What we're watching – Phi-TB rematch

By Jun 23, 2009, 4:48 PM EDT
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– 46-year-old Jamie Moyer and 23-year-old David Price will be the
starts as the Phillies and Rays play in a rematch of last year’s World
Series. Fortunately, the Phillies are back on the road now after losing
six straight at home to the Blue Jays and Orioles. They’re just 3-9 in
interleague play, but they’re an MLB-best 23-9 record in away games
this year. Moyer has seen his ERA come down of late, but he did
struggle last time out, giving up six runs in six innings against
Toronto. He’s 4-6 with a 6.35 ERA. Price is 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA in five
starts since his callup. The Phillies are hoping to get Ryan Howard
back in the lineup after he missed two starts over the weekend due to
flu-like symptoms.

– David Ortiz and Lance Berkman both enter the night with 999 career
RBI, though Ortiz may not start in the NL park against Nationals lefty
John Lannan. Berkman has just two hits and one RBI in his last six
games.

– Tim Lincecum and Vin Mazzaro will duel for the second time in 12
days when the Giants and A’s play in Oakland. The Giants won the
previous contest 3-0, with Lincecum going the distance, as part of a
three-game sweep at home. Mazzaro has turned in four straight quality
starts since debuting in June 2 and is 2-1 with a 1.75 ERA.

– Zack Greinke has seen his ERA jump from 0.84 to 1.96 while he’s
gone winless in his last four starts. Tonight’s assignment would seem
to be a pretty easy one, as he’ll be facing an Astros team that’s
hitting just .261/.329/.387 against right-handers this year. Also, Russ
Ortiz is the opposing starter. Still, the Royals have been particularly
hapless of late. They’ve not only lost five straight, but they’ve lost
all of those games by at least five runs.

Game of the Night

Chicago Cubs vs. Detroit – The Tigers will try to extend their
winning streak to five games when Carlos Zambrano and Edwin Jackson
face off. Jackson ranks second in the AL in ERA for a first-place team,
yet the Tigers are just 7-7 in his starts and they’ve lost the last
two. Zambrano, likewise, hasn’t been very fortunate when it comes to
wins and losses. He’s 4-2 despite giving up more than three earned runs
just once in 11 starts. Still to be determined is whether Magglio
Ordonez will play tonight. The Tigers have won all four games since
benching the former All-Star.

Nationals blow 6-run lead, rebound to beat Phillies 8-7

Associated PressJun 3, 2023, 12:55 AM EDT
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WASHINGTON (AP) Lane Thomas singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals sent the Philadelphia Phillies to their fifth straight loss, winning 8-7 after blowing a six-run lead.

The defending NL champion Phillies have just five victories in their last 18 games and are tied with the Nationals at the bottom of the NL East at 25-32.

“We’ve got to overcome it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ve got to play better, get consistent in all phases and keep moving forward.”

Alex Call drew a two-out walk against Connor Brogdon (2-1) in the eighth, stole second on a low pitch that catcher JT Realmuto couldn’t make a throw on and scored on Thomas’ single to right center.

“The way Lane’s swinging the bat, if you can get on second base, we can win the game,” Call said. “I look over and the ball’s in the dirt, he doesn’t catch it. Now I’m saying: ‘All right, Lane. Come on!’”

Kyle Finnegan (3-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the victory, stranding the tying run on second in the ninth.

Nick Castellanos homered twice, singled, doubled and drove in five runs for Philadelphia, which had scored just three runs in its past three games.

“There’s definitely a lot of positives as a group,” Castellanos said. “Showing some fight. It would have been really, really easy to lay down and allow the way the game started to be the way that it finished.”

Down 7-1 after four innings, Philadelphia tied it at 7 in the eighth. Brandon Marsh worked a nine-pitch walk against Mason Thompson leading off, and Drew Ellis singled with one out. Finnegan came on to face Kyle Schwarber, who hit a ground ball up the middle. Shortstop CJ Abrams fielded it behind it behind second base, touched second for one out, but threw wildly to first and Marsh came home with the tying run.

Castellanos’s second homer, a two-run shot to center in the sixth, pulled the Phillies to 7-3 and Marsh added an RBI single in the inning.

In the seventh, Schwarber doubled with one out and Bryson Scott reached on an infield single. Hunter Harvey came on and walked Bryce Harper to load the bases. Castellanos singled to center scoring two runs to make it 7-6.

Luis Garcia homered and Jeimer Candelario doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Nationals, who have won seven of 12.

Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler, coming off eight shutout innings against Atlanta, allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

“This one’s on me really,” Wheeler said. “Guys battled back. Just couldn’t finish it out. We know who we have in this room and what we’ve got to do.”

Josiah Gray gave up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings for Washington.

Candelario doubled just beyond the reach of left fielder Schwarber to drive in the first of Washington’s two runs in the first.

In the second, Abrams hit a one-out drive to deep center that Marsh misplayed into a double. With two outs and two on, Candelario doubled off the wall in right center to make it 5-0.

Garcia ended Wheeler’s night with a solo homer in the fourth.

“When you come out the way we did, you’ve got to tack on,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “It didn’t happen tonight, but we got one more than the other guys.”

CANDY MAN

Candelario is 9 for 26 (.346) with four doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, five walks, and seven runs scored in his last seven games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: Thomson said RHP Taijuan Walker played catch Friday and there are “no worries about his next start.” In a four-inning outing against the Mets on Thursday, Walker’s sinker velocity averaged 90.6 mph, down from 92.7 mph for the season. His fastball, splitter and curveball velocity also dropped.

Nationals: OF Victor Robles (back spasms) took batting practice on the field for the first time since going on the injured list. … LHP Sean Doolittle (elbow) gave up a run on two hits and struck out two batters in 2/3 of an inning working his second straight night for Class A Fredericksburg.

UP NEXT

Phillies: LHP Matt Strahm (4-3, 3.20) will start a bullpen game on Saturday.

Nationals: LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 3.57) went seven innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters in his previous outing – a no decision against the Royals.

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