Phillies clinch Chicago victory ahead of All Star Game

by UK American Sports Fans

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John Mayberry Jr. propelled the Phillies to a .500 winning record at the halfway mark in the season, as he lined a walk off single up the middle in the bottom of the tenth inning to seal a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Despite playing over seven and a half hours of baseball in the previous 15 hours, the oldest man on the field – Michael Young – showed no signs of tiredness in the top of the first inning, as he snagged a sharp ground ball from the third base line and popped up to his feet almost simultaneously to fire to first base to retire Alex Rios, but, more importantly to prevent Alexei Ramirez from scoring.

Set to play in the All Star game this coming Tuesday, Domonic Brown once again impressed as he sent the Phillies to a 2-run lead in the first as he lifted a long two run double to straight away center field (over 400 feet). Chase Utley had drawn a walk before Jimmy Rollins lined a single up the middle to put runners on first and second.

Whilst the Phillies offense handled White Sox starter Quintana, Cole Hamels handled the Chicago line up with relative ease, striking out seven and giving up just two runs in eight innings of work.  He used his plus changeup and sweeping curveball masterfully, to keep the White Sox hitters off balance. Hamels also aided his own with the bat as he drilled an RBI single through the right side to score Delmon Young in the fourth to create a three-run lead. In the seventh, he once again did his best to supplement his lead by firing a double into the right field corner, but the following hitters failed to knock him in.

The White Sox offense left it late to reply to the three run deficit they faced as they mustered just a single run in consecutive innings (7th and 8th) via a Jeff Keppinger single and an Alejandro De Aza solo homer. Much to Hamels frustration, Adam Dunn (the scoring run in the 7th) lead off the inning with a double due to Domonic Brown’s flailing judgement on an Adam Dunn flyball.

In the ninth inning, clinging to a one run safety net, Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon failed to defy the pattern that has extended each game in the series to extra innings. Dayan Viciedo started the frame with a leadoff single before being substituted for speedy center fielder Blake Tekotte, who proceeded to swipe second base just two pitches after his introduction, before scoring on Josh Phegley’s single, levelling the game at three-apiece.

The bottom of the ninth yielded no success for the Phillies offense after a Kevin Frandsen pinch hit single was erased when John McDonald grounded into a double play, beckoning the game into extra innings for the third consecutive game. The top of the tenth inning ambled on in almost identical fashion to the bottom of the ninth as the offensive threat posed by the White Sox came to end when the Phillies’ defense turned a 4-6-3 double play.

After Chase Utley doubled, the White Sox decided to hand out two intentional walks to Jimmy Rollins and Darin Ruf, sandwiched around Domonic Brown’s groundout, loading the bases in the process with one out. Delmon Young struck out. Fortunately, and almost mercifully, to bring the 11 hours and 12 minutes of baseball within 26 hours to an end, Mayberry Jr. lined a walk-off single up the middle to break the tie and hand Philadelphia a 4-3 victory.

After the game he summarised how difficult the lengthy games had been and how hopeful he and the Phillies are for a winning second half: “It’s been three really tough hard fought games and to be able to come away with two wins is big for us” … “Gets momentum going for us into the second half.”

This week’s extra innings

  • After a fouling a pitch of his foot with two outs in the bottom of the ninth in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, it was revealed that Ben Revere had broken his foot and was consequently placed on the 15-day DL this morning. He had been hitting .347 since the end of April, which ranked sixth in baseball across that time span. Erik Kratz was recalled from AAA Lehigh Valley.

  • The Phillies’ pinch hitters lead the majors with 37 hits and are ranked fourth with an average of .278. This strength of the Phillies was highlighted in Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals when Kevin Frandsen came off the bench to lace a go ahead RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning.

  • Darin Ruf has reached base safely in 17 consecutive games in the major leagues.

  • Cole Hamels has given up just four runs in his last 23 innings of work. A welcoming contrast to his dismal start to the season.

  • With the 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox, the Phillies returned to .500, potentially persuading Ruben Amaro Jr. (the Phillies’ General Manager) to make the team buyers, and not sellers, with the trade deadline looming.