Sunday, April 26, 2009

April 26 -- GAME 16 WRAP: COMEBACK KIDS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

MIAMI GARDENS -- Quick turnaround here today (12:10 p.m. start after a 10-inning game last night), so we'll keep this fairly brief, although if the Phillies have taught us anything this weekend, it's that there's no need to rush. In each of the first two games of this series, they've rallied in the ninth inning and pulled out victories over the Marlins.

Better late than never, right?

"You like to get in front and hold on to it, but we've given ourselves opportunities late in the game, and that's all we can ask for," Ryan Howard said
after last night's 6-4 win. "We've always had that attitude."

By now, though, we should know the Phillies do their best work when they absolutely have to. They've made a habit of September playoff pushes and late-game rallies. The other night, Jayson Werth mentioned that they're the type of team that "hangs around" before making its move. So, really, the late-game heroics here this weekend are no surprise. In fact, they're standard protocol.

***
Charlie Manuel got ejected in the 10th inning last night, but after the game, he seemed more angry at himself than home-plate umpire Ed Montague. Evidently, Manuel was arguing a ball-strike call that, it turns out, wasn't close. He just didn't know that until he saw the replay in the clubhouse.

So, is Charlie going to apologize to Montague today?

"You guys will have to do that for me," he said.

***
Within the notebook, we asked pitching coach Rich Dubee a purely hypothetical question: If the Phillies needed a starter, would they simply move J.A. Happ into the rotation?

"Depends," Dubee said, noting that Carlos Carrasco has been pitching well at Lehigh Valley.

Hmmm.

***
Howard was impressed by Chan Ho Park's opposite-field power, but it turns out, each of Park's three career homers have gone to right field.

"Lucky," Park said with a smile. "Wind was blowing in."

***
And, finally,
in our Sunday MLB notes, we look at Marlins ace-in-waiting Josh Johnson, whose proud grandfather lives in Delaware.

Enjoy your Sunday. ... Back in a bit with lineups.

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