cardinals (25-20).

Closer Jonathon Papelbon pitched the ninth to pick up his 13th save on the season

In the fifth inning, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina nailed a three-run shot to center to even it up, 7-7, after being down by six runs.

But, the Phils (23-23) were able to regain the lead the next inning when second basemen Freddy Galvis drove in Shane Victorino. Next up, pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot added an RBI-single.

Ty Wigginton (3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI) and Galvis each had two-run singles in the first inning for the early lead. Then, it was Victorino who doubled in the second to make it 6-0 Phillies.

Galvis ended 3-for-5 with three RBI to raise his average to .250 while Victorino went 2-for-5 with three batted-in as well.

St. Louis' offense put back four runs though behind the bats of Skip Schumaker and David Freese, both generating runs on doubles. Freese also added another run with a monster home run in the seventh inning.

Friday night, Cliff Lee (0-2, 2.66 ERA) will take the mound for the Phillies at Busch Stadium against ex-Phillies pitcher Kyle Lohse (5-1, 2.91 ERA) in the second game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 8:15.

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Armed Forces Series Rosters

PBR - Rosters have been finalized for the Review's Armed Forces Series.

In partnership with Diamond Mind Baseball, the Review will simulate a seven-game series between the Army and Navy clubs over the Memorial Day Weekend.

More information about the Armed Forces Series can be found here. Each player selected to participate spent a portion of their career serving in the military. The purpose of this tournament is to celebrate the relationship between baseball and the United States military.

Pitching matchups for the series:

• Game One: Bob Feller vs. Robin Roberts
• Game Two: Bob Lemon vs. Warren Spahn
• Game Three: George Earnshaw vs. Red Ruffing
• Game Four: Bob Feller vs. Robin Roberts
• Game Five: If neccessary - TBD
• Game Six: If neccessary - TBD
• Game Seven: If neccessary - TBD

Games 1 and 2 on Friday at Veterans Stadium, Game 3  on Saturday at Baker Bowl, Games 4 and 5 on Sunday at Shibe Park and Games 6 and 7 on Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

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Phils bounce back from losing streak in 4-1 win over first-place Washington

PBR - There was no bench-clearing brawls or any Nationals' retaliation to Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels nonchalant admittance of beaning Washington phenom Bryce Harper in their last encounter. Nothing at all like that.

Hamels was just out on the hill Wednesday night to do his job, breezing through eight shutout innings and giving up only four hits with eight strikeouts as the Phils avoided the series sweep with a 4-1 win over the Nats at Citizens Bank Park.

Hamels is now tied for the MLB-lead in wins with six and dropped his ERA to 2.17, good for fourth among starters in the National League East.

The offense was able to snap out of the stretch of poor at-bats with runners in scoring position, going 2-for-6 with manger Charlie Manuel's tweaks to the lineup - most notable Carlos Ruiz batting cleanup.

Ruiz went 3-for-4 with a double in the win, raising his average to .357 (first among NL catchers) in his first career game batting fourth for the Phillies (22-23).

Mike Fontenot notched his first RBI as a Phillie in the second inning when he drove in Ruiz with a single. The next inning it was Shane Victorino that hit a two-out double that plated Hunter Pence to make it 2-0.

The Nats (26-18) tried to cut the lead in half during the sixth when Pence gunned down Danny Espinosa at the plate from right field to assist a terrific play blocking the plate by Chooch.

Victorino finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a run scored.

Also, the seamless transition from second base to shortstop for rookie Freddy Galvis has been another great sight to see defensively for Phils fans, as he made two more great plays Wednesday night.

In the seventh, with Fontenot breaking from third base heading home, leadoff batter Juan Pierre dropped a one-out bunt for the successful suicide squeeze to give the team another insurance run. Then, Victorino hit his sixth home run of the season in the eighth off reliever Henry Rodriguez to break the game open.

Jonathon Papelbon was on in the last inning in a non-save situation, giving up a solo homer to Adam LaRoche but still striking out two.

On the other hand, Edwin Jackson started for the Nationals, going seven innings and allowing three runs on seven hits and walking a pair in the losing effort.

The team will travel to St. Louis overnight for a series with the Cardinals, with the first game Thursday night. Joe Blanton (4-3, 3.61 in eight starts) will go up against Jake Westbrook (4-3, 2.41 ERA) in the series opener set for 7:15.

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Hawks advance in A-10 tourney with win over Rams behind Pracher gem

PBR - Saint Joseph's manager Fritz Hamburg decided to go with starter Alex Pracher to open the Atlantic-10 Championship tournament, and it proved to be a great option to begin the postseason.

Pracher hurled a complete-game shutout, giving up just five hits while striking out five in the 3-0 Hawks victory over Rhode Island in the opening round Wednesday afternoon at Bronx, N.Y.

St. Joe's outfielder Greg Kumpel was 1-for-4 on the afternoon with his lone hit being an RBI single that drove in Brett Tiagwad to give the Hawks an early 1-0 advantage in the third inning while catcher Brian O'Keefe was 3-for-5 with an run-scoring double late in the game.

In the fifth, first basemen Kevin Taylor belted a solo shot over the right-field wall to make it 2-0. Taylor was 1-for-5 with two runs scored on the day, also reaching base on an error in the ninth.

Tiagwad went 2-for-4 for Saint Joseph's (24-30).

Pracher was able to work out of a bit of a jam late in the game when the Rams' Joe Landi was able to reach second and threaten to cut the deficit. But, Pracher had Rhode Island centerfield Jeff Roy ground out to end the inning. The Rams (32-24) were hitless off Pracher with runners on base.

Pracher, a graduate student, was opposed by Anthony Pisani, who allowed both runs on eight hits over eight innings for the loss. Reliever Brendan Doohan came in for Pisani and gave up an RBI-hit to O'Keefe to make it 3-0.

Landi lead the Rhode Island offense with a 2-for-3 performance.

The win puts Saint Joseph's, the No. 6 seed, up against second-seeded Dayton tomorrow afternoon at Fordham University. Game time is scheduled for 3:30.

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Halladay struggles, Phillies lose 5-2 to Nats

PBR - Coming into his start Tuesday night, the Phillies' Roy Halladay had a flawless resume against the Washington Nationals, dating back over a decade to the days when the franchise was in Montreal.

Well, sort of like the way this season has been going for Doc, this start was rare. Halladay gave up five runs over six innings at home against the Nationals as the Phils dropped another one, 5-2, to make it four straight losses.

The offense is now in a 3-for-26 slump with runners in scoring position in the last three games.

Down 0-2 in the count to Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann, Hector Luna hit a ground-rule double over the center field wall that scored Hunter Pence to put the Phils (21-23) on the board early in the second inning.

However, that lead was short-lived as the Nationals (26-17) took it right back when Bryce Harper ripped a two-run triple off Halladay before scoring later in the inning on a sacrifice fly from Adam LaRoche - his 32nd RBI (tied for National League East-lead). Then, Ian Desmond waited on a curve and drove it over the fence for a solo shot to make it 4-1.

Harper went 2-for-5 in the game to raise his average to .316 in 19 at-bats versus the Phillies this season. Although a catcher in high school, Harper has some exceptional wheels on the basepaths, evident in the three-bagger and also in stealing home during the previous series with the Phils.

Zimmermann allowed one run on seven hits through six innings in the win. Nats closer Tyler Clippard recorded the save after a perfect ninth to put the Nationals back into first-place in the division.

Things got interesting when catcher Carlos Ruiz was ejected in the third inning for arguing a called-ball from Halladay with umpire Gary Cederstrom, his second ejection of his career.

After Brian Schneider filled in for Chooch, backup catcher Erik Kratz did hit his first career home run pinch-hitting in the eighth to add one run, but not enough to spark a comeback.

Jake Diekman came on in relief for Halladay in the seventh, hurling 1 2/3 innings and handing it off to the big righty Jose Contreras. Antonio Bastardo also made an appearance out of the 'pen.

The final game of the series will feature lefthander Cole Hamels (6-1, 2.48 ERA), who created an uproar after admitting to intentionally hitting Harper with a pitch in his last start against Washington. He will be opposed by Edwin Jackson (1-1, 3.31 ERA) as first pitch will be 7:05.

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Phils lose three straight after falling 2-1 to Washington

PBR - After dropping two of three in an interleague series over the weekend with Boston, the Phillies started a three-game set with the Nationals at home, but it was not exactly the way they had planned to welcome the surging Nats.

With Kyle Kendrick on the mound filling in for the injured Vance Worley, who has a bone chip in his right elbow, the bats again were unreliable after the Phils' spot starter threw seven solid innings in a 2-1 loss Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Kendrick gave up both runs on five hits and struck out four in a losing effort for the Phils (21-22). Despite the loss, he is now 5-2 with a 1.89 ERA in his last 11 starts against National League East squads.

The offense sputtered out when it mattered most, leaving 10 runners stranded and going just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Washington (25-17) starter Gio Gonzalez is quickly making a name for himself around the league, throwing nine strikeouts and allowing no runs over six innings for his sixth win - tied for the NL-lead.

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond laced a Kendrick sinker over the wall into the bushes in center during the second inning to give Washington the early 1-0 lead. Desmond's seven home runs are tops among NL shortstops.

In the fourth, Desmond drove a single to left that plated rookie outfielder Bryce Harper for his second RBI of the game to make it 2-0. Desmond ended the night 2-for-4.

That said, Kendrick was on his game for most of his outing, inducing 11 ground ball outs with that sinker and also retiring 11 straight before being pulled after seven for lefty reliever Raul Valdes. Valdes pitched two strong innings and struck out a pair.

For Washington, after closer Henry Rodriguez came in and allowed two runners to reach scoring position, Sean Burnett came in for the shaky two-out save, allowing John Mayberry, Jr. to score on a sacrifice fly from Ty Wigginton.

The Phillies are now 5 1/2 games behind the Nats, who are only a half-game behind Atlanta for first-place in the NL East.

Roy Halladay (4-3, 3.22 ERA) will look to keep rolling when he takes the hill Tuesday night in the second game of the series against the Nats. Doc will be opposed by righthander Jordan Zimmerman (2-4, 2.58 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:05.

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Celebrating baseball's history this Memorial Day Weekend

PBR - To celebrate the relationship between baseball and the Armed Forces, the Philadelphia Baseball Review has again teamed up with Diamond Mind Baseball to put together a simulation series using former Major League players that served during wartime.

Using information from Gary Bedingfield's Baseball in Wartime blog, and with the help of some local military veterans, the Review has composed rosters that represent the Army and Navy for a simulated seven-game series beginning Saturday afternoon and running until Monday.

The Review last partnered with Diamond Mind in November to recreate the 1993 World Series between the Phillies and Blue Jays.

Rosters for the Memorial Weekend Series will be released Wednesday, along with the simulation schedule.

To keep the Philadelphia-flavor, each of the clubs will play a simulated exhibition contest on Thursday night  when Army faces the 1929 Athletics and Navy takes on the 2008 Phillies.  

All games will be simulated in various Philadelphia ballparks, including Baker Bowl, Veterans Stadium, Shibe Park and Citizens Bank Park.

Rosters, recaps and more will be posted here throughout the week.

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Worley has a bone chip in his throwing elbow

PBR -Vance Worley is believed to have a bone chip in his throwing elbow that will require offseason surgery, according to several reports.

Worley, who is eligible to come off the disabled list on May 27, is expected to throw later this week.

"It got to the point where it was affecting the way I could long-toss and throw my bullpens," Worley told Philly.com. "I started cutting everything shorter. I was just going out there on game day and pitching with everything I had."

Worley, 24, is 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 44 innings this season. 

Cole Hamels dealt with a similar injury last season before undergoing offseason surgery.

For now, Worley will persevere through the pain.

"Man up," Worley said. "That's the only thing I can do. I'll just grit and grind out there."

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Lee still winless on season as Phils lose to Boston

PBR - Entering Sunday, even though Phillies starter Cliff Lee remained winless, he held a superb ERA and was arguably the best pitcher in the rotation so far this season. Just another case of a Phillies' pitcher being victim of little to no run support.

Against Boston, not the offense nor anything else could get Lee his first win as he was tagged for five runs over seven innings of work in the Phils' 5-1 loss Sunday afternoon to the Red Sox in the rubber match of the interleague series.

Lee is now 3-5 with a 3.81 ERA in 12 career starts against the Red Sox. His ERA for the year spiked from 1.95 to 2.66 in the loss.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Phillies (21-21) had two opportunities to knock in runners in scoring position and cut the deficit in half, however to no avail as Jimmy Rollins and Juan Pierre both failed to hit out of the infield.

Then, in the eighth, third basemen Ty Wigginton had the bases loaded, yet grounded out for the third time in the game against Red Sox reliever and former Phillie Vincente Padilla.

Alfredo Aceves closed out the ninth for the Red Sox for his 10th save.

Starting for Boston (20-21) was righty Josh Beckett, who hurled 7 2/3 innings and allowed one run with five strikeouts in the win.

Pete Orr was the one who scored that run for the Phillies early in the bottom of the eighth to prevent the shutout after pinch-hitting for a double and later touching home on a sacrifice fly from Pierre.

After Lee allowed a leadoff home run to Boston shortstop Mike Aviles, his second in as many days, the veteran lefthander struck out three in the opening inning to bounce back nicely.

Walking into a jam the next inning, Lee remained poised until Aviles came to the plate again, driving in another ex-Phillies player Marlon Byrd for the 2-0 advantage in the second.

Aviles finished the day 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. 

Again in the third inning, Lee fell behind and the Red Sox increased the lead when catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia crushed a changeup an estimated 446 feet for a three-run homer into Ashburn Alley.

Lee was replaced in the eighth inning by rookie reliever Jake Diekman, but he left after four scorless and seven strikeouts overall. The offense was held at bay by Beckett and could not get Lee the support he needed.

The Phils' offense was a dismal 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position for the game. Hunter Pence was 2-for-3 on the day.

Diekman struck out the side in the eighth before Chad Qualls took over the ninth inning.

Monday night, Kyle Kendrick (0-2, 4.95 ERA in four starts) will take the mound to face Washington and lefty Gio Gonzalez (5-1, 2.22 ERA), who will make his second start this season against the Phillies and his first career start on the road against a division rival. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

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Lester and Sox Overpower Phillies

PBR- John Lester was too much for the Phillies tonight, as he went six innings and gave up four runs earning a win.

Although Philadelphia outhit Boston, they couldn't capitalize in a losing effort with the final score of 7-5.

The Phillies had four players with two or more hits, but it wasn't enough to outlast the Red Sox. They stranded 10 men on base, going 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position.

Homeruns by shortstop Alex Aviles, third baseman Will Middlebrooks, and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia  for Boston were the kryptonite for starter Joe Blanton, who only lasted four and one third innings and gave up seven runs.

First baseman David Ortiz led the Red Sox with two hits and two runs batted in.

Alfredo Aceves came in during the eighth and worked a two inning save for Boston.

Tomorrow afternoon, Cliff Lee will be looking for his first win against Josh Beckett.

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The Doctor is In: Halladay leads Phils past Cubs

PBR- Roy Halladay was at it again. Halladay went eight innings and gave up only three runs, and scored two runs in a 8-7 Phillies win over the Cubs.

Carlos Ruiz sparked the offense, with four hits and three RBIs. Hunter Pence drove in two and scored two on two hits for the Phillies.

For the Cubs, Halladay locked them down. Shortstop Starlin Castro had a two-run blast, plating right fielder David DeJesus and giving the Cubs their two runs.

Chicago starter Chris Volstad only went two innings, giving up four runs on six hits.

Of the Phillies eight runs, only five were earned.

After leading 8-3 in the ninth inning, the Cubs stormed back making it a one run game.

Jonathan Papelbon closed out the game for his 11th save.

Tomorrow the Phillies travel back to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the Red Sox, beginning interleague play.

Daniel Bard will start for Boston, while Cole Hamels looks for his sixth win for Philadelphia.

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Pence Walks Off to Lead the Phillies in 10

PBR- The timing couldn't have been more perfect for Hunter Pence. After a homerun in the sixth inning off of Houston starter Jordan Lyles, it seemed that Pence was beginning to wake up from a slow start. That became very clear in the bottom of the 10th inning, when Pence crushed his second home run of the game, a walk-off homer, against former Philadelphia closer Brett Myers putting the final score at 4-3.

Pence's big walk-off hit was necessary after Chad Qualls blew a two run lead in the ninth inning. Cliff Lee started the game for the Phillies and went eight strong innings, striking out 10 and only allowing one run.

The big blow against Qualls came when Houston left fielder J.D. Martinez singled to right field and Hunter Pence committed an error to let pinch runner Brian Bogusevic scored. Martinez's single tied the game at three.

Placido Polanco and Brian Schneider also collected two hits for the Phillies. Schneider's two-run blast in the second inning put the Phillies up two, a lead that would be kept until the ninth inning.

Tomorrow the Phillies will be traveling to Chicago to take on the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Vance Worley, who was scheduled to start tomorrow has been scratched to due a sore arm. For the Cubs, Matt Garza will take the hill and will be looking for his third win of the year.

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Blanton Shines as Phillies Offense Emerges

PBR- On a wet, nasty night the Phillies saw another strong outing by their starter in today's 5-1 win over the Astros. Joe Blanton went seven innings, and surrendered only one run on a solo blast by pinch hitter Marwin Gonzalez.

Freddy Galvis and Placido Polanco led the Phillies at the plate, with each of them driving in two runs. Polanco's two RBIs came on homerun and his 2,000th career hit. Carlos Ruiz also drove in a run on a single to centerfield that plated Shane Victorino.

Houston's bats were silent until the top of the eighth inning, when Gonzalez's blast made the score 3-1. Astro's first baseman Carlos Lee had three of the Astros six hits.

Houston starter Lucas Harrell went five and two-thirds innings in the loss, giving up three runs on five hits.

With Philadelphia's strong pitching and timely offense they improve their record to 17-19, while Houston falls to 15-20.

Tomorrow afternoon Cliff Lee will look to get his first win of the season, as the Phillies take on the Astros again at Citizens Bank Park.

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Hamels looks strong in win

PBR- The Phillies won their series today, inching past the Padres at Citizens Bank Park by a score of 3-2. Starter Cole Hamels looked sharp, helping lead the way for Philadelphia and earning the win.

Jimmy Rollins led off the game with his 38th career lead-off homerun, jump starting the Philadelphia offense that scored three runs on eight hits. For San Diego, left fielder Jesus Guzman led the offense with two hits and an RBI.

Guzman grounded out to third, scoring right fielder Chris Denorfia giving the San Diego their first run, in the third inning.

Hamels went seven innings and gave up only one run, while striking out five. For the Padres, starter Jeff Suppan went six innings and scattered six hits and gave up three runs, one of which was unearned.

Following the lead of Rollins, Juan Pierre also had a run batted in on a double that scored Brian Schneider. Schneider collected two hits on the day, before Carlos Ruiz came in to pinch hit for him in the seventh.

Jonathan Paplebon recorded his 10th save for the Phillies, who moved their record to 16-19 with the win. Next for the Phillies, Joe Blanton will take on Lucas Harrell and the Astros at Citizens Bank Park.

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Offsense comes alive, Phils down Pads 7-3

PBR - Carlos Ruiz went 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs and John Mayberry Jr. homered and drove in three runs to lead Philadelphia to a 7-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.

Vance Worley (3-2) allowed three runs on six hits, striking out nine, in six innings to help the Phillies snap a three-game losing streak.

Placido Polanco had a pair of doubles for Philadelphia, which was playing its first game after manager Charlie Manuel's much-publicized team meeting on Wednesday with the slumping five-time NL East defending champs who entered Friday four games below .500.

Yonder Alonso homered for San Diego, which lost for the eighth time in the last 11 meetings with the Phillies.

San Diego left-hander Clayton Richard (1-5) gave up five runs on eight hits in 5 1-3 innings.

San Diego finished with 14 strikeouts, including five of the last six batters.

Roy Halladay (3-2, 3.28) is scheduled to face Padres righty Edinson Volquez (1-2, 2.98) at 7:05 on Saturday.

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Bullpen implodes as Mets complete sweep of Phils

PBR - The Phillies' bullpen surrendered seven runs over three innings as the Mets completed a three-game sweep with a 10-6 win Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies carried a 4-2 lead before things fell apart in the seventh. Kyle Kendrick faced nine batters in relief and allowed seven to reach base, allowing five runs on four hits and a pair of walks.

Ike Davis collected two hits for the Mets, including a three-run home run in the eighth off Jose Contreras that almost landed in the second deck, essentially sealing the series sweep.

Cliff Lee tossed six solid innings, surrendering two runs on six hits.

Freddy Galvis finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs in the losing effort, falling a homer short of the cycle.

"Our bullpen got hit and it got real ugly," Charlie Manuel said. "We did quite a few things wrong if you watched the game."

NOTE

The Phillies' bullpen pitched 7 1/3 innings in the three-game set, amassing a 14.73 ERA.

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Valdespin's blast lifts Mets past Phillies

PBR - Jordany Valdespin launched an 0-1 pitch from Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning and parked it into the seats in right field for a three-run blast to lift the Mets to a 5-2 win over the Phillies at Ciizens Bank Park on Monday night.

The homer was Valdespin's first major league hit.

The Phillies had a 2-0 lead entering the sixth, but David Wright tied the contest with a two-run double to left.

Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins collected two hits each.

Roy Halladay pitched well, surrendering five hits and two runs over seven innings. He struck out seven.

Papelbon needed 30 pitches to get out of the ninth.

The two clubs resume their three-game series on Tuesday night with Joe Blanton (3-3, 2.83) slatted to square-off against Miguel Batista (0-1, 6.93).

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Werth claims Phillies' fans taunted him after breaking his wrist

PBR - The magnitude of Sunday's contest in Washington continues to grow.

Nationals' outfielder Jayson Werth suffered a broken left wrist while sliding for a fly ball in a 9-3 loss to the Phillies. He had surgery on Monday and is expected to miss 12 weeks.

Today, in an e-mail to Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post, Werth drops a bomb claiming fans in right field at Nationals Park taunted him as he cautiously walked off the field.

“After walking off the field feeling nauseous knowing my wrist was broke and hearing Philly fans yelling ‘You deserve it,’ and, ‘That’s what you get,’ I am motivated to get back quickly and see to it personally those people never walk down Broad Street in celebration again,” Werth wrote.

This, of course, on the heels of Cole Hamels openly admitting he threw at Bryce Harper.

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Monday Morning Notes: Hamels admits to hitting Harper

PBR - Cole Hamels admitted following last night's contest in Washington that he intentionally plunked Bryce Harper with a pitch in the first inning.

"I was trying to hit him," Hamels told reporters. "I mean, I'm not going to deny it. It's something that I grew up watching. I'm just trying to continue old baseball, because I think some people get away from it. I remember when I was a rookie, the strike zone was really, really small and you didn't say anything, because that's the way baseball is. But I think unfortunately sometimes the league is protecting certain players and making it not as that kind of old school, prestigious way of baseball."

A fine or suspension is likely, but Hamels believes the message will resonate with Harper and the upstart Nationals.

"It's just welcome to the big leagues," said Hamels.

The Phillies currently sit 4 1/2 games behind the Nationals in the NL East.

The two clubs will meet again later this month with a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park. 

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Pence launches a pair as Phils salvage a win in D.C.

PBR - Hunter Pence hit a pair of two-run home runs and Placido Polanco chipped in three hits to lead the Phillies past the Nationals on Sunday night in Washington, 9-3.

Cole Hamels (4-1, 2.45)  tossed eight innings, surrendering five hits while striking out eight.

Trailing 1-0, Shane Victorino opened the fourth inning with a walk and later scored on Pence's first blast, a two-run shot to center. Later in the frame, Polanco lofted an RBI-single to center scoring Laynce Nix to bump the Phillies' lead to 3-1.

The offense erupted again in the ninth, scoring six runs with Pence's second two-run shot of the game highlighting the inning.

For the Nationals, Bryce Harper finished 2-for-3 and recorded his first major league stolen base - a swipe of home in the first inning on a pickoff play, giving Washington an early 1-0 lead. Prior to tonight, Harper had been 0-for-7 in the series.

Jordan Zimmerman tossed six innings for the Nationals, allowing seven hits and three runs. He walked four and struck out two.  Ryan Perry was charged with surrendering all six of the Phillies' runs in the ninth.

The Phillies will open a three-game set with the Mets at Citizens Bank Park on Monday with Roy Halladay opposing Jon Niese.

Halladay struggled in his last start, surrendering 12 hits and eight earned runs in six innings in a loss in Atlanta.

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Phils routed 7-1 by Werth and first-place Washington

PBR - Over his first five starts, it seemed as if Phillies starter Vance Worley would dismiss any questions of a possible sophomore slump this season.

After four solid innings, it even looked like Worley would breeze through Saturday afternoon against Washington as well, but a familiar face would change his outing abruptly.

The quirky right-hander ran into some jams early in the game, but was able to escape each one without allowing any damage until two outs in the fifth inning. That's when former Phillie Jayson Werth slammed a three-run home run to led Washington over the Phillies, 7-1, in divisional play at Nationals Park.

Worley labored in the last two innings of his day, throwing six innings overall and allowing five runs on 11 hits with four punch-outs in his second loss of the year. 

Another former Phillies prospect, southpaw Gio Gonzalez, started for the Nats, pitching seven innings of one-run ball on four hits with seven strikeouts as he continues to be a smart off-season acquisition for Washington (18-9), now 5 1/2 games ahead of the Phillies (13-15) for first in the division.

Gonzalez, who was part of a trade by the Phillies to the Chicago White Sox six years ago for starter Freddy Garcia, is now 3-1 with a 1.72 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in his first six starts in a Nats uniform.

The fourth inning started the scoring with a line drive double off the left field wall  by Shane Victorino, who advanced home after two straight sacrifice flies from Hunter Pence and Carlos Ruiz to make it 1-0.

While Ruiz was hitless in his two plate appearances with runners in scoring position, the catcher did drive in RBI No. 19 that puts Chooch on pace for over 100 RBI this season if he remains successful at the plate.

But, after Werth (2-for-4) homered to provide a huge momentum swing, Washington was able to score two more runs off Worley - one on a solo shot by Ian Desmond. When Joe Savery came on in relief the next inning, he gave up a long ball to Chad Tracy that break it open for the Nationals. Tracy finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while backup third basemen Steve Lombardozzi and Rick Ankiel were also 3-for-4 on the day in a 15-hit winning effort for Washington.

Also appearing in relief for the Phillies was Jose Contreras, who allowed two hits but also struck out two.

Cole Hamels (3-1, 2.78 ERA) takes the mound tomorrow for the last of a three-game set in Washington before a nationally-televised crowd against Nats starter Jordan Zimmerman (1-2, 1.89 ERA). First pitch scheduled for 8:05.

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Phils fall in extras for second time this week against Nats

PBR - Despite attempts to keep Phillies Nation out of Nationals Park, the sea of Phils red came in droves anyway against Washington on Friday night, giving the ballpark a home feel once again for the away team.

Although the crowd was behind them, Kyle Kendrick made his third start for the Phillies, but couldn't hold on in a 4-3 loss to the Nationals in 11 innings.  still in first place in the National League East.

With two outs in the bottom of the 11th, Michael Schwimer gave up the game-winning single to pinch-hitter Wilson Ramos. Schwimer was tagged with the loss.

In the start, Kendrick went five innings, allowing one run on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts in the no-decision.

For Washington, Stephen Strasburg allowed three runs over six innings in a quality start for the Nats (17-10), but the offense was unable to give the young fireballer enough run support.  Strasburg also took a no-decision.

The loss puts the Phillies 4 1/2 games within the top of the division. After Kendrick pitched out of a jam in the third inning, Hunter Pence hit a two-run home run to center in the top of the fourth for the 2-0 Phillies advantage.

Nationals first basemen Chad Tracy cut the deficit in half right away with a solo homer, but catcher Carlos Ruiz countered that right away with a home run himself when Strasburg offered a fastball right down the middle to allow his first long ball since 2010.

Ruiz went 2-for-4 against Washington, raising his batting average to .338 with his 18th RBI, both leading the team.

Phils relievers Joe Savery and Jose Contreras came out of the bullpen to pitch in the sixth, giving up a sacrifice fly from catcher Jesus Flores that scored Danny Espinosa to bring the Nationals within one run.

However, Chad Qualls blew the save in the eighth when he let a run score on Flores' double.

But, thanks to some stellar defensive play from shortstop Jimmy Rollins and ill-advised baserunning from Ankiel, the Phillies (13-14) were able to save two runs in the latter stages of the contest and ultimately send it into extras.

Tomorrow afternoon, Vance Worley (2-1, 1.97 ERA) will look to improve on his early success against lefty Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 1.82 ERA) in the second game of the series. First pitch is set for 1:05.

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Blanton tosses gem in series win over Braves

PBR - A day after both teams amounted for 28 runs combined, Joe Blanton took the hill for the Phillies and was superb, pitching a complete game shutout en route to a 4-0 victory over the Braves Thursday afternoon at Turner Field.

Blanton allowed only three hits and struck out six batters in his third win of the season.

In five starts now, Blanton is 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.02 WHIP ( 21-to-3 K/BB ratio).

Offensively, the Phillies (13-13) were lifted by Shane Victorino and Laynce Nix, who combined to hit three RBI and each had a home run.

After a sacrifice fly in the first inning by Hunter Pence that scored Jimmy Rollins for a 1-0 lead, the Phils waited again until the seventh when Nix hit a solo shot to center and then added insurance in the last inning when Victorino hit a fly ball over the right field wall to put the game away.

On the mound for the Braves was Randall Delgado, who pitched eight solid innings for Atlanta (15-11) and gave up two runs with five strikeouts. Livan Hernandez came in for Delgado and gave up the Victorino homer in the ninth.

Friday night, the Phillies will send out Kyle Kendrick for his third start against the phenom Stephen Strasburg (2-0, 1.13 ERA) and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

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Halladay struggles, Ruiz with career night as Phils lose wild one in extras

PBR - Fact: When Roy Halladay was handed four runs or more of support offensively in his career before Wednesday night, he was flawless.

Well, there is a first time for everything.

Halladay took on Atlanta at Turner Field and began by pitching his usual game through the four innings while having a six-run lead to work with.

But, things fell apart for the Phillies' ace midway through a wild 15-13  that ended in 10 innings.

After Shane Victorino tied the game at 13-13 in the ninth once again when beating out a run-scoring infield single with two outs, the veteran Chipper Jones crushed a two-run walk-off home run in the 11th inning.

The loss puts the Phils back to three games behind the Braves in the National League East standings.

Braves catcher Brian McCann smashed a grand slam in the fifth inning to tie the game, 6-6, and Atlanta scored twice more the next inning to take the lead. The Phillies offense was able to respond and comeback ... but only for a short period.

Carlos Ruiz homered off reliever Eric O'Flaherty in the seventh for a three-run shot to left field, then hit another three-run double the next inning to take back the lead, but the Phils let up with the bullpen allowing a five-run eighth inning.

Ruiz was 3-for-5 with career-high seven RBI as the Phillies (12-13) continued to crawl out of the early-season slump with 17 hits total. Chooch is the first time in Phillies history with seven RBI in a single game.

However, the other story within the game was Halladay and his struggles, as the veteran pitcher is now 107-1 now when pitching with a lead of four runs or more.

He gave up eight runs in 5 1/3 innings, more runs than he gave up in each start combined. Luckily for Doc, he was handed a no contest after the bats were able to take back the lead.

That said, the relievers came in and pitched poorly, especially Jose Contreras after allowing three earned runs in less than an inning of work.

On the other side Braves (15-11) pitcher Tommy Hanson relied heavily on his curveball, but through only 3 2/3 innings before being chased off the mound.

The Phils got on the board in the third when Shane Victorino sat on a breaking ball from Hanson and shot it past the sprawling first basemen Freddie Freeman for a run-scoring single that drove in Jimmy Rollins.

Two batters later, Laynce Nix worked a 2-2 count with the bases loaded before crushing a curve over Atlanta right fielder Eric Hinske that cleared the bases for a three-run double to make it 4-0 Phillies.

In the fifth, Ruiz nailed a double to the warning track that scored Ty Wigginton before scoring on second basemen Freddy Galvis' two-bagger the next at-bat to break the game open, 6-0.

Joe Blanton (2-3, 3.81 ERA) will face Braves right-hander Randall Delgado (2-2, 6.30 ERA) tomorrow afternoon in the final game of the series before heading to Washington.

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Another late burst helps Phils in 4-2 win over Atlanta

PBR - Back on the road after splitting a four-game stand with the Cubs, the Phillies were in a familiar territory at Turner Field against division-foe Atlanta. The first month of the season may not have been the exact start the team hoped to jump out to, but the season is still young.

Against the Braves on Tuesday night, Cole Hamels was called upon for the Phils as he pitched well through six innings, but it was more about the late-game heroics once again that resulted in a 4-2 Phillies' win over the Braves.

In the eighth inning, Braves left-handed reliever Jonny Venters gave up two runs, one after John Mayberry, Jr. scored on a wild pitch to give the Phils the lead again and another when Hunter Pence added an RBI single for extra measure.

Antonio Bastardo came in for Hamels in the seventh inning, tossing an inning in relief and recording a strikeout before Chad Qualls out the Atlanta bats down in the eighth. Both paved the way and held the lead for the closer Jonathon Papelbon, who notched his MLB-leading ninth save in as many opportunities after a 1-2-3 ninth.

Pence finished the night 2-for-4 with a double and run scored as Ty Wigginton also drove in two runs for the Phillies. Hamels gave up two runs on six hits and struck out six against the Braves in the no-decision.

Starting for Atlanta was Brandon Beachy, who pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on five hits.

Atlanta cut the lead in half when catcher Brian McCann laced a home run over the right field wall in the fourth immediately after the Phils' Wigginton hit a two-run single to make it 2-0 in the top half of the inning.

Later, Braves third basemen Juan Francisco scored Freddie Freeman in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly that evened the game, 2-2.

With the win, the Phillies (12-12) climb within two games of the Braves (14-10) in the National League East, with Washington taking the early lead in the division a month in.

Tomorrow night, Roy Halladay (3-2, 1.95 ERA) looks to get back on track after a subpar outing against Chicago when he opposes Atlanta righty Tommy Hanson (3-2, 3.00 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 at Turner Field.

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