Lucky 7: Big inning, tough pitching earns sweep

Behind a career-high seven strong innings from rookie Robinson Tejeda, including seven strikeouts, the Phils use a seven-run fifth to complete a season sweep of the Padres 8-3.

With the victory, the Phils complete a brilliant road trip, going 5-1 in Los Angeles and San Diego. The hometown nine returns home tomorrow with confidence against the Washington Nationals, having pulled to within a half game of the wild card-leading Astros.

Tejeda finally received enough run support to move from the kiddie table, improving his record to 3-2 with a 2.71 ERA. His act played out as it has all season – get hitters to chase pitches out of the zone to work out of trouble. The Pads managed just three hits, one of them a home run by Brian Giles. Giles was the only member of the opposition to earn participation points this series.

In the fifth, the Phils got the runs this way, courtesy of Yahoo - the online stat resource that causes my computer to freeze the least:

• R. Tejeda safe at first on catcher M. Olivo's throwing error, D. Bell to third, T. Pratt to second, D. Bell scored

• K. Lofton singled to left, T. Pratt scored, R. Tejeda to third, J. Rollins to second

• C. Utley singled to center, J. Rollins and R. Tejeda scored, K. Lofton to second

• P. Burrell singled to left, C. Utley and K. Lofton scored, B. Abreu to second

• R. Howard singled to center, B. Abreu scored, P. Burrell to second

The Padres got two runs back in the eighth off Rheal Cormier, making his first appearance since Aug. 5. The 38-year-old left-hander gave up two earned runs and, frankly, looks like a pitcher that’s outlasted his usefulness in close contests. His ERA now stands at 5.62.

A much better, much younger Ryan Madson struck out the side to stop the Padres cold in the ninth.

Comments

[Tom G]

I was kind of bothered by the fact that Madson was used to finish off this game. What about Eude Brito? Geary? I'm afraid Madson, Ugueth, and Wagner are in danger of getting overworked.

[George S]

Exactly. As someone mentioned on another blog, it makes no sense to bring up Brito to NOT pitch instead of a position player you can use, like Victorino.
The bench is much thinner than the bullpen and the Phillies do not need 12 pitchers.

[J. Weitzel]

Victorino would be a sixth outfielder and wouldn't play. I don't see the logic in that, either.

Frankly, I'd rather have Brito for an emergency, and I'm willing to bet more than one pitcher in that pen is pitching hurt. If Lidle gets bombed, for example, down 10-2 after three, it's nice to have Brito so the better pitchers like Madson don't need to perform mop-up. He's also a LHP.

[Tom Goodman]

CM doesn't really trust any of his bullpen besides Wagner, Urbina and Madsen. He will bring in Cormier for a situation stint, but he will only bring in the others (Fultz, Geary and Brito) when really pushed to the wall. Having three guys you can rely on is usually enough, but not when you are looking for three innings a game out of your pen just about every game.