Sorry for the infrequent postings over the past 24 hours. I tried, but Blogger.com is having some, well, issues. Anyway, we're back in good, old Philadelphia International Airport, awaiting a US Airways flight to Houston, so I figured I'd give it another shot.
While I got myself together last night for the four-gamer that begins tonight deep in the heart of Texas, Martin Frank pinch-hit in Washington, where the Phillies broke out of their offensive funk. Big time. Two homers, three hits four RBIs for Ryan Howard; three hits and one homer apiece for Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz; 15 hits for the Phils, and an eight-run sixth inning that was positively overdue since the Phillies had scored one run in their previous two games. As Martin writes, they unleashed their frustrations on the Nats and spot-starting Matt Chico.
***
Getting ready to board, but I'll have much more later today from Houston. Meantime, chew on this series preview, and a story from Martin about Brad Lidge's return to his old stomping grounds.
PHILLIES (26-22) at ASTROS (26-21)
Tonight, 8:05: RHP Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 4.76) vs. RHP Roy Oswalt (4-4, 5.43)
Friday, 8:05: RHP Adam Eaton (0-2, 5.59) vs. RHP Brandon Backe (3-5, 4.58)
Saturday, 7:05: RHP Brett Myers (2-5, 5.76) vs. RHP Brian Moehler (1-1, 4.76)
Sunday, 2:05: LHP Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.61) vs. RHP Chris Sampson (3-3, 5.91)
Hot: Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz has five hits in his last nine at-bats; Phillies CF Shane Victorino went 6-for-13 (.462) in the three-game series against Washington; Astros 1B Lance Berkman is batting .507 (37-for-73) with eight homers and 21 RBIs in his last 19 games; Astros SS Miguel Tejada is batting .364 (44-for-121) with 23 RBIs in his last 29 games.
Not: Phillies LF Pat Burrell has seven hits in his last 49 at-bats (.143) and two RBIs in his last 15 games; Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has two hits in his last 13 at-bats; Astros CF Michael Bourn has 20 stolen bases but is batting only .208; Astros C J.R. Towles has only four hits in his last 45 at-bats.
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9 comments:
Interesting that the Phillies can play a game, get on a plane and get to their next destination, but you have to cut out early.
Let me set you straight about travel. The Phillies had a charter waiting for them after the game in Washington. Us reporters don't travel with the team. So Scott had to take an early-morning flight today (Thursday) out of Philadelphia to get to Houston in time for tonight's game. Yes, he could have covered Wednesday night's game in Washington, driven home (I got back just before 2 a.m.), packed and headed right for the airport for his morning flight to Houston. Or, he could have gotten a well-deserved day off, his only day off of the week. As a point of reference, none of the other beat writers who went to Houston were at Wednesday's game either.
Even if you weren't a Phillies beat writer covering 6-7 days out of the week, I would still have sympathies for you for having to travel through Philly International! Quite possibly the worst airport... ever.
Scott do you get to stay with the team while on the road, or are you pretty much on your own?
Anon, 12:21 p.m.: Good question. As writers, we're on our own in all phases of travel. We book commercial flights (the team takes a charter), and we make our own hotel reservations.
J. Osborne: You must be a frequent traveler. Philly International is pretty bad. Often having to fly US Airways makes it a double-whammy. That said, I've always believed that any safe takeoff/landing is a good one.
Thanks, Marty. Home at 2 after hitting the bars?
Good one. I've heard that sometimes my stories read that way.
Actually they all do, that is, the ones that make sense.
Sorry, I'll try to use smaller words next time so you can follow along better.
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