The Phillies snapped a five game losing streak as they held on to beat the equally bad Chicago Cubs. In a back and forth contest the Phillies managed to escape with a 9-8 win in the end.
Kyle Kendrick made the start and continued his second half struggles, throwing six innings, while allowing five runs, four earned. Jake Diekman followed Kendrick and tossed one and one-third scoreless inning before Justin De Fratus recorded the final two outs of the eighth inning. Entering the ninth with a four run lead, the Phillies turned to Jonathan Papelbon, who proceeded to raise everyone's blood pressure, allowing three runs, two earned, before finally finishing the game.
The Phillies jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first on a Chase Utley RBI single, before coughing the lead up to the Cubs. Kyle Kendrick helped his own cause by singling home a run in the second to narrow the gap to 4-2 Cubs. After the Cubs got a run back, the Phillies tacked on two in the third to cut the deficit to one. The Phillies took the lead in the fifth as they scored three runs, with the help of an Utley RBI triple, Dom Brown RBI groundout and Darin Ruf's fourth home run on the season. Michael Young doubled home a run in the sixth and Carlos Ruiz hit his second home run of the season in the eighth, providing what would prove to be the game winning run.
Chase Utley was 3 for 4 on the evening and Michael Young, Darin Ruf and Cody Asche each collected two hits. Ruf has now reached base safely in 33 straight games and is hitting .309 this season.
The Phillies will face the Cubs again tonight in game two of this series. Cole Hamels will make the start.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat
The Phillies jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first on a Chase Utley RBI single, before coughing the lead up to the Cubs. Kyle Kendrick helped his own cause by singling home a run in the second to narrow the gap to 4-2 Cubs. After the Cubs got a run back, the Phillies tacked on two in the third to cut the deficit to one. The Phillies took the lead in the fifth as they scored three runs, with the help of an Utley RBI triple, Dom Brown RBI groundout and Darin Ruf's fourth home run on the season. Michael Young doubled home a run in the sixth and Carlos Ruiz hit his second home run of the season in the eighth, providing what would prove to be the game winning run.
Chase Utley was 3 for 4 on the evening and Michael Young, Darin Ruf and Cody Asche each collected two hits. Ruf has now reached base safely in 33 straight games and is hitting .309 this season.
The Phillies will face the Cubs again tonight in game two of this series. Cole Hamels will make the start.
By: Kyle Babcock
Follow us on Twitter: @BroadStBeat