Tagged: Aaron Cook

Lee comes to his new home and thrills the fans with a quality start as the Phils defeat the Rockies, 3-1.

Cliff Lee comes to the Bank and thrill his new fans with a seven inning quality start, as the Phils defeat the Rockies, 3-1. They now hold a seven games lead in the NL East over a Marlins team that had just been swept by the lowly Nats for three games this weekend.

The Rockies took a quick lead in the first as, with runners on the corners, and nobody out, Todd Helton hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Dexter Fowler, who lead-off the game with a double and then went to third on Seth Smith’s single, giving the Rockies a 1-0 lead. The Phils tied it up at one-all in their half of the first as, with a runner on third, and with one man out, Chase Utley hits a sacrifice fly of his own, scoring Jimmy Rollins, who had earlier doubled, and had gone to third on Shane Victorino’s ground out, 4-3. The game then turned into a pitchers’ duel between Phils’ starter Cliff Lee, who would give up another three hits for a total of five in the first five innings, but would otherwise keep the Rockies off the scoreboard, while the Rockies’ starter Aaron Cook would give up four more hits for a total of five after four innings. The Phils would then take the lead in the fifth as Paul Bako hits a lead-off home run, his first home run of the year, giving the Phils a 2-1 lead. The Phils would then increase their lead three batters later as, with a runner on third, and with one man out, Victorino hits a chopper to Rockies’ second baseman Clint Barmes, with Rollins, who had just tripled, running for home on the crack of the bat. Rollins would be safe at home plate, making it a 3-1 Phils’ lead, as Barmes made a wide throw that went past the catcher for a fielder’s choice, allowing Victorino to be safe at first base. That would be all the run support that Lee would need, as he kept the Rockies quiet for the next two innings, as he gave up only one more hit, before handing it over to the bullpen, which threw two scoreless innings, as Brad Lidge nailed down his twenty-first save of the year in the ninth.

Cliff Lee got the win, his second as a Phil since the trade, as he went seven innings, giving up only a run on six hits and a walk, while he struck out nine. His record is now 9-9 (2-0) with a ERA of 2.95 (1.13). Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless inning as he recorded his seventeenth hold, giving up just a hit, while striking out one. Brad Lidge recorded his twenty-first save of the year as he pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up one hit, as he struck out two. Aaron Cook took the lost as he pitched five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. His record is now 10-4 with a 3.93 ERA. Matt Daley pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two batters. Franklin Morales pitched two scoreless innings, giving up a walk, while striking out a batter.

The Phillies had only seven hits in the game, with Jimmy Rollins leading the way with three hits, just being a home run short of hitting for the cycle, as he scored two of the three Phils’ runs, while he raised his batting average up to .245, as he continued to be hot since the start of July. Paul Bako is next with two hits, including his game-winning solo home run, knocking in a run. Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez had the other two Phillies’ hits, both singles. Utley knocked in one of the other two Phils’ RBIs with a sac fly, while Shane Victorino knocked in the other one with a fielder’s choice ground ball. Although having few hits, the Phils were able to score the runs they needed, especially as Ryan Howard seems to be in a bit of a slump. Once Howard gets back to hitting the ball and laying off the junk, cutting down on the strikeouts, he’ll be able to carry the team once more on his back.

The Phillies (61-45, 1st) continue their home stand with a three-games series with the Marlins (55-53, 2nd 7 games behind), who had just been swept by the Nationals. The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park, and will start at 7:35 pm, after the late Harry Kalas is inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame. The Phils’ starter will be Joe Blanton (7-5, 4.02), who had pitched well in a losing effort against the Giants on August 1, as he went seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, as he struck out five, in the Phils’ 2-0 lost. He will be going for his eighth win of the year while trying to start the series off on a positive note. The Marlins will counter with Ricky Nolasco (7-7, 5.00), who is coming off a no-decision against the Cubs on August 2, as he went seven innings, giving up only a run on four hits and a walk, as he struck out eight, in the Marlins’ 3-2 win. He will be trying to end the fish present three games losing streak. The Phils will be trying to put even more distance between themselves and the rest of the NL East this weekend.   

Happ shows that he belongs in the starting rotation as he four hit the Rockies’ offense, as the Phils defeat the Rockies, 7-0.

J.A. Happ becomes one of the few pitchers in the National League to pitch more than one shutout this season as he pitched his second career complete game shutout as he four hit the Rockies on the way to a 7-0 win. The Phils increased their lead to six games as the Marlins were defeated once again by the Nationals.

The Phils took the lead in the first as, with a man on base and two outs, Ryan Howard hits an RBI single, knocking in Chase Utley, who had earlier doubled, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. The Phils would increased their lead in the second as, with one man out, Pedro Feliz hits a solo home run, his seventh home run of the season, to give the Phils a 2-0 lead. Three batters later, with a runner on third, and with two men out, Jimmy Rollins hits a two-run home run, his thirteenth home run of the year, knocking in Carlos Ruiz, who had earlier doubled, and then moved up to third on Phils’ starter J.A. Happ’s ground out, 6-3, giving the Phils a 4-0 lead. The Phils then broke it open in the fifth as, with two men on, and two men out, Jayson Werth hits a three-run home run, his twenty-third home run of the year, as he knocked in Utley, who had earlier been hit by the pitch, and then went to third on Raul Ibanez’s double, and Ibanez, who had just doubled, giving the Phils a 7-0 lead. That would be more than enough for Happ, as he proceeded to pitch a gem against the Rockies, getting into only one real jam, as the Rockies puts runner on second and third in the top of the third, via a single to the Rockies’ starter, Jorge De La Rosa and a double by Dexter Fowler, which sent De La Rosa to third, with two men out. Unfortunately, for the Rockies, the next batter, Clint Barmes, struck out swinging, ending the threat. Happ went on to pitch a complete game shut out, giving up only four hits and two walks, while he struck out a career high ten batters.

J.A. Happ got the win as he pitched a complete game shut out, giving up only four hits and two walks, as he struck out a career high ten batters. His record is now 8-2 with a ERA of 2.74. Jorge De La Rosa took the lost, as he pitched five innings, giving up seven runs on ten hits, while he struck out three. His record is now 9-8 with a 5.00 ERA. Josh Fogg pitched three scoreless innings in relief, giving up just a hit and a walk, while he struck out two.

The Phils collected eleven hits in the game, with Pedro Feliz and Carlos Ruiz leading the team with two hits apiece, with one of Feliz’s hit being a solo home run, while one of Ruiz’s hits was a double. Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth, and J.A. Happ had the other seven Phils’ hits, with Rollins’ hit being a two-run home run, and Werth’s being a three-run home run, while Victorino, Utley, Ibanez and Happ all hit doubles, with Happ’s double being his first major league extra-base hit. Besides Rollins’s two rbis, Werth’s three ribbies and Feliz’s one run batted in, thanks to home run, Howard knocked in the other Phils’ run with a single, as the Phils brought in several runs yesterday, thanks to the long ball.

The Phils (60-45, 1st National League East) conclude their three game series with the Rockies (59-48, 3rd National League West) with an afternoon game in Citizens Bank Park, already in progress. The Phils starter is Cliff Lee (8-9 (1-0), 3.02), who is coming off a complete game win over the Giants on July 31, as he gave up only one run on four hits and two walks, as he struck out six, in the Phils’ 5-1 win. He is going after his second win as a Phil, while trying to pitch well before his new home crowd. The Rockies will counter with Aaron Cook (10-3, 3.88), who is coming off a no-decision against the Reds on July 31, where he pitched six and two-thirds innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four, in the Rockies’ 5-3 win. He will be trying to match Lee, as he goes for his eleventh win of the season. The Phils will be going for the series win, as they prepare for the Marlins to come to the Bank this weekend.

Matt Stairs’ pinch hit, two-run home run in the top of the ninth help propel the Phils into their first series win as they defeat the Rockies, 7-5.

The bullpen’s five and one-third innings of shut out pitching allowed the Phillies to come from behind, capped off by Matt Stairs’ pinch hit two-run home run in the ninth inning, to defeat the Rockies, 7-5. The victory gave the Phils their first series win in the 2009 season as they head to the nation’s capital to face the winless Nationals.

 After Rockies’ starter, Aaron Cook, had put the Phils down easily in the top of the first inning, Chan Ho Park took the mound to begin his first start as a Phil. He started off nicely by getting the lead-off hitter, Dexter Fowler, to ground out, 4-3, for the inning’s first out. Everything would then go badly after that, as Park’s breaking balls wouldn’t break within Denver’s higher attitude. After Ryan Spilborghs got on base with an one-out single, Brad Hawpe followed him with an RBI double, scoring Spilborghs, and giving the Rockies a quick 1-0 lead. After Park threw a passed ball, allowing Hawpe to reach third, Garrett Atkins brought him home with an RBI single, making the score 2-0 Rockies. Ian Stewart followed him with a single, sending Atkins over to second. The next batter, Troy Tulowitzki, walked, loading the bases with still only one man out. Park then struck out Chris Iannetta for the inning’s second out, thus seeing his chance to get out of the inning with very little damage. Sadly, it was not to be as Clint Barmes hit a two-out single, scoring both Atkins and Stewart, while sending Tulowitzki to third, giving the Rockies a 4-0 lead. Cook, the ninth batter of the inning, finally ended it by grounding out, 1-3. The Phillies got a run back in the top of the second, as, with a runner on second and one man out, Raul Ibanez hit a line drive that bounced off of Cook’s butt and then headed into the hole between shortstop and third for a single, as Ryan Howard, who had earlier double, quickly rounded third and scored on a heads up play, as Rockies’ shortstop, Tulowitzki, is unable to make a good throw to home plate, thus allowing Ibanez to reach second on the throw, making it 4-1 Rockies. The Rockies got that run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Fowler hit a lead-off solo home run, his second home run of the year, giving the Rockies a 5-1 lead. After nobody scored a run in the third, the Phillies got their second run in the fourth, as Jayson Werth knocked in Chase Utley, who had earlier singled, and had stole second when Howard struck out swinging, cutting the Rockies lead to 5-2. In the bottom half of the inning, after Park had given up a single to Spilborghs and had walked Hawpe, with one out, Charlie Manuel took him out of the game, and brought in Chad Durbin to keep the game close. Durbin did his job as he got Atkins to fly out to center for the second out of the inning and then struck out Stewart, swinging, to end the threat. The Phillies made it 5-3 Rockies in the sixth, when, with two men on base and one out, Werth knocked in his second RBI of the game, scoring Utley, who had earlier walked and had gone to second on Howard’s single, as Howard stopped at second base. In the bottom half of the inning, the Rockies would threathen again, as, with one out, Durbin gave up a single to Fowler, and then walked Spilborghs. Manuel then came out of the dugout and replaced Durbin with Scott Eyre. Eyre proceeded to do his job as he got Hawpe to fly out to left for the inning’s second out and then got Atkins to foul out to Howard to end the inning. Then in the eighth, the Phillies tied the game up at five all as Utley hit a two-run home run off of Manuel Corpas, his first home run of the year, as he knocked in Shane Victorino, who has earlier singled. Ryan Madson came in to pitched the bottom of the inning, and he pitched a 1-2-3 inning. In the ninth inning, with a runner on third and one man out, pinch hitter Matt Stairs would come to the plate and hit a 1-1 fastball into the right center field for a pinch hit two-run home run, giving the Phils a 7-5 lead, as he scored Pedro Feliz, who had earlier double and had gone to third on Chris Coste’s sacrifice bunt. In the bottom of the ninth, Brad Lidge took the mound for the Phils. After getting the first two men out, Lidge gave up a single to pinch hitter Jeff Baker, and then walked Stewart, bringing up the winning run to the plate in the person of Tulowitzki. On a 1-2 pitch, he got Tulowitzki to ground out, 4-3, for the final out, as he records his second save of the season.

Chan Ho Park received a no-decision, as he was only able to pitch three and a third innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out two. Chad Durbin pitched two scoreless innings, giving up no runs on one hit and a walk, as he struck out two. Scott Eyre pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Clay Condrey pitched a scoreless inning, striking out a batter. Ryan Madson got the win as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. His record is now 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. Brad Lidge pitched an inning, as he recorded his second save in two tries, giving up no runs on a hit and a walk, as he struck out a batter. Aaron Cook also received a no-decision as he pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out two. Jason Grilli pitched a third of an inning in relief, giving up no runs on one hit, while striking out one. Alan Embree pitched two thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Manuel Corpas blew the save, as he gave up two runs on three hits, while striking out a batter. Huston Street took the lost as he gave up two runs on two hits, while striking out a batter. His record is now 0-1 with a high ERA of 10.13. The Phils’ starters are still looking for their first quality start after two full series.

The Phillies had thriteen hits in the ballgame, with Ryan Howard leading the way as he went 3 for 4 (2 singles, 1 double), and scored a run as he raised his batting average for the season to .333. Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz followed with each man getting two hits in the game. Utley had a single and a home run, his first of the season, as he knocked in two runs and scored three, raising his batting average to .476, placing him fourth among the league leaders in batting. Werth had two singles, knocking in two runs, as he increased his batting average to .348. Feliz had a single and a double, scoring a run, as he increased his batting average to .368. Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Chad Durbin and Matt Stairs had the other four Phillies’ hit, with Ibanez knocking in one run and Stairs hitting a pinch-hit two-run home run. Through six games, the Phillies’ team batting average is .271, presently fifth in the National League.

The Phillies (3-3), continue their six-games road trip by going to the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. for a three-games series with the presently winless Nationals (0-6). The first game of the series will be played this afternoon at Nationals Park. Game time will be 3:05 pm Eastern. The Phillies’ starter will be Jamie Moyer, who will be trying to recover from his bad outing against the Braves on April 7, when he gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks, as he struck out two batters, as he pitched for five innings. His record is presently 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. Moyer willing be trying to give the Phillies their first quality start by one of their starters. His opponent will be Daniel Cabrera, who lost his first start against the Marlins, as he went six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, with an ERA of 7.50 in the Nationals’ 6-1 lost on April 8. He will be trying to give the Nationals their first win of the season.

Matt Stairs’ pinch hit, two-run home run in the top of the ninth help propel the Phils into their first series win as they defeat the Rockies, 7-5.

The bullpen’s five and one-third innings of shut out pitching allowed the Phillies to come from behind, capped off by Matt Stairs’ pinch hit two-run home run in the ninth inning, to defeat the Rockies, 7-5. The victory gave the Phils their first series win in the 2009 season as they head to the nation’s capital to face the winless Nationals.

 After Rockies’ starter, Aaron Cook, had put the Phils down easily in the top of the first inning, Chan Ho Park took the mound to begin his first start as a Phil. He started off nicely by getting the lead-off hitter, Dexter Fowler, to ground out, 4-3, for the inning’s first out. Everything would then go badly after that, as Park’s breaking balls wouldn’t break within Denver’s higher attitude. After Ryan Spilborghs got on base with an one-out single, Brad Hawpe followed him with an RBI double, scoring Spilborghs, and giving the Rockies a quick 1-0 lead. After Park threw a passed ball, allowing Hawpe to reach third, Garrett Atkins brought him home with an RBI single, making the score 2-0 Rockies. Ian Stewart followed him with a single, sending Atkins over to second. The next batter, Troy Tulowitzki, walked, loading the bases with still only one man out. Park then struck out Chris Iannetta for the inning’s second out, thus seeing his chance to get out of the inning with very little damage. Sadly, it was not to be as Clint Barmes hit a two-out single, scoring both Atkins and Stewart, while sending Tulowitzki to third, giving the Rockies a 4-0 lead. Cook, the ninth batter of the inning, finally ended it by grounding out, 1-3. The Phillies got a run back in the top of the second, as, with a runner on second and one man out, Raul Ibanez hit a line drive that bounced off of Cook’s butt and then headed into the hole between shortstop and third for a single, as Ryan Howard, who had earlier double, quickly rounded third and scored on a heads up play, as Rockies’ shortstop, Tulowitzki, is unable to make a good throw to home plate, thus allowing Ibanez to reach second on the throw, making it 4-1 Rockies. The Rockies got that run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Fowler hit a lead-off solo home run, his second home run of the year, giving the Rockies a 5-1 lead. After nobody scored a run in the third, the Phillies got their second run in the fourth, as Jayson Werth knocked in Chase Utley, who had earlier singled, and had stole second when Howard struck out swinging, cutting the Rockies lead to 5-2. In the bottom half of the inning, after Park had given up a single to Spilborghs and had walked Hawpe, with one out, Charlie Manuel took him out of the game, and brought in Chad Durbin to keep the game close. Durbin did his job as he got Atkins to fly out to center for the second out of the inning and then struck out Stewart, swinging, to end the threat. The Phillies made it 5-3 Rockies in the sixth, when, with two men on base and one out, Werth knocked in his second RBI of the game, scoring Utley, who had earlier walked and had gone to second on Howard’s single, as Howard stopped at second base. In the bottom half of the inning, the Rockies would threathen again, as, with one out, Durbin gave up a single to Fowler, and then walked Spilborghs. Manuel then came out of the dugout and replaced Durbin with Scott Eyre. Eyre proceeded to do his job as he got Hawpe to fly out to left for the inning’s second out and then got Atkins to foul out to Howard to end the inning. Then in the eighth, the Phillies tied the game up at five all as Utley hit a two-run home run off of Manuel Corpas, his first home run of the year, as he knocked in Shane Victorino, who has earlier singled. Ryan Madson came in to pitched the bottom of the inning, and he pitched a 1-2-3 inning. In the ninth inning, with a runner on third and one man out, pinch hitter Matt Stairs would come to the plate and hit a 1-1 fastball into the right center field for a pinch hit two-run home run, giving the Phils a 7-5 lead, as he scored Pedro Feliz, who had earlier double and had gone to third on Chris Coste’s sacrifice bunt. In the bottom of the ninth, Brad Lidge took the mound for the Phils. After getting the first two men out, Lidge gave up a single to pinch hitter Jeff Baker, and then walked Stewart, bringing up the winning run to the plate in the person of Tulowitzki. On a 1-2 pitch, he got Tulowitzki to ground out, 4-3, for the final out, as he records his second save of the season.

Chan Ho Park received a no-decision, as he was only able to pitch three and a third innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out two. Chad Durbin pitched two scoreless innings, giving up no runs on one hit and a walk, as he struck out two. Scott Eyre pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Clay Condrey pitched a scoreless inning, striking out a batter. Ryan Madson got the win as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. His record is now 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. Brad Lidge pitched an inning, as he recorded his second save in two tries, giving up no runs on a hit and a walk, as he struck out a batter. Aaron Cook also received a no-decision as he pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out two. Jason Grilli pitched a third of an inning in relief, giving up no runs on one hit, while striking out one. Alan Embree pitched two thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Manuel Corpas blew the save, as he gave up two runs on three hits, while striking out a batter. Huston Street took the lost as he gave up two runs on two hits, while striking out a batter. His record is now 0-1 with a high ERA of 10.13. The Phils’ starters are still looking for their first quality start after two full series.

The Phillies had thriteen hits in the ballgame, with Ryan Howard leading the way as he went 3 for 4 (2 singles, 1 double), and scored a run as he raised his batting average for the season to .333. Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz followed with each man getting two hits in the game. Utley had a single and a home run, his first of the season, as he knocked in two runs and scored three, raising his batting average to .476, placing him fourth among the league leaders in batting. Werth had two singles, knocking in two runs, as he increased his batting average to .348. Feliz had a single and a double, scoring a run, as he increased his batting average to .368. Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Chad Durbin and Matt Stairs had the other four Phillies’ hit, with Ibanez knocking in one run and Stairs hitting a pinch-hit two-run home run. Through six games, the Phillies’ team batting average is .271, presently fifth in the National League.

The Phillies (3-3), continue their six-games road trip by going to the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. for a three-games series with the presently winless Nationals (0-6). The first game of the series will be played this afternoon at Nationals Park. Game time will be 3:05 pm Eastern. The Phillies’ starter will be Jamie Moyer, who will be trying to recover from his bad outing against the Braves on April 7, when he gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks, as he struck out two batters, as he pitched for five innings. His record is presently 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. Moyer willing be trying to give the Phillies their first quality start by one of their starters. His opponent will be Daniel Cabrera, who lost his first start against the Marlins, as he went six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, with an ERA of 7.50 in the Nationals’ 6-1 lost on April 8. He will be trying to give the Nationals their first win of the season.