BOX SCORE
MILWAUKEEChase Utley is home recovering from a concussion. Jimmy Rollins hasnt played in nearly three weeks because of a groin strain. Ryan Howard is playing on a painful ankle and Placido Polanco is only a few weeks back from a trip to the disabled list for a sports hernia.
The Phillies cant afford to lose another infielder, but thats what almost happened in the middle of the sixth inning Friday night when Pete Orr, filling in for Utley at second base, was nearly run over by a speeding bratwurst in Milwaukees famous Sausage Race.
Orr was hurrying out of the dugout and on his way to his position for the bottom of the sixth when he was nearly pancaked by the Italian sausage. Death by chocolate is one thing, but death by encased meat would have put a damper on the night. In the end, alls well that ends well. Orr survived the near miss and the Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers for the second straight night, 5-3.
I had gotten mud on my hands so I was in the bathroom washing them off, Orr said. I was kind of running late. I grabbed my glove and went up the steps.
When Orr saw the sausages bearing down on him
Straight panic, he said. I froze and tried to get skinny. Im glad no one got hurt.
MLB
Roy Halladay, who pitched eight innings of one-run ball for his 17th win, was right behind Orr on his way up the dugout steps.
I was about to walk right in front of them, Halladay said. I actually saw them coming and stopped. Pete didnt.
Halladay is one of baseballs fiercest competitors. He barely cracks a smile or speaks to his wife on days he pitches. Would he have been able to laugh if he had been hit by a sausage?
As long as I didnt get hurt, he said.
The sausage incident provided a light moment in the evening, not that the Phillies needed one. Life is good in the clubhouse. The Phils have the best record in the majors (93-48) and they have 21 games remaining to top the franchise record of 101 wins. The magic number for winning a fifth straight NL East title is nine.
There was one serious note after Fridays win. Antonio Bastardo, the valuable left-handed setup man, allowed a hit and a walk to open the ninth inning and had to be bailed out by Ryan Madson, who had his 29th save. Bastardo has struggled lately, allowing four walks and four runs in his last three outings.
Im concerned with him, manager Charlie Manuel said. His workload. Hes young. Hes never been this far in a season. Weve got some time to get his confidence back up. You can tell hes concerned about it. But we have time to get him going.
Bastardo leads the staff with 59 appearances. Getting him back on track is crucial to Manuels postseason ideal: Seven-plus innings from the starting pitcher, followed by Bastardo and Madson. Other than Bastardo and Madson, the Phils bullpen has been inconsistent most of the second half of the season.
This game couldnt have started any better for the Phils. Howard hit a three-run homer in the first inninghis 62nd in 199 career games in the final month of the regular seasonand that was more than enough for Halladay to cruise past a team that had given him trouble in the past. His career ERA against Milwaukee coming into the game was 6.41.
The last couple of times I didnt make good pitches against them, Halladay said.
Left unsaid was that he made lots of good pitcheshe threw 120 in allin lowering his ERA to 2.44 on Friday night.
Halladay figures to have three more starts in the regular season. He would like to keep pushing the 120-pitch mark in them to keep up his arm strength for October.
Halladay got into a bases-loaded jam with one out in the fourth, but he got out of it with a double play. Howard called it a classic Halladay game. Few manage tricky spots better than Halladay, who walked three and struck out nine.
The Phils have won five in a row against Atlanta and Milwaukee, two potential playoff opponents. Howard acknowledged that the team is having a lot of fun as it rolls toward 100 wins.
Its a great pace, he said. But at the same time we know what the main goal is. All of this is fine and dandy. But we know what the ultimate goal is. All of this is all for naught if you dont go out and achieve the ultimate goal.
That, of course, is a World Series championship, but you probably already knew that.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com.