Phillies win to finish stellar homestand

PHILADELPHIA -- The last time the Phillies had a homestand like this, the Braves were Milwaukee's team, the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and David Bell's grandfather Gus was in the outfield for the Reds.
That 1955 stretch aside -- in which Philadelphia went 14-2 -- the Phillies have much higher goals than that team, which finished in fourth place with a 77-77 record.

Philadelphia put an exclamation point on their best stretch of the season with a 6-2 win over the Brewers, completing a three-game sweep and finishing their 13-game home stand at 12-1.

"How did we let that one game get away?" asked Chase Utley, with a laugh. "We're playing great baseball right now, but we have to continue to improve on the road. We have to stick to the same game plan."

The current game plan has worked expertly thus far, with the Phillies pulling out wins every way possible -- battering teams early, getting a shutout and coming from behind. As a team, they've hit .309 with 21 homers in the 13 games.

The Giants, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Brewers were simply no match. If the Nationals hadn't put together a 10-game winning streak of their own, the Phillies could be well in first place, but they remain 1 1/2 games out.

"We've turned the corner as a club," said Jim Thome. "You can feel the excitement in the air. It's just a fun time, and we need to ride it out as long as we can."

Philadelphia starter Cory Lidle, who lost the lone game of the homestand on June 6, was brilliant for seven innings. He was especially effective after giving up a solo homer to Carlos Lee in the second inning.

Lidle (6-4) didn't appreciate Lee standing and watching his shot leave the yard, and the right-hander let Lee know about it.

"He watched it for a long time," Lidle said. "I don't mind if somebody admires their work, but watch it on tape if you want to see how far it goes. Don't show me up. I didn't like him watching, and he didn't like me staring at him."

Asked if he'd remember the incident in the future, Lidle said, "It's over as far as I'm concerned. I think I got my point across."

Pat Burrell also made his point in the fourth inning with a solo shot off Ben Sheets, snapping a 1-1 tie.

"I don't need to be throwing meatballs up there," Sheets said.

That aside, the Phillies have been feasting on everyone during this history-making homestand, and they have returned for seconds and thirds. Lidle diced up the Brewers for the rest of the afternoon, allowing just four additional baserunners.

Philadelphia put the game out of reach with a four-run, eighth-inning outburst, capped by a three-run home run by Utley.

Sheets took the loss for Milwaukee, despite pitching well for seven innings. He coughed up a first-inning run when he allowed a two-out double to Bobby Abreu. That scored Jimmy Rollins, who had singled.

"Bobby Abreu was Superman, and still is Superman," said Rollins.

What about the amazing homestand?

"We started with the Giants," Rollins said. "They were a team around .500, and that was the series I felt we should probably sweep. Then were played Arizona, and they were playing good ball. I was hoping we'd win the series.

"The rest was just like, 'Wow.'"

"It's awesome," said Burrell. "Now we have to get ready for Seattle and Oakland. You can't look back. You just keep going."

"[The homestand] exceeded our expectations," said manager Charlie Manuel. "It was exactly what we needed."

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Phillies place Wolf on 15-day DL

PHILADELPHIA -- Left-hander Randy Wolf was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, even though the team hadn't seen the results of Monday's MRI.
Still, they had seen enough.

Right-hander Amaury Telemaco was recalled from Triple-A Scranton to replace Wolf on the roster. Telemaco, designated for assignment on Wednesday, cleared waivers early Monday and will rejoin the team in Seattle.

Wolf fought through six innings on Saturday despite feeling discomfort in his elbow early in the game and in the days leading up to the start.

He didn't tell manager Charlie Manuel or pitching coach Rich Dubee before Saturday because he wanted to see how his elbow would respond during the game.

Rookie Rob Tejeda will start in Wolf's place on Friday.

Wolf will hope for the best.

"I just have to take it day by day," Wolf said on Sunday. "I don't want to presume anything or jump to conclusions. I'm trying to take the side of caution and do things right."

Is surgery his biggest fear?

"It is and it isn't," Wolf said. "If the worst-case scenario comes down to that, it's not like I'm the only guy that's ever had it done, and I'm some unlucky soul. I've been fortunate. I'm basically prepared for anything. That's the way you have to be."

Signage: Philadelphia signed 13 draft picks on Monday, bringing the total to 14. They signed top pick Mike Costanzo last week.

The players who signed are: Davis Blaine (6th round), Jermaine Williams (7th), Joshua Outman (10th), Matt Olson (13th), Michael Zagurski (12th), Matt Edwards (16th), Ronald Hill (17th), Darren Byrd (18th), Aaron Rawl (21st), Joseph Frazee (25th), Brett Dalton (26th), John Blanton (47th) and Tyler Gooch (50th).

Source: http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/

Wolf advised to undergo surgery

PHILADELPHIA -- The streaking Phillies received a painful dose of bad news Tuesday, when it was recommended that pitcher Randy Wolf undergo Tommy John surgery.
Wolf had an MRI exam and ultrasound on his left elbow Monday at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and was examined Tuesday by team doctor Dr. Michael Ciccotti.

He was diagnosed with an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, the third time it's flared up within a calendar year. Because of that regularity, Ciccotti recommended ligament transplant surgery.

"It doesn't sound good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of the news. "We're going to miss him -- he's one of our starters in the middle of our rotation. He kind of balanced out our rotation, having a lefty in the middle."

Should Wolf decide to have the surgery -- he'll visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday and see Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles later this week -- he'll miss at least a year, and possibly the entire 2006 season.

Wolf was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, two days after he left Saturday's start with discomfort in his elbow. He lasted six innings in that start despite feeling pain early in the game, but he relied heavily on his slow curve, and never threw a pitch higher than 87 mph.

After talking with team trainer Jeff Cooper on Saturday, Phillies general manager Ed Wade was prepared for the news.

"He felt there was something significant," Wade said.

If Wolf passes on surgery, he'll still miss a significant chunk while he goes through rehabilitation, and risks the injury recurring. Wade said the decision is up to Wolf.

Wolf was unavailable to comment. Asked Saturday whether surgery was his greatest fear, Wolf said: "It is and it isn't. If the worst-case scenario comes down to that, it's not like I'm the only guy who's ever had it done, and I'm some unlucky soul. I've been fortunate. I'm basically prepared for anything. That's the way you have to be."

The Phillies are too. Wade said rookie Rob Tejeda will move into the rotation for the short term, and will keep the job with continued success. Gavin Floyd, currently struggling at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, is another option, or a trade.

The injury couldn't come at a worse time for Wolf or for the Phillies, who just completed a 12-1 homestand. Personally, Wolf got off to a slow start -- going 1-3 with a 6.52 ERA in April -- but had been 5-1 with a 3.18 ERA since.

"It's tough. I'm pitching well and we're playing well," Wolf said Saturday. "This is probably one of my most confident times on the mound where I really feel like I have command and a clue. It's the toughest pill to swallow. I've felt outstanding [up to now], and that's why it's tough. It sneaks up on you. When you feel like your delivery is good, your arm's great, everything is in sync, it's that much harder."

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Rollins signs five-year extension

PHILADELPHIA -- From the day the shortstop of the future fielded his first grounder and stole his first base as a Phillies farmhand in Martinsville, Va., this day seemed to be coming.
When Jimmy Rollins tripled in his first Major League at-bat in 2001, it became inevitable. Nearly four years and two All-Star appearances later, the day arrived.

On Monday, Rollins agreed to a five-year, $40-million contract extension that could become a $46.75 million deal and keep him in Philadelphia through the 2011 season. The 26-year-old could have become a free agent after the 2006 season.

"We signed a very special kid (in 1996)," said general manager Ed Wade. "Words to describe Jimmy during his career in Philadelphia: class, energy, catalyst, a red-light player (the guy you want up in a big spot). Jimmy's prepared to go out and shine in the spotlight as someone who will lead us for a long time."

The red-light player will earn plenty of green -- enough to put him in Edgar Renteria territory -- through the rest of the decade. Renteria's name came up throughout negotiations, as Rollins sought a figure close to the four-year, $40-million deal Renteria signed with Boston during the winter.

Talks had started and stopped ever since Rollins first became eligible for arbitration after the 2003 season. They picked up steam near the end of Spring Training, but stalled. Not wanting the distraction, Rollins said he wouldn't talk about it again until the end of the season.

That equation changed once Rollins' agent, Dan Lozano, and Wade began to hash out the particulars. Rollins, who said that there was a definite possibility he would test free agency if something didn't get worked out this winter, was only brought in when things got close.

"Which player doesn't want to get to that point where he can say, 'I want to go play here and if this team pays me, I'm going,'" Rollins said. "At the same time, I wanted to stay in Philly -- that's where my heart is. [The Phillies] made a commitment to me. If I can't be happy with what they've given me, then I'm just being greedy."

None of that mattered when Rollins stood beaming from the podium at Citizens Bank Park. His team had just completed its best homestand in 50 years, and it was headed to play in Seattle and Oakland for the first time during the regular season.

In Oakland, Rollins will take the field a stone's throw from where he grew up and watched his idol, Rickey Henderson, play. Rollins has said that the lure of playing on the West Coast was and still is a consideration, though he's willing to put that dream on hold -- at least until he's 32.

"That's still a dream of mine, maybe the last year or two years, to go back where I first started playing baseball," Rollins said. "That's still something that I want to do. Hopefully I have a lot of time before that even comes about and my mind could be changed. We're winning right now and it's fun here. I like the fans. My heart is in Philly."

For now, his goal is to bring a World Series Championship to the East Coast.

Originally selected in the second round of the 1996 First-Year Player Draft out of Encinal (Calif.) High School, Rollins debuted in 2000 and began his legacy in his first at-bat, when he tripled. From 2001-04, he led NL shortstops in fielding percentage.

He made the NL All-Star team in 2001 and 2002, when he was voted in as the starter. This season, Rollins is hitting .263 with five homers, 19 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

In late May of 2004, things began clicking for the switch-hitter, and he emerged as the catalyst the team had expected him to be. He started off slow in 2005, but has since found his stroke, emerging as a team leader on the level of Bobby Abreu, Jim Thome and David Bell.

"It's my turn to be a part of that crew and step up, so I guess I can't send you guys up to the big-money players anymore," he joked to reporters.

In addition to a $5 million signing bonus, Rollins will earn $4 million in 2006, $7 million in 2007 and 2008, and $7.5 million in 2009 and 2010. The pact includes an $8.5 million club option -- or a $2 million buyout -- for 2011 that potentially brings the value to $46.5 million.

One thing that Rollins' new wealth can't buy is a certain piece of jewelry. That he has to earn.

"The only thing that could be better is if we win the World Series," he said. "We're coming off the best stretch at home. I was proud to be part of that. It's like getting the cake, and waiting for the ice cream. That's the ring."

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Lieber solid but bats can't solve Meche

SEATTLE -- Jon Lieber pitched well enough to win Tuesday night, firing a complete game against the Seattle Mariners. The problem for the Phillies was Seattle's starter, Gil Meche, pitched just a bit better.
The Phillies six-game winning streak came to a hault, as the Mariners took the series opener, 3-1, in front of 26,818 fans at Safeco Field.

Lieber was in vintage form, needing just 87 pitches to get through his eight innings of work in a game lasting just two hours and four minutes. The right-hander allowed only three runs, and didn't walk a batter for the fifth time this season. The start was a definite improvement for Lieber, who had struggled in his previous three starts, despite a 3-0 record, posting a 6.11 ERA.

"(Lieber) pitched a good ballgame," manager Charlie Manuel said. "He was sailing. Usually, if we hold a team to three runs, with our offense, we're going to beat you."

Jim Thome, in the lineup as the designated hitter, agreed that Lieber pitched well enough to win, saying, "(Lieber) pitched a great game too. (The Mariners) were fortunate that they got some key hits there, and, ultimately, it always comes down to pitching."

Lieber allowed a pair of runs in the second inning, with his own error contributing to the Seattle rally. Mariners' third basemen Dave Hansen dribbled a ball up the first base line that Lieber fielded cleanly before throwing past Tomas Perez at first base, his first of two errors on the night. It was the first time in Lieber's career that he committed two errors in a game.

"I'm disappointed in myself about that," Lieber said. "I take a lot pride in my defense, obviously it's not showing, but the main thing is to try, and forget about it, and move on."

His counterpart for Seattle, right-hander Gil Meche, used a curveball that froze Philadelphia hitters. He got four called third strikes in his eight innings of work, with the Philadelphia offense managing just three singles on the night.

"Unbelievable," Perez said of Meche's curve ball. "He's got a good hook. He threw an unbelievable game."

Thome agreed with the man who spelled him at first base.

"His curve ball is right up there with the best that I've seen," Thome said. "It makes his fastball a lot quicker. When you do that, and work quickly, you're going to win ballgames."

Meche quieted a Philadelphia offense that had scored 89 runs during their just-completed 13 game home stand, posting a franchise best 12-1 record.

"You're going to have games like this," Lieber said. "You can't expect the guys to go out and score eight-to-ten runs every game. As a starting pitcher, you're going to run into some tough pitching, that's why you have to tip your cap. Meche did a great job."

"I got to give him a lot of credit," Manuel said of Meche. "He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes, and got his breaking ball over the plate. He had a tremendous breaking ball, and we took some third strikes on breaking balls that got over the plate. He pitched a heck of a game."

The loss ended the Phillies second six-game winning streak of the season, both coming on the just-completed home stand.

"You want the streak to continue and roll on," Thome added. "We understand that (Meche) pitched a nice ballgame. The game just went really quick, we were in the seventh inning before you knew it. Give them credit."

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Wolf's injury shuffles rotation

SEATTLE -- Randy Wolf's elbow injury has put a hole in the starting rotation for the Phillies that, in the short term, will be filled by rookie right-hander Robinson Tejeda.
Wolf injured his left elbow Saturday and, after consulting with physicians Tuesday, Tommy John surgery was recommended, a procedure that would end the left-hander's season. Now the Phillies need to find a replacement for one of their most consistent starters.

Tejeda, the Phillies' 23-year-old rookie, will fill the vacancy in the rotation starting Friday in Oakland.

"He's getting the next start. If he can do the job, that's great," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I think we've got to see Tejeda throw at least another time, maybe a couple more, and then figure out which is the best way to take our rotation. If he can give us six innings, that's good, seven would be great. I consider him a good guy to have right now."

Tejeda made his first career start on June 8, a 2-0 win against the Rangers, during which he worked five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out four batters. For the season, the right-hander has no record with a 3.00 ERA in nine outings, holding opponents to a .122 batting average.

"Last time out, he pitched very good for five innings," Manuel added. "Hopefully, he can fill that void."

Manuel said the organization had not discussed long-term options for the rotation, adding, "We've got to replace (Wolf), until we find someone, it's going to make our rotation weaker."

Manuel explained the key for his team, which has won 15 of their last 17 games, to overcome the Wolf injury.

"We got to just keep playing the way we have been playing, and find somebody to step in and fill that void for us."

Wolf was 6-4 with a 4.39 ERA in 13 starts before the injury.

Top 20: Since May 15, the Phillies have the best record in baseball with their 20-6 mark. Included in the stretch is a pair of six-game winning streaks. Philadelphia has won seven of its last eight series, including four against first-place clubs. The starting pitching has done their part during the hot stretch, posting a 17-5 record with a 3.90 ERA.

Driving home: Pat Burrell and Bobby Abreu have combined for 102 RBIs on the season, which is the highest total of any teammates in the Major Leagues. Burrell has driven in 55 runners, second in the NL behind Derek Lee's 56. Abreu is sixth in the league with his 47 RBIs.

The 102 combined Runs driven in are the most by Philadelphia teammates since Rico Brogna and Scott Rolen had combined for 104 RBI by June 15, 1998.

On Deck: Vincente Padilla (3-5, 6.43 ERA) gets the starting assignment in game two of the three-game series in Seattle. The right-hander has won three of his last four starts, lowering his ERA from 9.74 to its current mark of 6.43. Seattle will counter with veteran right-hander Aaron Sele (5-5, 3.99 ERA) in the 7:05 p.m. PT start.

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Phils miss chances, fall to Mariners

SEATTLE -- Philadelphia's bats were held in check for the second night in a row as the Mariners topped the Phillies, 5-1, in front of 26,019 at Safeco Field on Wednesday night.
The Phillies managed only one run off Seattle starter Aaron Sele and the Mariners' bullpen as they dropped consecutive games for the first time in three weeks.

The night got off to a good start for the offense as Jimmy Rollins singled to center to open the game and promptly stole second base, his 14th theft on the year. Bobby Abreu followed with a single to right field, scoring Rollins in front of the throw from Ichiro Suzuki. From that point on, the offense stalled, but it wasn't because of lack of opportunities to get to Sele.

"I got a single and then Bobby is Bobby, he just continues to get hits," Rollins said. "After that, we got some hits, but they were all empty. We got runners on, just couldn't drive them in."

Abreu finished the night with his fifth three-hit game and 24th multi-hit game of the year.

Rollins wasn't ready to credit Seattle pitching with shutting down the offense that helped the Phils enter the series winners of 12 of their last 13.

"It's more us. We're flat right now and there's nothing more to it," the shortstop said. "We just have to find some way to kick it in. The pitchers haven't been doing anything special, they've just been throwing strikes and putting you in a situation where you have to swing the bat. We just have to do a better job of that."

The Phillies had runners in scoring position in four consecutive frames, including leaving the bases loaded in the top of the fifth when Jim Thome flied out to end the threat. An inning later, Chase Utley led off with a double only to be stranded there as Sele retired the next three hitters in order.

Philadelphia finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Over their previous 30 contests, the Phillies had batted .340 with runners in scoring position.

Manager Charlie Manuel gave more credit to the Seattle pitchers, but still put most of the blame on his hitters' approach at the plate.

"The last two nights, their pitching's been good," the skipper said. "Sele tonight just threw a fastball and a curve. Evidently, he had them off balance. We just didn't hit him and we didn't hit very many balls hard. We were playing so good [at home], and then all of a sudden, we quit doing things. I know we're much better than that."

"It's kind of weird because of how good our offense has been," catcher Mike Lieberthal said. "Top to bottom, everybody's really been swinging the bat well, that's why it's so frustrating."

Starting pitcher Vicente Padilla labored through 5 2/3 innings, keeping the Phillies in the game, allowing three runs on seven hits. The outing was another positive one after he struggled to begin the year. In his first five starts, the right-hander was 0-4 with a 9.74 ERA. The last five starts have been a significant improvement, with Padilla posting a 3-2 record with a 3.62 ERA.

"He's getting better and he's showing signs of getting better," Manuel said. "Since Wolf's out, we've got to fill that hole, and we need Padilla to start winning games for us."

"He settled down [after allowing two runs in the first inning] and used all his pitches, not just his fastball," Lieberthal said.

Padilla's Achilles' heel has been the long ball, and that hurt him again as he allowed two solo shots upping his season total to 13. He's allowed seven homers in his last four starts.

With the loss, the Phillies will lose just their first series since dropping two of three to Florida on May 23-25, snapping a streak of five consecutive victories.

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Martinez makes first Phils start

SEATTLE -- Ramon Martinez made his Phillies starting debut Wednesday night in Seattle. The utility infielder spelled Jim Thome at first base and batted ninth in the order.
For manager Charlie Manuel, it was his first opportunity to get a good look at the club's newest acquisition.

"Today's the first day he's gotten to play, and I'm kind of anxious to watch him play some and see what kind of player that he is," the skipper said. "I'd like to get him as much playing time as possible."

In his first at-bat Wednesday, Martinez led off the third with a single, his first hit as a Phillie.

Playing time was a problem with Placido Polanco, the man the Phillies traded to get Martinez and pitcher Ugueth Urbina from the Tigers on June 8. Polanco wanted more at-bats, but with the emergence of Chase Utley at second base, the plate appearances were harder to distribute for Manuel.

"He just wanted me to know that, 'I'm not satisfied with not playing,' it wasn't bickering or moaning," Manuel said of Polanco. "[Trading him] might have been one of the toughest decisions I've made since I've been the manager."

Like Polanco, Martinez can play anywhere in the infield, giving Manuel two infield options on his bench along with Tomas Perez.

"Tomas can play all the positions in the infield and Ramon can too, from what I hear," Manuel said. "He played some shortstop for the Giants and he really played good and he got to play quite a bit. Both of them can play all those positions -- that becomes pretty good for us. I want to put him in and see him play."

Martinez hit .268 with five RBIs in 19 games for the Tigers before the trade to Philadelphia. In his career, the 32-year-old has a .268 batting average with 26 home runs and 175 RBIs in 598 games with the Giants, Cubs, Tigers and now the Phillies.

Getting a break: Playing in an American League park with the designated hitter rule in effect has given Manuel an opportunity to get his bench players some at-bats while leaving Thome in the lineup as the DH. Perez started the series opener at first base.

"I want to play Jason Michaels some and I want to play [Endy] Chavez some, too," Manuel said prior to the game Wednesday. "We need to get those guys in some games, and it gives us some opportunities to rest Thome some and get those guys in the game."

Bringing them home: Since May 12, the Phillies have hit .340 (100-for-294) with runners in scoring position with 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 135 RBIs on their way to a 21-9 record over the stretch. The .340 mark is tops in the Major Leagues.

The success at the plate with runners in scoring position has been throughout the order, with center fielder Kenny Lofton leading the way with a .600 (6-for-10) mark with five RBIs. Jimmy Rollins (.458, nine RBIs), Pat Burrell (.438, 23 RBIs), Todd Pratt (.429, eight RBIs), Bobby Abreu (.364, 16 RBIs), Jason Michaels (.357, eight RBIs), Chase Utley (.357, 17 RBIs), Mike Lieberthal (.333, eight RBIs), and David Bell (.313, 10 RBIs) have helped make the success a team effort.

For the season, the Phillies are hitting a National League-leading .286 with runners in scoring position.

On deck: Right-hander Brett Myers (5-3, 2.24 ERA) takes the hill as the Phillies conclude their three-game series with the Mariners on Thursday at 10:05 p.m. ET.

Myers got a no-decision in his last outing against Milwaukee despite allowing just two runs in eight innings of work in a 5-2 victory over the Brewers.

Right-hander Joel Pineiro (2-3, 6.20 ERA) gets the start for the Mariners.

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Thome to host 'This Week in Baseball'

PHILADELPHIA -- Count Jim Thome among the millions of kids who grew up obsessed with sports, especially baseball.
That meant spending a half-hour every Saturday during the summer watching "This Week in Baseball."

"I always remember watching it with my dad," said Thome. "It was one of the highlights of the week, especaily when the Cubs and Cardinals were on. And Mel Allen had that voice that you never forget."

The Phillies cleanup hitter gets to be Allen on June 18, when he hosts this week's episode. Recognized for his long home runs, Thome has an outgoing personality to match, and is often singled out as one of the nicest guys in the game.

The TWIB crew caught up with him recently to hang with him and joined him for his daily ritual on a game day. This is Thome's second time hosting the show, but first with the Phillies.

"Anytime you get the opportunity to be associated with that is great," Thome said. "I have a lot of fun being a part of it."

TWIB traveled with Thome to Citizens Bank Park where he was miked during batting practice. The burly slugger relaxed in front of the cameras, as he chatted it up with teammates.

"It was a lot of fun," Thome said.

Also in the show, "Beyond the Fence" finds Twins outfielder Torii Hunter saluting the Armed Forces, and Jennie Finch fine-tunes the games of Boys & Girls Club kids during Spring Training.

"From The Vaults," presented by Chevrolet, remembers the 1980 World Series champion Phillies, and in "How 'Bout That," presented by Gatorade, the top moments of the week are set to the sounds of the single, "Walking Shade," from Billy Corgan.



"This Week in Baseball" airs each Saturday on FOX and is repeated throughout the week on Channel 4 San Diego, Comcast Sportsnet Chicago and Comcast Sportsnet West.

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Phils pull it out in 13 on Perez's sac fly

SEATTLE -- Jimmy Rollins' fifth hit of the night was a triple in the top of the 13th inning, leading the Phillies to a 3-2 victory over the Mariners in front of 27,162 at Safeco Field on Thursday night, as Philadelphia avoided the sweep.
Rollins' drive into the left-center field gap set up Tomas Perez, who delivered a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to snap Philly's two-game losing streak. The five-hit night tied Rollins' career high.

Billy Wagner allowed a single in the 13th, but struck out rookie catcher Rene Rivera looking for his 18th save.

"When it came off the bat, I was like, 'Please don't catch it'," Rollins said of his 13th-inning drive. "Once it got by him, it's automatic, and I made it in safely."

Seattle manager Mike Hargrove chose to walk the next two batters to get to Perez -- as well as load the bases -- and set up a potential double play.

For the Philadelphia offense, getting a hit with runners in scoring position has been a difficult chore in this series. Rollins' triple put the Phillies in a situation where they didn't need a hit to pick up the game-winning run.

"We got hits [in the series], but a lot of our hits were empty. We'd get runners on and just couldn't hit," the shortstop said. "We got a big at-bat from Tomas Perez, a sac fly that was the game-winning run."

Rollins' manager agreed that it was a big at-bat by Perez to deliver the decisive score.

"Tomas did some tremendous hitting there," Charlie Manuel said. "With the bases loaded, the pitcher's got to bring the ball to you, and when [Julio Mateo] did, he threw him a fastball and Tomas got it up in the air. That was tremendous hitting, very good."

Brett Myers was solid once again, but came away with his sixth no-decision on the season. The right-hander allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings to lower his season ERA to 2.19.

"Anytime that I start and we win a ballgame, there's great satisfaction for me and the team," Myers said of the no-decision. "We had to scrap for runs, and I'm glad we prevailed."

Seattle scraped their only run off Myers in the bottom of the second with a two-out rally. Dave Hansen singled to right and scored when rookie shortstop Mike Morse doubled past a diving Kenny Lofton in the right-center field gap. From that point on, Myers baffled Seattle's hitters, allowing just three singles over his next four-plus innings.

All the right-hander needed was some offensive support from his teammates. It came in the top of the sixth inning. Rollins led off with a single, and Lofton followed with a perfectly executed bunt base hit down the third-base line on a 3-1 pitch from Seattle starter Joel Pineiro. Rollins later came around to score on a wild pitch, tying the score at 1.

The Phillies had an opportunity for more. Jason Michaels, getting a rare start in right field, followed with a two-out drive to left that was run down by Randy Winn to keep the game deadlocked.

An inning later, the Phillies had another opportunity to take the lead. Chase Utley singled and was sacrificed to second, bringing Mike Lieberthal to the plate. The Philadelphia catcher struck out, but the ball got by Rivera. Utley tried to score from second as Rivera tracked down the ball and threw to first baseman Richie Sexson for the second out. But Sexson threw home and Pineiro tagged out Utley, ending the threat.

"It happens like that sometimes," Rollins said of the club's offensive struggles. "Coming off the stretch that we had at home, you know you're going to hit a little valley. It's just good we didn't go tumbling down the hill, but we picked it up today, going into Oakland with a win."

The Phillies got the lead in the top of the eighth inning when Lofton scored on a Seattle throwing error, but the lead didn't last long. Raul Ibanez homered leading off the bottom of the inning to tie it at 2.

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Veteran Worrell back with the Phillies

PHILADELPHIA -- It's a few dozen steps to Tim Worrell's locker from anywhere in the Phillies' oval-shaped clubhouse -- unless you haven't made the journey for a while.
Worrell took the long walk Friday afternoon and found his uniform waiting for him. In his first appearance in Philadelphia since his self-imposed stint on the disabled list, Worrell said the psychological issues are behind him, and declared he's ready to play baseball.

"I'm glad to be back in uniform after sorting things out in my life," Worrell said. "The timing was terrible. If I could have picked Nov. 2, that would be great, but things don't work that way. The trick now is to make sure when I'm back, I'm back for the long haul."

With his Phillies cap pulled down snugly on his forehead, almost over his eyes, Worrell looked relaxed and fresh. He's going to accompany the Phillies on the West Coast trip, and could begin a rehabilitation assignment as early as June 20, depending on the home schedules of Double-A Reading and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

It's practically Spring Training again for Worrell, and it's just as well for his mental state of being. It means he can put his first 14 appearances -- in which in he had a 9.82 ERA -- behind him and begin anew.

Worrell last pitched for the Phillies on May 5, when he allowed a three-run homer to Mike Piazza, turning a 4-2 game into a laugher. Teammates privately said that he hadn't been his usual jovial self in the days leading up to his leaving.

Worrell barely spoke to teammates on the flight to Chicago, then asked to be placed on the disabled list. The big reason, he said, was that his off-the-field issues had affected his on-the-field performance.

"The final straw was it felt like I was hindering more than helping," Worrell said. "I guess the best way to describe it is, when I was standing out there [on the mound], I felt like I was trying really, really hard. I don't have a lot of success when I'm out there doing that."

Worrell and the Phillies remained mum on the reasons for his absence, but the team maintained that he can take as much time as necessary. Through Dickie Noles, the organization's employee assistance professional, Worrell stayed in touch with the team.

"It was as long as it takes," said general manager Ed Wade. "We were prepared that if this ran the entire season, then it ran the entire season. I'm glad it didn't because I know how important he is to our bullpen. We're a very results-oriented bunch. The early returns this season weren't very good for Tim, but you've got to look at what he meant to us last year. I have reason to be confident that our bullpen will be good. It's already pretty good, and I think it will be even better when Tim's pitching ready."

Tim Worrell / P
Born: 07/05/67
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 230 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R

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Worrell said he didn't pay much attention to baseball during his first few weeks away, but started to itch about 10 days ago.

"I've been watching a lot and I'm real excited with where the team's at, and I've been itching to get back," Worrell said.

Worrell returns to a hot team that is a strong National League East challenger, just 1 1/2 games behind first-place Washington. When he comes back, he'll pitch in less stressful situations in the fifth and sixth innings, with Ugueth Urbina and Ryan Madson shouldering the bigger loads.

All this is fine with Worrell, who is counting the minutes before he can again walk through the bullpen door.

So are the Phillies.

"He looks good," said Rheal Cormier, Worrell's closest friend on the team. "He's lost a little weight. I think he's happy to be here. He's dealt with whatever he had to deal with. I'm sure he'll do whatever he has to do in order to come back. I'm glad that he came back. I'm glad to see him."

The feeling is mutual from Worrell's standpoint, though he couldn't predict whether his issues were truly behind him. Then again, who can ever predict the future. The important thing is that he's in a much better place now than a month ago.

"I've always been able to check my problems at the door, but this time, it seemed to carry over onto the field," Worrell said. "That's when I felt like I wasn't helping. It took time to get things straightened out. I feel good now. I can't predict a couple weeks from now or a month from now, I can't even try, but I feel confident with where I'm at."

His short-term goal is to improve on this season's performance. The horrors of the first month had him contemplating retirement, though he never seriously considered it.

"It's always an option," he said. "I'm 37, and I'll be 38 soon. I can't say the thought never entered my mind, but from a baseball side, I don't want to go out like that last month. It's not so much the numbers, but how I was going after or not going after guys. I'm looking forward to going back out there and at least approaching it from a successful standpoint. We'll see how the numbers and all the rest turn out."

Phillies' wives hold charity event

PHILADELPHIA -- Bill Muehleberger was there with his two sons, looking at the gem they just pulled from the brown paper bag with Todd Pratt's name on it.
It was the first autographed baseball for the boys, and it came as part of a special event the Phillies' wives held on Saturday night called "Mystery Baseballs For Charity."

The charity the event benefited this year is Camp No Worries, held in Tabernacle, N.J. It's a week-long camp for children suffering from cancer and for their aggrieved siblings, which is usually held the last week of June.

The event raised close to $20,000 and is the brainchild of Kristi Bell, wife of Phillies third baseman David Bell. Kristi barrowed the idea from when David played in Seattle.

On Saturday night, Phillies wives roamed the stands with wicker baskets of autographed balls concealed in brown lunch bags. Fans were able to purchase the balls with a $40 donation that goes to the Camp No Worries charity.

"This was a big hit in Seattle and it's a big hit here," Bell said. "We've been doing this for three years since we arrived here. We do it basically for the kids who work so hard every day to beat cancer."

It means keepsakes for Muehleberger and his two sons, Billy and Michael.

"The Phillies' wives do a lot, and this is for charity, so it's a win-win situation, because you're getting an autographed ball and it's for a great cause."

Jon Estridge of Baltimore came up to see Philadelphia's Citizen Bank Park and bought two balls, one signed by Jimmy Rollins and the other by Aaron Fultz.

"It seemed like a good cause and this is for something that could make a difference," Estridge said. "I have a lot of autographed balls and these two will go right up on the shelf with them."

Brian Williamson also bought two balls, one signed by Brett Myers for his 9-year old daughter, Victoria, and the other by Robinson Tejeda.

"This is my daughter's first autographed ball, and an event like this is great, because it beats hanging out in the stands to get your favorite players, so you do get the best of both worlds."

Andrea Thome, Jim Thome's wife, was one of the more popular wives, taking pictures with fans and selling out the baskets of balls she had.

"This is so much fun," Thome said. "What we do takes so little time and raises so much money. I love it. You interact with the fans here and they've been so generous to us, and to me and my family. We get empty baskets so fast. But Kristi Bell deserves the credit, as do all of the wives. In all my time in baseball with Jim, and that covers about 10 years, Kristi Bell is probably one of the most genuinely thoughtful, hard-working person I've met. She's amazing."

Kristi Bell and her husband hope to visit Camp No Worries. Kristi can't wait.

"Seeing those kids smiling faces -- that's what makes it all worthwhile," Kristi said.

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Phillies stay hot at home

PHILADELPHIA -- Asked before Saturday's game which of his corner outfielders he'd recommend for the All-Star Game, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel smiled and dodged the question.
"Both of them deserve it," he said. "Bobby is the one who really got our offense flowing, and kept us [in contention]. But Pat's been consistent from Day 1. Both have been valuable to our offense."

That proved true again Saturday, when the dynamic duo powered the Phillies to a 7-5 win, continuing their hottest stretch of the season. Not since 1952 have the Phillies won 11 games on a homestand, and they've never won 12 -- something they have a chance to do Sunday.

"I've never had a homestand like this," Abreu said. "But it's exciting."

As hot as the Phillies have been, the Nationals have been hotter, winning their ninth straight to keep Philadelphia 1 1/2 games out of first place in the National League East.

Abreu and Burrell each swatted homers and drove in five combined runs in the victory. Abreu's gave the Phillies the lead in the first inning, and Burrell's vaulted them ahead in the seventh.

The game remained in question for most of the evening, with Milwaukee consistently responding to Philadelphia's salvos. The Phillies took the lead in the first and third innings, and the Brewers tied in the second and fourth.

The Phillies took another lead in the sixth on an RBI double by Mike Lieberthal, but the Brewers plated two in the seventh against reliever Geoff Geary.

Geary was pitching in that situation because Manuel wanted to give closer Billy Wagner another day off. The plan was for Geary to pitch the seventh, then Ryan Madson and Ugueth Urbina the ninth. Cormier escaped the seventh by striking out pinch-hitter Geoff Jenkins.

That set the stage for the seventh-inning outburst against former Phillie Ricky Bottalico. Philadelphia needed five pitches to take the lead for good. Jason Michaels and Abreu singled to center, and Burrell smacked the first pitch he saw into the left-field seats.

"I just wanted to be aggressive and take a good whack at something," Burrell said. "I'm looking just out over the plate and found something."

"No question we were going to win," said Abreu, with a laugh.

Cormier (2-1) got the win by pitching out of a seventh-inning jam, and Urbina recorded his first save as a Phillie with a scoreless ninth. It was a much better performance than Thursday night, when he was touched for four runs.

"I had some more rest tonight," Urbina said. "The other night was a bad day. But I bounced back tonight. It felt weird the first day because I was in a new uniform in a new ballpark. Everything's OK now."

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Thome getting closer

PHILADELPHIA -- The tide may be turning in Jim Thome's season-long battle to find his hitting stroke.
Though his average remains in the low .200s, Thome's clubbed homers in two games and has three so far this month. His back-to-back performance was his first since Aug. 19-20.

It's coming.

"The more pitches you see, the better you feel," Thome said. "It's all about getting on base."

Another positive sign has been the high amount of walks received, showing that Thome has stayed patient.

"He's getting better," said manager Charlie Manuel. "He's getting through the ball better. He says he feels better and he says he feels healthy."

Thome's struggles have gone partially unnoticed because of the team's outstanding recent play. Without Thome's usual production, the Phillies have the league's third-highest team batting average and have scored the most runs.

The big guy might be getting ready to contribute. If so, look out.

"It's been a battle for Jim this year with injuries, and he's been swinging the bat well for the past week," said David Bell. "It looks like he's getting closer."

Abreu or Burrell: It's not exactly Sophie's Choice, but Manuel might have a tough choice to make.

Say Bobby Abreu or Pat Burrell don't get voted in as All-Stars. Then say there's only room for one Phillies outfielder and National League manager Tony La Russa calls Manuel for his opinion. Do you recommend the .321 hitting Abreu (16 homers) or the .320 hitting Burrell (12 homers)?

"I'm going to tell him he has to take two," Manuel said. "Both deserve it. Bobby is the one who really got our offense flowing and kept us [in contention]. But Pat's been consistent from Day 1. Both have been valuable to our offense."

Howard returning? One of the discussion topics over the next few days will likely revolve around calling up Ryan Howard. Howard hit .214 with one homer in 12 games subbing in for the injured Jim Thome. With Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Howard is hitting .355 with 11 homers and 33 RBIs.

Should Howard be summoned, he could serve as the DH as the team travels through two American League parks.

"We'll talk about it," Manuel said. "We haven't talked about it. I've been checking on him. There's two ways to look at that. If we bring him up, we're going to have to move somebody. That means guys like Jason Michaels, [Ramon] Martinez or [Tomas] Perez aren't going to get at-bats. Those are the things that we have to talk about. Howard would definitely bring power to the lineup."

Quotable: "If he hits .300 this season, he'll hit 40 to 50 home runs. His home runs will be there." -- Manuel, on Burrell

Philling in: Anthony Federov, one of the 12 finalists on American Idol, sang the National Anthem. Federov is from Bucks County. ... Right-hander Brett Myers, a guitar player when not pitching for the Phillies, performed at McFadden's after Friday's game, and he planned to give an encore on Saturday night. ... Saturday's game was broadcast to Ireland and England.

Coming up: Cory Lidle will try to rebound from his worst start of the season, when he gave up a season-high seven runs in a 10-8 loss to Arizona, lasting just three innings. Lidle was touched for five runs in the first, and had trouble closing out hitters, getting hurt in particular when he was up, 1-2, in the count against Shawn Green, who came back to hit a three-run triple.

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/

Wolf leaves game with pain in elbow

PHILADELPHIA -- On this wildly successful Phillies homestand, complete with walk-off homers, come-from-behind wins and dominating pitching performances, something had to give.
That came Saturday night, with news of Randy Wolf's left elbow pain.

Though the southpaw valiantly lasted six innings in Philadelphia's 7-5 win on Saturday, something wasn't right about his pitching. Relying heavily on his slow curve, Wolf never threw a pitch higher than 87 mph and mostly stayed at 83.

"Yeah, pretty much," Wolf said, asked if the elbow hurt from the first pitch. "I had to pitch more today, throw more offspeed pitches."

After the sixth inning, he had enough. Wolf was understandably worried discussing the injury and said it was similar to the pain that put him on the disabled list twice last season. He'll be examined Monday and won't accompany the trip on the road trip.

Wolf said he had good and bad days in the five days leading up to this start. Since he felt good enough to go on Saturday, he wanted to see how his elbow would respond. Unlike last year, he's not going to try and pitch through this any further.

"I'm not going to be too patient with it," he said. "I was going to give it one start and if it didn't shape up, was going to be more aggressive. I want to get it checked out and find out what's going on and then take it from there. That's pretty much all I can do from this point on."

The injury couldn't come at a worse time for Wolf, who was coming off a season in which he was limited to 23 starts. He got off to a slow start this year -- going 1-3 with a 6.52 ERA in April -- but had found a groove.

Now this.

"It's tough. I'm pitching well and we're playing well," he said. "This is probably one of my most confident times on the mound where I really feel like I have command and a clue out there. It's the toughest pill to swallow. When you're not pitching well and this thing happens, you're like, 'All right, I gotta do something.' I've felt outstanding [up to now], and that's why it's tough. It sneaks up on you. When you feel like you're delivery is good, your arm's great, everything is in sync, it's that much harder."

Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/