Phillies Specializing In Avoiding Consecutive Losses
CITIZENS BANK PARK — Earl Weaver used to say that momentum is tomorrow’s starting pitcher.
The Hall of Fame manager knew that the biggest factor in stopping a losing streak (or an opponent’s winning streak, for that matter) was the guy you handed the ball to the next day.
Weaver would’ve loved to manage this Phillies pitching staff, because if there is one thing they do best it’s stop losing streaks. Or rather, they don’t allow them to begin.
Twenty-eight times this season the Phillies have avoided back-to-back losses. The latest was Wednesday night’s 9-2 drubbing of the Diamondbacks.
They’ve only had five losing streaks all year, and none longer than four games (they’ve had two four-game losing skids). On three other occasions the Phillies have lost two in a row — once in July, and twice back in April.
“I like not having losing streaks,” said Charlie Manuel. “Our pitching has had something to do with that.”
One night after Roy Halladay lost a lead in the ninth inning, Cliff Lee pitched seven strong innings, allowing just three hits. The All-Star lefty surrendered two runs. They came on a two-run homer in the second inning, and that was it.
“I felt like I was erratic in the first couple of innings. After the second inning I stayed out of the heart of the plate,” Lee said.
Lee’s effort, coupled with the Phillies seven-run outburst in their final two innings, enabled them to bounce back from Tuesday’s tough loss.
“It was a fluke deal losing [Tuesday],” Lee said. “Anytime you’ve got Halladay with the lead in the ninth, you’ve got that won, too.”
The 3-2 loss in the opening game of the series was the first time in his career that the two-time Cy Young Award-winner had ever lost a game in which he led in the ninth inning. Nonetheless, it was important to rebound against the NL West leaders, a team the Phillies may see again in October.
“It’s a tribute to the talent we’ve got,” said Lee, who improved to 13-7 on the year with the victory. “We expect to win every game.”
It wasn’t until late in Wednesday’s game that they were able to pull away from the D-backs, but Ryan Howard had a feeling it was coming.
“I felt we were one big hit away from breaking it open,” the first baseman said.
That big hit came in the seventh, and from an unlikely source. Light-hitting infielder Wilson Valdez drilled a two-run double to break a two-all tie, and send the Phillies on their way.
Hunter Pence drew a leadoff walk to start the inning. John Mayberry, Jr., who had three hits on the night, followed with a single. That brought up Valdez, who earlier this season earned a win as a pitcher.
Valdez crushed the first pitch he got from Arizona starter Joe Saunders, and sent it off the center field fence, 401 feet from home plate.
“He hit it to the grown-up part of the field,” joked Howard. Pence and Mayberry both scored easily.
As soon as he made contact, Valdez tossed the bat in the air and gazed at the ball as it soared.
“It’s always funny when he’s at-bat. You never know what he’s going to do when he makes contact,” a smiling Howard said.
From his reaction, it appeared Valdez thought the ball was gone as soon as he hit it. Not so he says.
“I was just happy that I hit the ball out of the infield like I was supposed to do,” he said. “Anytime I do good for the team I feel happy for myself because that’s what I am here to do, to help the team. That is my goal whenever I’m on the field, to help the team get the W.”
The Phillies have gotten a lot of W’s this year, and not a lot of L’s, especially back-to-back L’s.
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