He has had prettier games, but with the help of his lineup, Roy Halladay was good enough to win his 19th game tonight as the Phillies wrapped up a three game sweep of the Marlins in Florida.
Halladay became the National League's first nineteen game winner of 2010, and the first Phillies' hurler to win 19 games since John Denny in his 1983 Cy Young season. He threw six innings tonight, allowing three runs on ten hits and striking out nine.
Raul Ibanez led the Phillies' offensive attack, collecting three hits, two runs scored, and two runs batted in. Ryan Howard went hitless, but managed to walk three times, scoring two runs. Chase Utley hit his fifteenth home run of the season off the right field foul pole in the third inning.
In the ninth, and in a non-save situation, Brad Lidge picked a good night to struggle with his command. The closer walked three in just a third of an inning, including a bases loaded walk that resulted in the Marlins' fifth run. Jose Contreras replaced Lidge and quickly retired the last two hitters of the game for the "Save."
With the Braves' loss this afternoon against the Nationals, the Phillies now sit three games ahead in the National League East.
