Phillies score nine in the seventh inning to rally past Rockies
The Colorado Rockies had 20 hits on the night, but the Philadelphia Phillies made the most with the 15 that they had to beat the Rockies 12-11 Thursday night in Denver.
After six innings the Rockies appeared to be in control of a game they needed to win in order to keep their post season hopes alive. Those hopes took a hit after the Phillies scored nine runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Chase Utley got the rally started with a RBI single that scored Placido Polanco to close the gap to 7-4, Rockies. That lead quickly disappeared after home runs by Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth to tie the game at 7-7. A RBI single by Ben Francisco gave the Phillies their first lead of the day, but it was the grand slam by Chase Utley that topped off a nine-run inning for the Phillies and gave them a 12-7 lead.
The grand slam gave Utley six RBIs on the night tying a career high. Utley last accomplished the feat against Aaron Cook and the Colorado Rockies during the 2008 season.
“I imagine a lot of guys have driven in a lot of runs here,” Utley said. “There is a lot of room for hits and the ball carries well here.”
Colorado made it interesting with a pair of RBI singles in the seventh inning to close the gap to 12-10. The Rockies came within one in the ninth after Dexter Fowler scored, but Phillies closer Brad Lidge converted save No. 19 on the season to preserve the win.
Prior to the seventh inning the Phillies has not done much offensively. They did not get a hit until Jayson Werth hit a single in the fourth inning. He eventually scored the first run for the Phillies off the team’s second hit, a RBI single by Raul Ibanez.
With the win the Phillies improved to 76-58 on the season and moved within two games of the NL East leading Atlanta Braves who lost to the New York Mets. The Phillies lead the NL wild card race with the Rockies six and a half games behind.
Philadelphia will return home to start a six-game home stand on Friday. Cole Hamels is scheduled to take the mound for the Phillies in the first of a three game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday with Chris Capuano set to start for the Brewers.
Hamels has only won one game a month for the last three months of the season.
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