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MORTON GROVE, Ill. (AP) -A visit to the nation's capital could be just what the suddenly-struggling Philadelphia Phillies need as they continue a push for a playoff spot. Having lost three of their last four games, the Phillies open a three-game series with the last-place Washington Nationals on Tuesday at RFK Stadium. Philadelphia (65-65) fell 15 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the NL East by losing two of three games at Shea Stadium including an 8-3 defeat in the series finale on Monday - delayed one day after a Sunday rainout. However, the Phillies remain in serious playoff contention trailing Cincinnati by only one game for the NL wild card. ''We made a couple of little mistakes, but little mistakes have been hurting us and they did today,'' manager Charlie Manuel said after Monday's game, in which the Phillies went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and an error by catcher Chris Coste led to two unearned runs. Ryan Howard provided a bright spot for the Phillies in the series, homering in all three games to increase his NL-leading total to 47 on the season. Howard has 12 home runs this month, tying Mike Schmidt 's club record, set in 1975, for homers in August. The Phillies have also hit 38 homers as a team this month, one shy of the franchise's August record of 39, set in 2004.Brett Myers (9-6, 4.23 ERA) looks to follow up one of his strongest outings of the season and continue his road success for Philadelphia. The right-hander improved to 6-1 in 12 road starts this season by defeating the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, allowing just one run and four hits in eight innings of the 2-1 victory while striking out nine and issuing one walk. Myers has won his last four road starts, while going 0-3 in his last four outings at home. He is 1-1 with an 8.79 in three starts versus the Nationals (55-75) this season, including a terrible outing Aug. 18 at Citizens Bank Park, when he yielded six runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings of a 6-4 defeat. Ryan Zimmerman and Alfonso Soriano homered off Myers in that outing, and Zimmerman is 5-for-10 with the homer and two doubles lifetime versus the right-hander. Tony Armas Jr. (8-9, 5.05) opposed Myers in that contest, and will do so again Tuesday. After allowing the Phillies three runs in 5 1-3 innings, Armas endured his worst outing of the year last Wednesday at Florida, giving up eight runs - five earned - and 10 hits in a season-low 1 2-3 innings in a 9-7 defeat. The right-hander fell to 1-4 with a 7.43 ERA and a .350 opponent batting average in his last six starts, with the win over Myers and the Phillies his only victory during that span. Armas is 7-5 with a 4.80 ERA in 15 career starts against Philadelphia.Washington will need a longer effort out of Armas after its last two starters - Pedro Astacio and Billy Traber - each lasted only 2 2-3 innings in losses to the Atlanta Braves , 10-1 on Saturday and 13-6 on Sunday. Soriano went 4-for-5 with three doubles, two stolen bases and a run scored on Sunday.''It means nothing, because we lost the game,'' Soriano said.Washington leads the season series 7-6, and took three of four meetings at RFK from June 8-11.
With Armas pitching, you almost wish for a rainout
Tom hit the nail on the head. Armas is throwing in the 80-90 range. Either a fastball or slider. That's all he throws. He needs an offspeed pitch which would also make his fastball seem faster. Thank you Delucci!
Randy St. Claire to the mound in the first inning. What could he possibly be saying?
Quote from: "Senators2005"Randy St. Claire to the mound in the first inning. What could he possibly be saying?God, YOU SUCK!
well the 2nd inning didn't go so bad thank God.
