Just like they drew it up: Cliff Lee got the win, Jonathan Papelbon closed out a close game with a perfect ninth and the Phillies topped the Rangers on Opening Day.
Looks like Jimmy Rollins was right after all, at least for one day.
The Phillies went into the season opener having gone three straight spring games without scoring a run, but who cares now? They racked up 17 hits and six walks in a 14-10 win over Texas — their highest run total on Opening Day since a 19-17 win on April 19, 1900.
Rollins appeared to open the game up in the second inning with a two-out grand slam to make it 6-0. It was his 200th career homer. In all of April last season, Rollins had one homer and seven RBIs.
Cliff Lee just didn't have it and got hit around all afternoon. He allowed eight runs on 11 hits and a walk and struck out just one, but considering his solid spring there should be no reason to worry. He picked up the win.
Ben Revere, Chase Utley and Cody Asche picked up three hits apiece. Marlon Byrd and Asche also hit solo homers. Ryan Howard struck out three times but also picked up two singles and drew a walk.
Jake Diekman, B.J. Rosenberg and Antonio Bastardo combined for three innings, allowing two runs, and gave way to Papelbon, who retired the Rangers in order in the ninth. Papelbon needed just 12 pitches, nine of which were strikes.
Pedro Figueroa was charged with the loss for yielding four runs in 1 2/3 innings. Tanner Scheppers struggled in his first big-league start, needing 93 pitches to get through four innings while giving up seven runs. The only Texas pitcher who didn't surrender a run was Seth Rosin, the former Phillies prospect, who tossed a scoreless ninth.
THE GOOD
1. Patience at the plate. The three walks the Phillies drew in the second inning all led to runs, thanks to J-Roll's grand slam, and the bats forced Scheppers to throw 38 pitches in the frame, which contributed to his early exit. The Phillies drew three bases on balls in one inning just six times in 2013; they drew six or more walks in a game just nine times.
2. Jake Diekman. Thanks to his buddy B.J., he was charged with two earned runs, but it doesn't take away from what Diekman did in the sixth inning. He mowed through the top of Texas' order on 11 pitches, getting both Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder on strikeouts. Probably shouldn't have gone out for the seventh inning, anyway.
3. Byrd, Revere keep strokin'. Really the only two Phillies who looked good offensively all spring, Byrd (.298 in Florida) and Revere (.294) kept their hot bats going, combining for five hits and knocking in four runs. The homer was Byrd's first as a Phillie since Aug. 29, 2004 (off Pedro Liriano, then of the Brewers). All three of Revere's hits were hard-hit.
THE BAD
1. Howard on the basepaths. Has Howard ever looked worse on the bases? He hobbled around like his legs were tied together at the ankles. He had no business heading home on Carlos Ruiz's grounder with the Rangers' infield halfway in the third and was out by only about 30 feet.
2. Lee with a big lead. What is it about Cliff Lee that he can't seem to pitch with a big lead? Including today, his career ERA is 4.11 when his team gives him six or more runs of support and opponents are hitting .267 off him. When his team scores five runs or fewer, his ERA is 3.26. What gives, Cliff?
3. Miss the memo, Dom? Domonic Brown was about the only Phillie who didn't exercise patience in the batter's box. He saw a total of 14 pitches in five at-bats, which included a strikeout. He did pick up a hit and subsequently stole second and scored a run, but it would be nice to see him build on a spring in which he drew nine walks in 63 plate appearances by working the count more.
UP NEXT
A.J. Burnett makes his Phillies debut vs. lefty Martin Perez and the Rangers on Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. (TCN). Texas hitters are a combined .244 lifetime off Burnett with four homers.
NJ.com is reporting that Chase Utley is a gang member.
Posted by: Hank | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 06:22 PM
Helped they were facing a guy who should be tossing BP
Posted by: Corn | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 06:28 PM
Looks like the new BL staff is able to flip the switch as well
Posted by: Steve | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 06:38 PM
Ha ha Steve. And like the Phil's themselves we'll see how long they can keep it up.
Posted by: Timr | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 06:45 PM
Nice one, Hank.
I think he's part of a radical animal rights gang that bombs developers and meat-packing plants.
Posted by: steve | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 06:58 PM
I must have watched a different game....I think Bastardo , not Rosenberg, Diekmann stopped the slugfest
Posted by: martin | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:04 PM
Revere was awesome today. Was even robbed of extra bases and a hit on a great catch by Rios.
Posted by: Cyclic | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:05 PM
Revere catch was nice to see. His real value isn't going to be hitting ~.300 and stealing bases. It will be playing solid defense in CF for the first time since Vic was in his prime here.
Posted by: MG | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:08 PM
Any guesses as to what Chris Wheeler would have thought of that game?
A certain word comes to mind...
Posted by: Cyclic | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:09 PM
I bow down to Cliff Lee. He is the only person who can pitch like crap, get a win and get a pass. He is truly golden.
Posted by: rellis | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:35 PM
Goofy! He also would have had a fit about Cliff Lee's lack of shutdown inning.
Posted by: BobbyD | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:45 PM
The Phillies will go 106-56 this year.
Posted by: Pythagoras | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:49 PM
Jimmy only hit a grand slam so he didn't have to hustle to first.
Posted by: Matt | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 07:58 PM
Abreu's a Met. ha ha ha
Posted by: Hank | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 08:14 PM
Abreu + Phil's bullpen = lots of walks
Posted by: Dickie Thong | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 08:22 PM
Would they have won that game with Cholly as manager? Taking a walk and working the count was almost a sacrilege.
Posted by: limoguy | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 09:00 PM
Well i didnt watch the game but i did predict in the previous thread that Revere would have a nice catch. According to MG my prediction came to life. Heres what may happen next. Big may. Phils go on some type of mini winning streak say 6-3 and some start to feel all tastycake warm inside and change their thought patterns to maybe this can be a 90 win team.
Posted by: PLM | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 10:06 PM
*Tastykake-D'oh
Posted by: PLM | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 10:36 PM
A Game Thread-then 460 posts-then a well-written recap. All is well at Beerleaguer. At least for today.
Posted by: Conway Twitty | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 10:47 PM
Another alarming thing is Howard's 3 strikeouts.
Posted by: Jackamac | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 10:48 PM
DOM singles, steals a bag, and scores on an infield single. fck you wiznewski.
Posted by: LorecorE | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 10:51 PM
Howard's Ks weren't really that concerning. One of them was 2 called strikes that were unhittably outside the zone to start the AB followed by a weak swing at another pitch to the same spot from a nasty lefty, and another was a 6-pitch K that ended with a 95MPH-heater he couldn't quite nail.
Also, if he posts an OBP over .350, he can K all he likes. Although it'd be nice if he got some non-single hits.
Posted by: Phillibuster | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 11:02 PM
14 runs, separate BL pre & post game threads, an Opening Day W.
Keep that switched flipped on.
Posted by: Bubba | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 11:18 PM
Saw Sandberg commenting on Jimmy. So Sandberg wants Jimmy to basically morph into Revere as far as hitting goes. This will be interest to watch. Basically trying to unprogram what Jimmy (and Cholly philosophy)for so many years. It almost seems like they had some deal. Get #200 and switch over to a slap hitter.
Posted by: PLM | Monday, March 31, 2014 at 11:42 PM
The Phillies are in first place!
April Fool's!
Posted by: Scry Scribbims | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 12:51 AM
Now watch the offense score zero runs in the next two games. The potential is there.
Posted by: Dragon | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 02:04 AM
"The Phillies, who scored their most runs in an opener since beating the Boston Beaneaters 19-17 in 1900." - News Item
Now that's what I call a real gas!
Posted by: Dragon | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 02:15 AM
"Now watch the offense score zero runs in the next two games. The potential is there."
Even when the offense was clicking not sure if it was imagined or not i always remember 10 runs scored one game and the next they get shut out.
Posted by: PLM | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 07:30 AM
Another horrible header and horrible comments abound
Posted by: Willard Preacher | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 07:43 AM
Posted by: Willard Preacher | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 08:11 AM
sigh...
Posted by: Yawn... | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 08:47 AM
sigh again.
Posted by: Yawn... | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 08:47 AM
The Rangers are banged up and the Cubs are the Cubs. Anything less than a 4-2 trip would be disappointing. I'd be pumped at a 5-1 trip.
Posted by: Pblunts | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 08:48 AM
6-0 or bust
Posted by: Yawn... | Tuesday, April 01, 2014 at 08:52 AM