Time to Worry?

After another Brad Lidge blown save last night, the Phillies needed a win this afternoon to split a four-game series at the Houston Astros. However, the offensive funk struck again for the Phillies as they lost their third straight game to the Astros, 3 to 4.

Coming off of 19 straight scoreless innings, fans were hoping Cole Hamels would able to complete his third straight shutout. While he looked good early on, Hamels was roughed up with a three-spot in the fifth inning, and ended up lasting six innings, allowing four earned runs, striking out six and walking two on his way to earning the loss. Former Phillie Michael Bourn proved to be the bane of existence for the Fightins’, as his stolen bases in the fourth and fifth innings led to two runs that were the difference in the final score. There were a few bright spots in today’s game however, as Jimmy Rollins, Ben Francisco, and Jayson Werth all had solo home runs today.

Leery of Lee overload

All is right in Phillies’ land once again.

The boys from the City of Brotherly Love just wrapped up a three-game sweep over the Cubs at Wrigley to move five games up in the National League East over Atlanta and Florida (with the Marlins still left to play today). The surge comes after the Phils were swept by Florida to reduce their cushion in the East to three and a half games.

With that kind of cushion, there is one question that begs to be asked: why, with a five-run lead in today’s game, was Cliff Lee on the mound for to throw 122 pitches?

And So It Begins…

As first pitch neared at Wrigley Field tonight, I, like many other Phillies fans, took a deep breath as the Pedro Martinez era began on the road against the Chicago Cubs, praying the rotation reshuffle would turn out to be the right move.

In his first major league outing in 10 months, Pedro proved to be fairly effective, going five innings, allowing seven hits, one walk, and striking out five as the Phillies cruised to a 12-5 victory over the Cubs. His first strikeout in a Phillies uniform also gave him sole possession of the 13th place on the all-time strikeout list, passing Cardinals legend Bob Gibson.