Braves at Phillies – Report: 7th July 2013

by UK American Sports Fans

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Off the back of being named an All Star for the first time, Domonic Brown powered the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves, to clinch the series 2-1.

After a 1-2-3 inning for starter Jonathan Pettibone in the first, the Phillies offense jumped on Braves starter Kris Medlen for two runs. Chase Utley continued his stellar form by ripping a single to right field with two outs. Fresh from being named as an All Star, clean-up hitter Dominic Brown scalded a triple off the glove of first baseman Freddie Freeman. The deflection caused the ball to trickle into the corner, allowing Utley to score from first. After Michael Young walked, Delmon Young looped a single in front of center field to score Brown.

Delmon Young lead off the bottom of the fourth inning with a walk after a terrific 9 pitch at bat. Recently recalled first baseman Darin Ruf, who is deputising for the injured Ryan Howard, drilled a double the opposite way to put runners on second and third. Two outs later, Ben Revere launched a two run triple into the left center gap to extend the Phillies lead to four.

Jonathan Pettibone had a solid day on the mound, striking out six and allowing five hits culminating in only one earned run in 5 1/3 innings of work.

The only difficulty in Jonathan Pettibone’s day was eclipsed by the drama created by BJ Upton in the fifth inning. After allowing consecutive hits, putting runners on second and third, Pettibone struck out Upton looking as a drifting changeup caught the outside corner. The ensuing argument between the home plate umpire and Upton resulted in his ejection. However, this didn’t affect Pettibone’s demeanour as he struck out Simmons looking in exactly the same location and escaped the jam by conceding just a single run as pitcher Kris Medlen slapped a single between the third baseman and the shortstop.

Domonic Brown erased the Braves run by blasting a solo homer in the bottom half of the same inning. The Phillies offense further increased their lead when Ruiz and Ruf scored on a wild pitch from unconventional relief pitcher Alex Wood. This only became possible because of pinch hitter John McDonald’s crucial sac bunt with two strikes, advancing both runners into scoring position.

Whilst the Phillies bullpen was utilised effectively when situational relief pitchers Jake Diekman and Justin De Fratus retired Brian McCann and Dan Uggla to end the threat after Pettibone had allowed a walk and a single to put runners on first and second. The Braves offense wasted no time in striving to reduce the deficit in the sixth inning however as JC Ramirez allowed two runs on a Chris Johnson home run and a Simmons single to reduce the deficit to 4 (7-3). Set-up man for the Phillies Antonio Bastardo struck out Freddie Freeman with a diving slider down and away to strand two runners once again on first and second. Bastardo once again stranded two runners in the following inning, striking out two right handed hitters in both Dan Uggla and Chris Johnson on sweeping sliders low and inside. He also induced a ground ball from Terdoslavich on the same pitch to end the top of the eighth inning.

Whilst it was not a save opportunity Jonathan Papelbon had no problem negotiating the ninth. After allowing a lead-off walk to Andrelton Simmons, he struck out Justin Upton and caused both Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman to ground out harmlessly.

Notes from the week

  • Ben Revere is starting to produce like the Phillies management expected him to, hitting .394 over his last 27 games, surging into the Phillies lead for average with a mark of .296.

  • As trade market rumours have begun to heat up, so have the rumours linking Chase Utley to a potential move away from Philadelphia. He has increased his worth somewhat significantly as he boasts a .306/.378/.629 slash line, accompanied by 4 home runs and a huge .997 OPS since his return from the DL, which is good enough for second in the majors among second baseman over the past 30 games.

  • Darin Ruf, the hotly touted right-handed power bat in the Phillies farm system, was called up for only the second time in his career from triple AAA Lehigh Valley to replace the injured Ryan Howard, and went 1-2 with a single in the 13-4 loss to the Braves on Saturday night. In the 7-3 win over the Braves, he also went 1-2 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored.

  • The Phillies offense are tied for third in the National League, and fourth in the majors for average (.303) in the month of the July.

  • Cliff Lee, now a 4-time All Star, and Domonic Brown, a first time All-Star, were voted in to participate in this year’s All Star Game at Citi Field in New York.