Call the Phillies’ 12-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park a game of firsts. The game marked the first big league win for starting pitcher Ethan Martin and first homer for Cody Asche.
More importantly, it was the Phillies’ first series victory of the second half.
Martin allowed one run during his stint and Asche came a triple shy of the cycle as the Phillies improved to 52-62.
Starting pitching report
In his second big league start, Martin picked up his first win. In five innings, the 24-year old right-hander allowed one run on four hits, three walks and a wild pitch. The Cubs’ lone run off Martin came on a solo homer by Nate Shierholtz in the fourth.
Martin threw 95 pitches in his five innings.
It was a rough one for Cubs’ starter Jeff Samardzija. In just 3 1/3 innings, the right-hander allowed nine runs on 11 hits, five of them for extra bases. Oddly enough, Samardzija didn’t walk anyone.
Bullpen report
Callup Zach Miner pitched two scoreless and hitless innings in relief of Martin. Miner notched two strikeouts, a walk and a hit batter in his two innings.
Lefty Cesar Jimenez made his Phillies debut with a scoreless eighth inning. Raul Valdes finished up by pitching a 1-2-3 ninth.
At the plate
The Phillies topped double-digits in runs for just the third time this season. Along with Asche, rookie Darin Ruf also clubbed a homer (his fifth of the season) while Michael Martinez, Carlos Ruiz and Chase Utley joined the rookie duo with multi-hit games.
Asche went 3 for 4 with a double, homer, two runs and a pair of RBIs. Ruf and Dom Brown also contributed two RBIs. Brown has a hit and at least one RBI in each of the three games he’s played since his return from the disabled list.
Utility man John McDonald capped off the scoring with a two-run homer in the eighth.
Transaction
During Thursday’s game the Phillies announced that they had claimed outfielder Casper Wells off waivers from the White Sox. The Phillies will be the fifth big league organization Wells has played for since April, having spent time with the Mariners, Blue Jays, Athletics and White Sox.
Wells appeared in 41 games for the A’s and White Sox, batting .155. Over the last four seasons, Wells has batted .236 with 25 home runs and 81 RBI in 664 at-bats between the Tigers, Mariners, A’s and White Sox.
“Casper is someone that we've had our eye on since spring training,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “He's a versatile outfielder who adds depth to our club and can be a power threat off the bench.”
Wells hit 27 homers in the minors during the 2008 season and 21 in 2010. He will join the Phillies in Washington on Friday and the team will make a corresponding roster move.
Utley extension official
The Phillies also announced during the game that the two-year contract extension for veteran second baseman was official. Utley, 34, agreed to a two-year deal that has three vesting and club options (see story).
Up next
Next, the Phillies hop on a bus and roll down I-95 to Washington to open a three-game series on Friday night. The probable pitching matchups are:
Friday: John Lannan (3-4, 4.10) vs. Dan Haren (6-11, 5.14)
Saturday: Cliff Lee (10-5, 3.13) vs. Taylor Jordan (1-3, 3.76)
Sunday: Kyle Kendrick (10-8, 4.36) vs. Stephen Strasburg (5-9, 3.01)