In his second start of the 2009 season, Brett Myers won his first game of the year in spite of once again giving up four runs on three long balls as the Phils defeated the Rockies at Coors Field, 8-4, tying up the three games series at a victory apiece.

The Rockies took a quick 2-0 lead in the second inning as Myers gave up a two-run home run to Troy Tulowitzki, his third home run of the year, as he knocked in Brad Hawpe, who had earlier doubled. The Phillies struck back in the top of the third, as Ryan Howard knocked in three runs as he hit a bases clearing, two-out double, scoring Jimmy Rollins, who had earlier singled, Shane Victorino, who had also singled, and Chase Utley, who had walked, giving the Phils the lead, 3-2. In the fourth, the Rockies tied the game up at three all as Garrett Atkins hit a hard to believe solo home run off of Myers, his second home run of the season. The Phillies regained the lead in the fifth, as Jayson Werth hit a two-out, two-run triple, scoring Utley, who had earlier singled and had gone to third on Howard’s single, and Howard, making it a 5-3 Phillies’ lead. The Rockies got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth as Clint Barmes hit a lead-off, solo home run off of Myers, his first home run of the season, cutting the Phils lead down to 5-4. But that turned out to be the Rockies’ last hit, as first Myers and then the Phils’ bullpen would get out the next fifteen Rockies. Meanwhile, the Phillies slowly added to their lead. In the seventh, Raul Ibanez made it 6-4 Phils as he hit a two-out solo home run, his second home run of the year. Then in the eighth, the score became 7-4 Phillies as Utley hit a two-out RBI single, scoring Victorino, who had earlier doubled. The Phillies then scored their last run in the ninth, as Pedro Feliz knocked in Ibanez, who had earlier doubled, making it an 8-4 Phillies’ lead. Brad Lidge then came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth, pitching a 1-2-3 inning.

Brett Myers won the game for the Phils as he pitched a seven-inning four hitter against the Rockies, although giving up four runs on three home runs, and a walk, as he struck out six batters. His record is now 1-1 with a 5.54 ERA, thanks to the fact that he has given up eight earned runs on six home runs. Myers will need to cut down on the gopher balls to get his ERA lower. Ryan Madson followed Myers and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, striking out two. Brad Lidge then came in to pitched the ninth, also pitching a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Jorge De La Rosa took the lost for the Rockies, only able to go four and two-thirds innings, giving up five runs on six hits and two walks, while he struck out three. His record is now 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA. Ryan Speier followed him, pitching a third of an inning, giving up no runs on one hit. Jason Hammel then came in for two and two-third innings, as he gave up two runs on five hits and two walks, while he struck out a batter. Jason Grilli pitched a third of an inning, giving up just a walk as he struck out one. Huston Street then pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up a run on three hits as he struck out a batter. Manuel Corpas then came in for a third of an inning, getting out the only man he would face.

The Phillies had fifteen hits in the game, with Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz leading the attack with both man going three for five. Victorino had two singles and a double as he raised his average to .250, while Feliz had three singles, raising his average to .333. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez then followed with two hits each, with Utley’s two hits raising his batting average to .444. Jimmy Rollins, Jayson Werth and Chris Coste had the other three Phillies’ hits. Howard knocked in three of the Phils’ eight runs, Werth brought home two, and Ibanez, Utley and Feliz each knocked in a run. The Phillies’ batters also had five walks.

Carlos Ruiz has been placed on the fifteen-games disabled list because of his injured right oblique. While he’s out, Coste will be performing the catching duties as Lou Marson is called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to be the back-up catcher.

The Phillies (2-3) will this afternoon conclude their three games series with the Rockies (3-2). The game will be played at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. Game time is at 3:10 pm Eastern time (1:10 pm Mountain). The Phillies will send to the mound Chan Ho Park, who will be starting his first game in 2009. Last year he went 4-4 with a 3.40 ERA in 54 games, including five starts with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has already pitched an inning in relief in 2009, with a record of 0-0 with an 0.00 ERA. He will be trying for his first win of the year while also attempting to pitch the rotation’s first quality start. The Rockies will send to the mound Aaron Cook, who pitched a two and one-third innings no-decision against the Diamonbacks on April 6, giving up six earned runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out two. His record is presently 0-0 with a rather high ERA of 23.14. Cook will be trying to improve on that bad start.

The Phillies hope to leave Denver with a series win and a .500 record in the standings, before they go on to Washington for a three games series with the Nationals in the Nation’s capitol.