April 13 -- GAME 6 WRAP: STAIRS STRIKES AGAIN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

DENVER -- So, I was making the pleasant, 20-minute walk to Coors Field from my hotel here yesterday morning when I stopped into a Starbucks (there's one on every other corner in downtown Denver). Sure enough, standing directly in front of me in line were Matt Stairs and Raul Ibanez. We exchanged hellos, then they ordered their caffeinated beverages and went on their way.

About seven hours later, I was talking to Stairs in the Phillies' clubhouse after his pinch-hit, two-run home run into the bullpen in right-center field proved to be the decisive blow in a come-from-behind 7-5 victory over the Rockies.

So, I asked, what's the secret to your pinch-hitting success?

"Grande white mocha," Stairs said with a smile.

As you might imagine, Stairs was the focus of the game story in today's News Journal. Specifically, I wrote about his ultra-simplistic philosophy of hitting: See ball, hit ball. Or, if you prefer, "grip it and rip it." Ask Stairs about his approach at the plate, and it's really very basic. Every time he steps in the batter's box, he tries to hit a home run. Seriously. There's not much nuance. He swings as hard as he can, and often, the ball goes a long way.

I knew Stairs was a little different from most hitters when, before batting practice one day last September at Citizens Bank Park, he placed a tee at home plate, grabbed a fungo bat and launched balls over the outfield fence. In batting practice, while some of his teammates are working on hitting the ball the other way, Stairs often cracks everyone up with his display of unbridled power. And, thanks to his memorable pinch-hit, two-run homer in Game 4 of the NLCS last year, he has developed somewhat of a cult following in Philly. Last Wednesday, when the Phillies received their World Series rings, the ovation for Stairs was every bit as boisterous as the ones for Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins or Cole Hamels.

"My approach doesn't change, if I'm starting or pinch-hitting," he said yesterday. "It's amazing how it kind of came up last year that I try to hit home runs. It's been like that for 15 years. I try to hit every ball as far as I can. That's the approach I have. It doesn't happen as much as I'd like it to, but it seems like it's worked pretty well."

***
Deep within the notebook, beneath the daily Cole Hamels update, we have word on Chan Ho Park's ineffective first regular-season start and the 9.62 ERA of the Phillies' starters through six games. But, as bad as the starters have been, that's how good the bullpen is right now. Opponents are batting only .103 against Phillies relievers.

***
My colleague, Geoff Mosher, is covering the team today in DC, as I fly back from Denver. I'll be back tomorrow from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, where the Phillies will visit with President Obama. Meanwhile, here's a preview of the series against the Nationals, who have too many outfielders, not enough pitching and absolutely no victories.

PHILLIES (3-3) at NATIONALS (0-6)
Today, 3:05: LHP Jamie Moyer (0-1, 7.20) vs. RHP Daniel Cabrera (0-1, 7.50)
Tomorrow: Off day
Wednesday, 7:05: RHP Joe Blanton (0-0, 15.75) vs. RHP Shairon Martis (0-0, 9.00)
Thursday, 7:05: LHP Cole Hamels (0-1, 17.18) vs. LHP John Lannan (0-2, 10.00)
Hot: Phillies 2B Chase Utley, showing no lingering effects from offseason hip surgery, has 10 hits in his last 18 at-bats (.556), although he says he's still a "work in progress"; Phillies RF Jayson Werth went 7-for-12 with two doubles, one triple, one home run and five RBIs in the three-game series against Colorado; Nationals SS Cristian Guzman has hit safely in all six games and has at least two hits in five games; Nationals CF Elijah Dukes is 6-for-14 (.429) with two walks and three RBIs in three starts.
Not: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has two hits in his last 25 at-bats; Phillies C Chris Coste has one hit in his last 10 at-bats; Nationals LF Josh Willingham is hitless in 10 at-bats; Nationals CF Lastings Milledge has three hits in 19 at-bats (.154) this season.