Morning Phil Up – 4/25/2014 – Carlos Ruiz does it again as Philadelphia Phillies win the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers
By Mike Lacy
Apr 24, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz hits a double against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning during the game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Yesterday’s Game
Phillies defeat Dodgers 7-2
Tweetcap
Phillies Tweetcap 4/25: Chooch does it again! His ninth inning heroics lead the Phils to a 7-2 win - and series victory - over the Dodgers.
— PHILLIES TBOH (@FS_TBOH) April 25, 2014
Emotional reaction immediately after the game
Choooooch!
Less emotional reaction after thinking about it a bit
Good pitching and clutch hitting appear to be a winning combination.
Heroes
Carlos Ruiz was hot all series, and had the game-winning RBIs in the ninth. Marlon Byrd added four RBIs.
Goats
Former Phillies nemesis Brian Wilson surrendered the winning runs in the ninth. Adrian Gonzalez‘s error set up two Phillies runs in the fifth.
Today’s Game
Philadelphia Phillies (11-11) at Arizona Diamondbacks (7-18)
Roberto Hernandez. Image Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Game time: 9:40 PM
TV: TCN
Starting pitchers: Roberto Hernandez (1-0) vs. Josh Collmenter (0-2)
Preview
Phillies fans got to experience a premier pitching matchup on Wednesday when Cole Hamels faced Zack Greinke, but tonight’s starters are a little less impressive.
Roberto Hernandez gets the ball for the Phillies, and he’s coming off a shaky start in Colorado. Hopefully, he fares better away from the thin air.
Arizona will counter with right-hander Josh Collmenter who began the season in the bullpen before shifting over to the rotation. He has not been especially impressive thus far as a starter, surrendering seven runs in ten innings.
Much like Hernandez’s previous start (a 10-9 Phillies win), this game has a chance to be a high scoring affair.
Link of Interest
CSN Philly – Do the Phillies have anywhere to turn for bullpen help?
The Phillies have already cycled through a few relievers in an attempt to find an effective bullpen. It’s looking more and more like they may need to seek help from outside the organization. A couple of the more intriguing names out there are Joel Hanrahan and Ryan Madson, although both players carry significant risks.
Tweet of Importance
Carlos Ruiz raised his OPS 258 points in four days. Phillies finish in Arizona against worst team in baseball. Primed for huge trip.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) April 25, 2014
The Phillies have a chance to make this a very successful road trip. Will they take advantage?