Phillies Sweep Brew Crew, Tied for Wild Card Lead

The Phillies have finally gotten in gear just in time for the wild race to the post season. Coming into the game against the Wild Card Leaders, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Phillies were 4 games out of the Wild Card and still 3 off of the division leading New York Mets. Well the Phillies are now tied for the Wild Card lead with the Brewers and are a half of a game off the New York Mets after the Phillies swept the Brewers this weekend and then the Mets lost to the Nationals Monday night while the Phillies were idle.

In the first game of the series against the Brewers, the Phils sent Jamie Moyer to the hill against Ben Sheets. Moyer won this battle as he pitched five and two thirds innings surrendering only three runs and striking out five picking up his 14th win of the year. Sheets on the other hand, got hit a little hard. He gave up nine hits and gave up six runs through six innings of work. Ryan Howard crushed his 43rd homer of the year and Jimmy Rollins added two hits for the Fightin’ Phils. Prince Fielder hit his 29th of the year to lead Milwaukee but it wasn’t enough as the Brewers fell 6-3 in the first game.

In the second game of the series, all the Phillies needed was Cole Hamels. Hamels was phenomenal after his abysmal start against the Mets his last time out. Hamels went six and a third innings giving up only two runs and striking out five while picking up the victory and bringing the Phillies closer to the division lead. Jimmy Rollins aided Hamels with his three hits in the game, including a home run that plated two in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Jason Kendall led the way for the Brewers with an rbi and Prince Fielder had one hit. Manny Parra didn’t even make it out of the second inning getting tagged for six runs in one and a third innings. The Phillies won 7-3.

In the third game of the series, that guy Ryan Howard came through again. Howard went two for three hitting his 44th homer of the year and driving in two to lead the Phillies to another 7-3 win over Milwaukee. Joe Blanton pitched seven innings and gave up three earned off of five hits while striking out four. Dave Bush had a quality start logging six innings and giving up only three runs also but Milwaukee’s bullpen faltered giving up a three run shot to Shane Victorino which ultimately ended Milwaukee’s chances at a comeback.

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In the final game of the series, the Phillies got the sweep with some more stellar pitching and timely hitting. Brett Myers threw a complete game giving up only two hits and one run and the crowd gave him a standing ovation after he got J.J. Hardy to fly out to end the game. Myers even helped himself out with an rbi single in the second and he would later score on an rbi single by Jimmy Rollins. Pat Burrell hit his 31st homer of the year off of Jeff Suppan and the Phillies took the game 6-1 and saw their four game deficit at the beginning of the series disappear.

The Phillies still have some work to do here with 12 games remaining in the season. The Mets look like they are collapsing again but the Wild Card is not very promising either with the reeling Brewers who just fired their manager and the Astros who get hot at any time. Next up the Phils head to Atlanta to battle the Braves. The probables are as follows:

J. Moyer (14-7) vs. J. Parr (1-0)
J. Happ (0-0) vs. J. Jurrigens (13-9)
C. Hamels (13-9) vs. M. Hampton (2-2)

By Andrew Nuscis
Philadelphia Phillies & Tampa Bay Rays Correspondent

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