Hey. Am I hallucinating, or did the Phillies just score ten runs? I am also pretty sure that Chase Utley was playing second base. Correct me if I am wrong, but Ryan Howard appears to have been replaced by a giant fire-breathing dragon being ridden by the Phanatic. As I said previously, I may be hallucinating.
I just checked the box score after my inability to recognize reality; Utley is back! He may have gone 0-5, but he sure looked good doing it. It is always difficult to not go crazy and assume that all the run scoring problems have vanished with the arrival of the starting second baseman especially when the offense goes apeshit and pounds the crap out of a pitcher. Everyone but Utley got at least one hit tonight. Placido Polanco, Raul Ibanez and Jimmy Rollins all homered, Domonic Brown got his first hit of the year with a double and Carlos Ruiz went 3-3 with a walk. It was sure nice not to do any of the following: 1. Sweat 2. Curse 3. Blackout with rage 4. Weep inconsolably.
Recently, the Phillies have made some pretty average pitching look outstanding (see Jake Westbrook). Bronson Arroyo happens to be average. Arroyo’s line was as follows, two and 2/3 innings, ten hits and nine earned runs allowed. That is not good. Arroyo made mistake after mistake tonight and the Phillies hitters took advantage especially in the seven run bottom of the third. Remember when Arroyo played in Boston and wore corn-rows? This was worse.
Conversely, Cole Hamels continued to pitch well against the Cincinnati Reds. He only really made one mistake tonight on a high change up to Jay Bruce. Bruce responded by depositing the ball into the right field bleachers. On account of the large lead, Charlie could lift Hamels after six innings. He allowed five hits, gave up three runs on Bruce’s homer, walked two and struck out four and improved to 6-2 on the season.
Blowouts are a really good situation for Danys Baez to enter a ballgame. I know that I feel completely comfortable with Baez entering a game with a seven run lead. I say this with the knowledge that he can completely implode and cough up a seemingly insurmountable lead at any time, but regardless, I am okay with him being used in a 10-3 blowout.
Tomorrow night, Chase Utley will play again. Vance Worley will start in the stead of Joe Blanton as he and his cranky elbow pay a visit to Dr. James Andrews. Johnny Cueto is tabbed by the Reds. Hopefully this one game offensive resurgence can continue.
UTLEY IS BACK!