“My name is Chooch and I hit bombs.”
Carlos Ruiz had been on the bench for six innings. It didn’t matter. When Charlie Manuel yells for you to grab a stick you, well, grab a stick. In one swing; in one at bat Ruiz matched his career high RBI total for one game.
Oh yeah and he launched a game breaking grand slam to put the Phillies up by five in the seventh inning over the Braves. Did I mention it was an 0-2 count? Chooch was certainly clutch today in a game that the Phils didn’t necessarily have to win, but would have stung if they hadn’t.
Roy Oswalt was on the hill for the Phillies playing in Atlanta trying to recover from a tough loss the night before. After a fast start and a couple crooked number innings surrendered by Cliff Lee, the Phils were on the losing end of a good outing by Tim Hudson.
Once again the Phillies got off to a fast start scoring in the first inning. Shane Victorino, who has been hitting lead off all season, was brilliant at the plate going 4-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. He has really embraced the role of a lead off hitter seeing more pitches and is hitting .375 at the top of the Phillies potent lineup.
The entire Phillies team is hitting very well. Raul Ibanez is the only starter hitting below .300 (.258) but he still managed to contribute today with two runs scored.
Back to the mound, Oswalt finally got a win against Atlanta in his ninth start against the NL East rivals. Before today he was 0-3 with an ERA of 6.21 in nine appearances; eight of those starts. Today he went six innings, allowed five hits and only one earned run.
At the plate, Oswalt went 1-2 in a hitting clinic which the Phillies mashed out 15 hits. Out of their eight games this season, the Phillies have had double digit hits in six of them and four games with at least 14 hits. It is no wonder they lead the National League in hitting.
John Mayberry Jr.. Michael Martinez and Ruiz all had pinch hits today coming off the bench. Ruiz added an RBI double in the eighth for his fifth RBI on the day and a new career high. He had three four-RBI games in his career before today.
Advantage Phillies 10-2.
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