April 16 -- CALL IT A COMEBACK

So, I was applying the finishing touches last night to a game story about Adam Eaton's third straight quality start -- and a hard-luck loss -- when all hell broke loose at The Bank. To call the Phillies' four-run, ninth-inning rally "improbable" would be an understatement. For starters, the offense was in snooze mode for eight innings against Astros starter Shawn Chacon. Chris Snelling, who hadn't had a hit in the majors since last May 9 or a home run since last April 14 and was called up from Class AAA Lehigh Valley last weekend, was leading off the ninth inning as a pinch-hitter against flame-throwing Astros closer Jose Valverde, who had a 3-0 lead.

It didn't look good for the Phillies. Then, suddenly, they were celebrating a 4-3 win.

And I was doing a lot of re-writing.

A few random thoughts from last night:

1. Seeing Pat Burrell belt a game-tying, two-run homer wasn't particularly surprising. None of the Phillies have swung the bat better than Burrell through the season's first two weeks. The stunning part is that he actually was still in the game. Usually, Burrell is on the bench by the ninth inning, and chances are, if he had reached base in the seventh, he would've been lifted for pinch-runner So Taguchi. Good thing Burrell struck out, isn't it?

2. Last April, Brad Lidge lost his job as the Astros' closer after blowing a save on opening day and allowing five runs (two earned) in the ninth inning five games later. Valverde, his successor in Houston, has one loss, one save, two blown saves and an 11.37 ERA in six games this season. Something tells me he won't be losing his job, though. Lidge, meanwhile, hasn't allowed an earned run in five appearances for the Phils.

3. The Phillies acquired Snelling in November, and ever since, I've heard Pat Gillick, Ruben Amaro Jr., Mike Arbuckle and Charlie Manuel talk about how much they love Snelling's offensive potential. Now, we see why.