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The Leading Logic In Sports Handicapping |
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PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Ryan Howard not only continues to hit
home runs, he is also raising his batting average slowly but
surely.
Howard took over the major league lead with two home runs and
drove in three runs to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-1
victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the rubber game of a
three-game series on Thursday.
It was the Phillies' first series win at Citizens Bank Park
since they took three of four from the Cincinnati Reds during
the first week of June.
"The way we've been scuffling over the past couple of series, to
be able to win the series against St. Louis puts us on the right
track to try and finish strong," Howard said.
Jamie Moyer (8-6) pitched seven strong innings for the win. The
45-year-old allowed a run while scattering seven hits with two
walks and four strikeouts. The lefthander notched his first
victory since June 12, a span of five starts.
"The thing I can look at is, I'm still doing it (at age 45)."
Moyer said. "Not to throw it in anybody's face or be stupid
about it, but you know what? I'm proud of that. I feel good
that I can come here every day and do my work. I can go out on
the field. I can compete and help our team to win."
Both of Howard's homers were opposite field shots off St. Louis
starter Braden Looper. He hit a two-run blast to left-center in
the first inning before leading off the sixth with his 27th
homer of the season. For Howard, it was his fourth multi-homer
game this year and 16th career.
"That's basically what I've been trying to do lately," Howard
said of his opposite field hitting. "Just see pitches as long as
possible and just try and hit them where they're pitched."
Howard came into the contest tied with teammate Chase Utley for
the major league lead in home runs. Howard laughed when asked
if he said something to Utley about passing him in homers.
"No, not really. Nothing out of the ordinary," Howard said.
Strike that question from the record."
Howard's average had been as low as .182 in mid-May, but lifted
it to .234 after going 2-for-4 on Thursday, increasing his
hitting streak to 13 games. He also leads the National League
with 83 RBI.
"Getting off to the slow start with the (low) average and
everything has been a grind," Howard said. "It's been a learning
process for me. The average may not be there right now, but I'm
just going out there doing what I can right now."
Howard had also been striking out at an alarming rate to begin
the season and has 125 thus far, but Phillies manager Charlie
Manuel feels the slugger can get back to the numbers he posted
during his 2006 MVP season, which included a .313 batting
average.
"When he hits for a higher average, you'll see his strikeouts go
down," Manuel said. "I think he proved a couple of years ago
what kind of season he's capable of having and I think he'll get
back there eventually.
"Would you take him out of your lineup? He does about twice as
much as the other guys do. How can you take him out of your
lineup? The numbers tell the story."
With Phillies closer Brad Lidge given the day off, Ryan Madson
pitched 1 1/3 innings and J.C. Romero retired the final two
batters for his fourth career save and first in the National
League.
"Everybody in the bullpen is ready whenever our name is called,"
Romero said. "That's our mentality. Nobody knew that Lidge was
(unavailable) today. It was our duty to step up and close that
game up. Every time that our closer is earning a day off, we've
got to step up as a unit."
After the Cardinals left two on in the top of the first inning,
the Phillies ca
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