Friday, June 24, 2011
Posted: 9:45 p.m.Updated: 11:58 p.m.
By John R. Finger
CSNPhilly.com
BOXSCORE
If Vance Worley is going to hold down a spot in the Phillies rotation for the foreseeable future, Friday nights outing against the Oakland Athletics was a pretty decent effort to build off of.
The same goes for Ben Francisco, who delivered a walk-off single with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Phillies a 1-0 victory. For Francisco, it was his second, clutch RBI single this week as the Phillies improved to 48-29.
To set up the winning run, Shane Victorino led off the ninth inning with a walk before moving up to second on Dom Browns one-out single. Both runners advanced to scoring position after Brian Schneider grounded out to first to set the table for Francisco with two outs.
The winning hit came on a 2-0 offering from reliever Brian Fuentes that bounced over the third basemans head and into left field.
MLB
I got myself into a good count and I laid off the changeups early, Francisco explained. I got it to 2-0 and got a fastball.
Worley allowed just one hit during his 105-pitch effort without giving up a run. Though he walked four hitters, only one of those guys made it past first base before Hideki Matsui broke up the no-hitter with two outs in the sixth.
All told, it may have been Worleys most solid performance of his big league career at least in terms of the final stat line.
The problem, however, was that 105 pitches are hardly economical and it only got the rookie righthander through six innings. Moreover, like the As, the Phillies also didnt get their first hit until the sixth inning as Worley dueled with Guillermo Moscoso in a shorter, less perfect version of Harvey Haddix vs. Lew Burdette.
He threw strikes when he had to, manager Charlie Manuel said. He had a lot of 3-2 counts, but at the same time I liked his stuff.
Worley was wildly effective in the Phillies victory. Before turning the game over to relievers David Herndon, Juan Perez and Michael Stutes (3-0, 2.28), Worley quickly got ahead in the count only to have to work that much harder after throwing strike one. He threw 16 first-pitch strikes to the 23 hitters he faced, but the As just watched 14 of those first-pitch strikes go by without moving the bat from their shoulders.
Cleary the As were trying to make Worley work and he was quick to point out that other teams are much more aggressive.
Im just trying to be effective even when Im not getting everything over for a strike, the pitcher said.
Regardless, Manuel says the key is going to be for Worley to throw strike two quicker in the count. After all, even though he had a no-hitter through the sixth inning, Manuel says he would have yanked Worley from the game after six innings regardless if the no-no was intact. In fact, Manuel also claims that if the Phillies had been able to get a few more hitters on base in the fifth inning, he would have pinch hit for his pitcher.
He has to get off that 100 to 105 pitches and be up to at least 115 or maybe 120, Manuel said. Thats when hell be able to go deep in the game.
The way to get to that next level, says Worley, is simple.
Quit sucking, he said.
I know I didnt have great stuff today and I just gave it my best effort.
Still, Worleys effort left an impression on Manuel. Though he lacked stamina in past big league outings when he was shuffled between the rotation and the pen, and has gotten quite familiar with the landmarks on the Northeast Extension between Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley, Worley isnt going anywhere for a little while.
Every five days hes going to get the ball.
He stays in there and he battles through. I think hes kind of gutty, Manuel said. Hes not afraid to throw the ball up there and see if you can hit it. When he gets in trouble hell go to his fastball and say, Here, try and hit it. Thats good.
Meanwhile, the Phils bullpen delivered three scoreless innings allowing one hit and a walk.
The series continues on Saturday night when lefty Cole Hamels (9-3, 2.51) faces righty Trevor Cahill (7-5, 3.24).
E-mail John R. Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com