Morandini slams the Giants, Phils win 8-3

[Anthony Michael Jivoin]

In the sweltering heat on the east coast the Giants were looking
to make it three in a row over the eastern division leading Phils.
CBS announcer Tim McCarver proved prophetic, saying both teams
should take a lot of pitches to wear down the opposing pitcher.

And the Phillie Fanatic was up to his usual trickery. Can some
Phillie fan tell us how someone wears that outfit when it is
over 100 degrees with all that humidity?

Top of the first, after Darren Lewis fouled out with a 3-2 count,
rookie Giant third baseman Scarsone walked on a 3-2 pitch. He
took second on a wild pitch. Will Clark flew out to left on
a 3-2 pitch. Barry Bonds was intentionally walked and then Dave
Martinez walked on a 3-2 pitch. Bases loaded, Royce Clayton
lines a single to right field directly at Jim Eisenreich.
Scarsone scores, but Bonds and Martinez are both caught at
third base. Bonds is eventually tagged out in a rundown between
third and home to kill the rally.

Giants 1, Phillies coming to bat

Bottom of the first, "Nails" (Dykstra) led off with a walk and
promptly stole second. Morandini went down with the bat on his
shoulder then Kruk hit a blooping liner to short left-center.
Darren Lewis tried to run it down, but he tripped over his own
feet and the ball got past him, Kruk motored to third with a
triple, Dykstra scored tying the game. Hollins fouled out and
Daulton grounded out leaving Big John stranded 90 feet away.

Top of the second, Manwaring was given first on ball four then
Faries singled. Burkett tried to sacrifice, but Greene pounced
on the ball and nipped Manwaring at third. Lewis flew out, but
the rookie Steve Scarsone came threw for the Humm-Babys with
a flare to center that hopped over Dykstra scoring Faries and
Burkett. Clark flew out to leave Scarsone stranded at second.

Giants 3, Phillies 1

Bottom of the second, the Phillies answered back insta-matically.
Eisenreich led off with a single and Milt Thompson drove a ball
over the fence in left to tie the game. Rookie SS Tim Stocker
flew out and on a chopper to third Tommy Greene ended up on
second base on a throwing error by "the Godfather" Scarsone.
Burkett settled down and retired Nails and Morandini on ground
balls.

Phillies 3, Giants 3

That was it for the Giants on this day. The only offensive
highlight for the Giants during the remainder of the game
was the first career major league hit by Eric Johnson, a
double off the left field wall in the seventh. He later
doubled again in the ninth.

The Phillies scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the
sixth. After one out Stocker rifled a single to right. Tommy
Greene sacrificed him to second giving Lenny a chance to
drive in the go-ahead run. Dkystra hit a chopper down the
third base line. Scarsone threw to first, but TOO LATE!!!,
safe at first was Nails. Mickey "don't call me Mantle" lined
a single to center to score Stocker giving the Phillies the
lead. Kruk forced Mickey at second to end the inning.

Phillies 4, Giants 3

Bottom of the eighth, with Kevin Rodgers on in relief, Stocker
singled to left. Ricky Jordan batted for the pitcher and reached
first on an infield single. Dykstra walked and with Mickey
Morandini due up, Dusty Baker went to the bullpen and brought
in Dave Righetti. Morandini hit a drive to right ... way back,
way back, you can kiss it goodbye! A grand slammer! His first
career slam! The Phillies had finally put away the Giants, at
least for today.

Wild Thing pitched the ninth for the Phils. No save, thanks to
Morandini.

Defensive gem of the game: Lenny Dykstra runs into the center
field fence tracking down a Mark Carreon bid for extra bases.

------------------------------------------------------------------
PHILLIES 8 GIANTS 3
------------------------------------------------------------------
San Francisco AB R H BI Philadelphia AB R H BI
------------------------------------------------------------------
D. Lewis CF 4 0 0 0 Dykstra CF 2 2 2 0
Scarsone 3B 3 1 1 2 Morandini 2B 5 1 2 5
W. CLark 1B 4 0 1 0 Kruk 1B 5 0 2 1
Bonds LF 3 0 0 0 Hollins 3B 5 0 0 0
D. Martinez RF 2 0 0 0 Daulton C 4 0 0 0
Carreon PH/RF 1 0 0 0 Eisenreich RF 4 1 3 0
Clayton SS 4 0 1 1 M. Thompson LF 4 1 1 2
Manwaring C 3 0 1 0 Stocker SS 4 2 2 0
Faries 2B 3 1 1 0 Greene P 2 0 0 0
Rodgers P 0 0 0 0 West P 0 0 0 0
Righetti P 0 0 0 0 Andersen P 0 0 0 0
McGee PH 1 0 0 0 Jordan PH 1 1 1 0
Burkett P 2 1 0 0 M. Williams 0 0 0 0
E. Johnson 2B 2 0 2 0
------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 32 3 7 3 TOTALS 36 8 13 8
------------------------------------------------------------------
San Francisco Giants 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Philadelphia Phillies 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 4 X -- 8
------------------------------------------------------------------
E - Scarsone. LOB - San Francisco 7, Philadelphia 9.
2B - Scarsone (?), E. Johnson 2 (2). 3B - Kruk (?).
HR - M. Thompson (3), Morandini (2). SB - Dykstra (?)
S - Greene, Lewis.
------------------------------------------------------------------
San Francisco pitching IP H R ER BB SO
------------------------------------------------------------------
John Burkett L (13-3) 5 2/3 8 4 4 3 3
Kevin Rodgers 1 2/3 3 3 3 1 0
Dave Righetti 1 1 1 1 0 1
------------------------------------------------------------------
Philadelphia pitching IP H R ER BB SO
------------------------------------------------------------------
Tommy Greene W (11-2) 6 2/3 6 3 3 4 3
David West 2/3 0 0 0 0 0
Larry Andersen 2/3 0 0 0 0 1
Mitch Williams 1 1 0 0 0 2
------------------------------------------------------------------
WP - Greene 2.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Time - : . Attendance - just under 42,000

GO!!! ... ROCKIES!!! ... GO!!!!! ROCKIES!!!!! ... ZZZZZZZZZOOM!!!

Anthony M. Jivoin
National Center for Atmospheric Research
RSF/ATD - FL1
P.O. Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307

[Ian M. Derby]

This Phillies isn't fan isn't so sure yet, and he might be pulling
straws, but I think the Phillies turned a corner today as a team.
One has to look back to June 23 to find the last time the Phillies
pitching staff held a team to 3 runs or less. I was right about
Tommy Greene (see alt.sports.baseball.phila-phillies for details).
He is coming back to form. After a shaky first and second, he
pitched a good game (even better than his win agains the Dodgers last
monday) I think this was in part to not warming up as much because of
the heat. Burkett seemed to be shaky early as well.

Anyway I thank the Rockies for their win last night in St Louis. I
don't understand the Cardinals. They get all pumped and play well
against contending teams but can't win games against teams that
should be easy. If they keep playing like that, they won't catch
Philadelphia. If it wasn't for the Rockies, last nights second
blowout would have hurt so much more. I've felt like the Giants have
beaten the Phillies 4 times instead of twice.

Anyway I'll find out soon enough about pulling straws or turning a
corner. Schilling is up tomorrow. It would be great to stay at 5
games ahead or even get 6 before the break.