Lucky 13 for Phillies

Second half of the season began for the Phillies in Citi Field against the NY Mets, and it seems the bats didn’t collect any rust during the all-star break, as all eight position player got at least a hit, with the 3 thru 7 (Utley-Brown-Ruf-D. Young and Mayberry) combining for 11 hits, as the Phillies cruised to a 13-8 victory in the first game of a weekend series.

The Phillies got going right away in the 1^st inning off Mets starter Jeremy Hefner. Jimmy Rollins led off with a single, than after Michael Young struck out, Chase Utley hit a triple to dead center as the ball went over the head of Mets CF Kirk Nieuwenheis.  Then, on a 1-0 count Domonic Brown hit an opposite field single to left, scoring Utley and making the score, 2-0.

Then, Darin Ruf hit a single right moving Brown to third base, and with runners on the corners, Delmon Young hit an infield single that scored Brown and made it 3-0. Phillies made it 4-0, as on a full count, John Mayberry hit a ground single to left that scored Ruf.

Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick escaped trouble in the 1^st, as with a runner on 3^rd he struck out both David Wright and Marlon Byrd.

In the 3^rd inning, the Phillies extended the lead to 5-0, as Brown on a 0-2 pitch launched a bomb into the right field porch for his 24^th home run of the year.

Then, Ruf followed with a line double to center as Nieuwenheis misplayed it. Young then hit a line single right, but then Byrd in right misplayed the ball allowing Ruf to score and moving Young up to second, and that made the score, 6-0.

Mayberry, then followed with a line double to left scoring Young, and making the score 7-0, and fortunately for Hefner, he was yanked after giving up 10 hits and 8 runs in 2+ innings. Then, the newest victim, pitcher Greg Burke, allowed a RBI double to right to Carlos Ruiz, and that made the score, 8-0.

Three batters later, Michael Young on the 1^st pitch tattooed a fastball, and he launched it into the left-center seats for his 7^th home run of the season, and that made the score, 11-0.

The Mets finally got on the board in the bottom of the 4^th inning. Following back-to-back singles by Daniel Murphy and David Wright to left, Byrd took a 1-1 pitch deep, and I mean DEEP, into the upper deck in left field for his 16^th home run of the year, and that made the score, 11-3.

After the home run, the Mets did get two more singles, and had Kendrick in trouble, but Kendrick escaped courtesy of a fly out, and an inning ending double play.

In the 5^th inning, Philadelphia struck back as after a Michael Young walk, and new pitcher Josh Edgin came in for the Mets, Utley took a 2-0 pitch over the right field wall for his 12^th of the season, and that made the score, 13-3. Utley’s homer against Mets pitching was his 30^th of his career.

In the bottom of the 6^th inning, and down 13-4, the Mets mounted a comeback as Ike Davis singled to center, catcher John Buck lined a double to right putting runs on second and third. After Nieuwenheis walked, Omar Quintanilla hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Davis, and that made the score, 13-5. Juan Lagares made it 13-6, with a RBI single to center, and that ended Kendrick’s night.

In the bottom of the 9^th inning, the Mets made it close as new Phillies reliever Justin DeFratus allowed a single to Andrew Brown and then Wright deposited his 14^th home run of the season, a no-doubt about it to left field, making the score, 13-8.

Kendrick, went 5 2/3 innings, throwing  103 pitches (63 strikes-40 balls), and allowed 6 runs on 9 hits, but a good sign was seven strikeouts and only one walk for his 9^th win of the season.

Tomorrow afternoon, Cole Hamels will take the mound against the Mets Dan Wheeler. First pitch set for 1:10 pm.