Kuzul

(6/22/10)

(Philadelphia, PA) – Jamie Moyer went eight innings and only allowed one run on two hits to clinch his eighth win of the season as the Phillies topped the Cleveland Indians 2-1 in game one of their three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

Moyer (8-6) did break a non-flattering record in the process as Russell Branyan sent a two-out solo home run in the top of the second to put Moyer of the top off the all time home runs allowed list in the MLB.

Branyon’s shot allowed Moyer to pass Phillies legend Robin Roberts and put his career home runs allowed total to an astonishing 505.

Both teams got their scoring early as Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth both knocked in a run in the bottom of the first. Howard’s came on a one-out single that scored Placido Polanco and Werth’s on a sacrifice fly that scored Chase Utley.

The Indians halved the lead with Branyan’s solo shot in the second.

In his first game back from the DL Jimmy Rollins went 0-4 with two fly outs and two ground outs.

Mitch Talbot (7-6) took the loss for Cleveland but pitched well allowing only two runs on four hits in seven innings of work.

Despite the pitching duel there was some drama as Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was tossed in between the fourth and fifth innings for arguing a runner’s interference call with umpire Sam Holbrook.

Raul Ibanez was called out when Shane Victorino grounded into what would be a double play to end the inning after he slid into Cleveland shortstop Anderson Hernandez..

The Phils and Indians will play game two of their three-game set tomorrow as the Phillies will send Kyle Kendrick (4-2) to the mound, he will face Jake Westbrook (4-4).

Game Notes: Before today’s game the Philles designated Greg Dobbs for assignment and placed catcher Carlos Ruiz on the 15-day DL (concussion)… they also sent pitcher Scott Mathieson to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and called up pitcher Mike Zagurski… The win was Moyer’s 266th which puts him at 35th all time.

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If it’s not one thing with these Phillies over the past two weeks or so, then it’s another. If the pitching is spot on, then you can be sure the offense will struggle to muster a single run.

Then once the hitting finally gets going, the pitching and defense begin to struggle, and you’re stuck with that Padres game from Sunday.

The Phillies had no business losing that game the way they did, especially since the offense lit it up in the first two innings. Granted, the Padres quickly pulled Kevin Correia, their starter, after the second inning, but there’s no reason for San Diego’s bullpen to be as shutdown as it was.

They’ve turned themselves into a pretty decent team, and the bullpen isn’t anything to scoff at, but this Phillies lineup should be able to hit any bullpen in the league—especially when they’re forced to eat up eight innings.

Then again, perhaps I’m being too optimistic by thinking the hitting is coming back. Perhaps Correia was simply that bad. Maybe if the Phillies had actually been on, they could have tagged him for 15 runs and not five.

I’m just not sure. Right about now, you’re basically reading the thoughts of a man who has absolutely no idea anymore. First I thought it was just a funk they’d get out of, then I thought it was about complacency, and now I’m telling you I have no idea—and I’m not sure anyone in the organization does either.

The players, the coaches, and the front office seem truly stumped. The only thing they can tell us is that they’re sick of talking about it, as Shane Victorino recently told the media.

Well, Vicky, I’m about as anti-Philly media as they come, but if even one of the eight of you would start connecting with the ball like we all know you can, there would be no questions about why in the world the most talented lineup in the National League is struggling.

Then as far as the pitching goes, there doesn’t seem to be much of an answer there either.

One thing I do know, however, is that when every aspect of a team is beginning to fall apart, it’s time to look at the coaches. No, I’m not going to start a “Fire Charlie Manuel” campaign, but it’s on him to get this team headed back in the right direction.

Given his track record, I believe he will, but he’s certainly taking his sweet time about it.

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Has anyone seen that panic button anywhere?

After Thursday night’s shutout, the Philadelphia Phillies leave New York having not scored a single run in their three-game set there, and having been shut out four times in the last five games.

Charlie, we have a major problem: there is no good precedent for the Phillies being shut out for an entire series.

The last time the Phllies were shutout for an entire three game set was—strangely enough—also during the last week of May, back in 1979.  There, the Phillies were shutout by the Chicago Cubs on May 25, followed by a scoreless three game set against the Montreal Expos from May 29 to May 30.

It gets crazier: the Phillies record going into that game against the Cubs was 26-14, and once the Expos were done with them their record had fallen to 27-20.  Meanwhile, the current Phillies squad went into last Saturday’s shutout loss against the Boston Red Sox with a 26-15 record, and they are now 26-20.

The bad news, Phillies fans, is this: that was just the beginning of a bad run that eventually got manager Danny Ozark fired, and the 1979 Phillies team was the only squad out of five straight teams from 1976 to 1981 to not go to the playoffs.

Yikes.

There is good news, though: Cole Hamels pitched effectively against the Mets on Thursday.  Hamels pitching well at this point in the season is far more important to the Phillies ultimate goals than the Phillies offense scoring runs at this point in the season, so this is good news.

Still, it would also be nice to score some runs.

Meanwhile, the Phillies head to Florida for a three-game set starting tonight, and for the first time in a while the Phillies enter a series in a position to lose first place by the end of the series.

Worse yet, with all five teams in the NL East within three games of each other, the Phillies could, quite literally, be in last place by the end of this Marlins series.

Better keep that panic button at the ready.

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