In Phoenix tonight, the Phillies showed why they're the champs -- a little bit of luck, some timely hits, and clean defense. And the Diamondbacks showed by they're mired in the second division -- poor defense, and an inability to put the game away early.
Jamie Moyer strugged at the outset, getting into a bases loaded, no out jam in the second, and a 1st and 2nd, no out jam in the third inning. Total Diamondback runs in those innings? Zero.
The Phillies, despite being outhit 9 to 6, made their hits count, scoring their first two runs on a left-center field bomb from Ryan Howard in the fourth, and would add another run in the fifth on a Jimmy Rollins RBI double, and three in the sixth, in large part due to the D-Backs failure to convert three double play grounders. Giving this Phillies team extra outs = terrible idea.
From there out, Moyer toyed with the young D-Backs lineup, allowing a total of six hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings pitched, with no runs scored. Both D-Backs runs scored in the eighth inning, on a mammoth leadoff blast from Mark Reynolds off a still struggling Ryan Madson. The Snakes tacked on another run on a Chad Tracy RBI single later that inning. Brad Lidge worked a perfect ninth in a non-save situation.
Nice game, and a nice win, with Dan Haren looming tomorrow.
Zappa ATJ
Frank Zappa - Baby Snakes (live in Munich) (via YourArf)