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The Leading Logic In Sports Handicapping |
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By Vince DiGregorio
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Despite miserable weather, Jayson Werth
had a memorable night for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Werth belted three home runs - including a grand slam - and tied
a franchise record with eight RBI as the Phillies began
interleague play with a 10-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays
in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.
Werth homered in each of his first three plate appearances.
"Jayson Werth is definitely the hero of tonight's game,"
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's a run producer.
He's got a lot of talent."
The 29-year-old hit a three-run shot off Toronto starter David
Purcey (0-1) in the second inning and blasted a grand slam off
the rookie in the third. Werth added a solo homer in the fifth
off Jesse Litsch in the fifth before fouling out in his final
at-bat in the seventh.
"It was on my mind, probably," Werth said of trying to become
the first player to hit four home runs in a game since former
Blue Jay and current New York Met Carlos Delgado accomplished
the feat in 2003. "I was swinging at some pitches that I
probably shouldn't have. It's just one of those nights. I
don't really know what to say."
Werth became the first Phillie to hit three homers in a game
since Ryan Howard did so on September 3, 2006 against the
Atlanta Braves. Werth tied four others for the franchise RBI
mark.
Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt was the most recent Phillie to
accomplish the feat, as he hit four home runs against the
Chicago Cubs on April 17, 1976. Willie Jones (1958), Gavvy
Cravath (1915) and Kitty Bransfield (1910) also drove in eight
runs in a game for the club.
"I saw the list of names, and Schmitty was on there," Werth
said. "It's great company. It's a great honor to be on that
list with those guys."
Jamie Moyer (3-3) was the beneficiary of Werth's offensive
outburst. The lefthander worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing three
runs and seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
"When a guy has a special night like that, it's pretty cool,"
Moyer said. "You don't see that happen too often."
Werth originally was signed by the Baltimore Orioles before
being traded to Toronto. He made his major league debut with
the Blue Jays in 2002 and was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers
in 2004 before signing with the Phillies as a free agent prior
to last season.
"I had a chance at LA and then I got hurt," Werth said. "I was
able to get healthy and come here. It was a blessing in
disguise, I guess. I can't say enough about (Philadelphia). I
never had a curtain call (before), and I had two tonight. That
was pretty cool."
"We know Jayson from back when we had him over here," Toronto
manager John Gibbons said. "He's got some kind of talent. He's
got it all. You could see, little by little over the years,
he's started to put it together."
After retiring the side in order in the first, Purcey
immediately got himself in trouble in the second, when he walked
Howard and Pat Burrell to start the frame. Werth then drove an
0-1 pitch over the right field wall to give the Phillies a 3-0
lead.
Howard's RBI single in the third made it 4-0 before Burrell
walked to load the bases. Werth then doubled the lead, blasting
a 3-1 pitch off an advertising sign in the second deck in right
field for his first career slam.
Toronto got on the board in the fourth on an RBI double by Alex
Rios and a run-scoring single by former Phillie Scott Rolen.
Werth completed his power surge with a two-out, solo home run
that just cleared the left-center field wall, increasing
Philadelphia's advantage to 9-2.
"I've been working hard with Charlie (Manuel) in the (batting)
cage," Werth said. "I think something clicked and I was able to
put it together."
Purcey lasted three innings, surrendering eight runs and five
hits with four walks.
"The first inning, I was trying to put (pitches) over the
plate," Purcey said. "(In the second), I started trying to
overthrow a little bit."
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