Halladay and a bunch of singles beat Pirates

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Sunday, June 5, 2011
Posted: 5:12 p.m.Updated: 6:47 p.m.

By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com

BOX SCORE

PITTSBURGH -- The Phillies finished a nine-game road trip Sunday that had a couple of bright spots at the ends and a whole bunch of ugliness in the middle.

They wrapped it all up with a 7-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, saving themselves the indignity of being swept and running their losing streak to a season-high five games.

Roy Halladay earned his eighth win and second of the trip as he survived a two-run homer by Neil Walker and a mini-confrontation with home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the first inning. Halladay was backed by 14 hits, only one of which was for extra bases.

But when youve lost four in a row to teams with losing records (Washington and the Pirates) and scored just seven runs in those games, youll take the offense any way you can get it.

Halladay said he sensed some frustration in his teammates as a result of the losing streak. He did what he does best: ended the losing streak and put smiles on some faces.

He is 14-6 as a Phillie following a loss.

I think theres definitely part of that, Halladay said, referring to the frustration of the trip. We feel like these are games we should win. Not to take anything away from those clubstheyve been playing pretty well latelybut I think we feel like these are games we need to win. At some point, you get things going and its a lot of weight off everybody.

Ryan Howard agreed.

After today, the last four days dont matter anymore, he said. We have to try to build on this.

The Phillies begin an 11-game homestand Monday night. They are 19-10 at home and lead the NL East at 35-24.

They come home swinging the bats well, though not powerfully. They have just four extra-base hits in the last four games and zero homers in that span.

They would have had a homer in some ballparks on Sunday. Howard, who drove in three of the Phils seven runs, had an impressive, 13-pitch showdown with Chris Resop in the fifth. After fouling off several pitches, he finally drove a 400-foot sacrifice fly to center that tied the game at 2-2.

That was a big at-bat, manager Charlie Manuel said. He battled.

I kept fouling pitches off, Howard said. I got lucky the catcher dropped a foul tip. I kept missing fastballs and finally caught up to one.

The Phillies took the lead in the same inning when Carlos Ruiz was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The two runs came an inning after the Phillies lost a run when Domonic Browns base hit nailed second base umpire Chad Fairchild. The ball was ruled dead, denying the Phils a run, and the frame ended with Wilson Valdez hitting into a double play.

That was tough to swallow, Manuel said. Sometimes Ive seen plays like that kill you. But at the same time, it kind of ticks you off and gets you fired up and you get a little more determined. I think thats kind of what happened today.

Fairchild wasnt the only umpire to get into the show. Home plate umpire Hernandez confronted Halladay after the pitcher shouted a cuss word while walking from the mound after giving up two runs in the first inning. Halladay reacted angrily and had to be pushed away from Hernandez by Placido Polanco.

I didnt say anything to the umpire, Halladay said. I was frustrated by the home run to Walker and I yelled a four-letter word at myself. I think he thought it was directed at him. He came up and said, Those pitches werent strikes. I said, What pitches? I think he thought it was directed at him and took exception to it.

Halladay kept his emotions in check and went seven innings and didnt give up any other runs after the first. He walked one and struck out six. He is 8-3.

Halladay even scored a run from second base on a base hit. He slid home for the first time since high school.

Defensively, Halladay got nice plays from his defense, especially second baseman Chase Utley, who made a diving stab of Jose Tabatas liner to second with two men on base to end the seventh and preserve a two-run Phillies lead. That was Halladays last pitch and he pounded his glove in happiness and relief when Utley made the catch.

That was a huge play, said Halladay, who always marvels at Utleys professionalism. Chase plays every game like he just got called up three days ago.

Utley had three hits on the day, helping make this a good ending to a frustrating trip.

E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com

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