April 8 -- GAME 3 WRAP: WALK THIS WAY

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Well, that was a walk in the park.

Actually, it was many walks in Citizens Bank Park.

By the grace of the Braves' erratic bullpen, the Phillies scored eight seventh-inning runs, overcame a seven-run deficit and averted a three-game, season-opening sweep with a come-from-behind 12-11 victory. Simply put, the Braves' relievers couldn't find the strike zone if they had a GPS. Peter Moylan and Blaine Boyer combined to issue four bases-loaded walks in the improbable seventh inning, and the Phillies took full advantage.

But it wasn't as easy as it looked. Baseball players are trained to swing the bat, and the Phillies have several free-swingers. Matt Stairs, who confessed last October that he tries to hit a home run every time he comes to the plate, walked on four pitches but said later that he would've swung at a 3-0 pitch if he'd gotten something he liked. Shane Victorino said he had to fight himself to look at the first pitch he saw after three consecutive walks.

"You try to be patient, you look for your pitch," Stairs told me after the game. "A lot of times we get out of sync by swinging at their pitch. But I thought we did a good job of zoning in on one area and looking for a ball to drive. When it wasn't there, we let it go."

So, on Ring Day, the Phillies got their first win of 2009. If they can come up with 90 or so more, they'll give themselves a good chance to win another ring.

***
Pat Burrell got a thunderous ovation today, but his replacement had a nice day, too. Raul Ibanez (pictured-AP), playing like he badly wants to receive a ring next season, went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. I grew up watching the Yankees, and whenever a newly acquired player had his first big game, it often was said that he earned his pinstripes. I suppose Ibanez earned his red pinstripes today.

More tomorrow before I fly to Denver.