MINNEAPOLIS – Red-faced and slumping behind a desk, Charlie Manuel looked totally spent after the Phillies’ 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night (see Instant Replay).
“Had 'em all the way,” he said as soon as reporters entered his office. “Jeez … Are you kidding me.”
The Phillies had 16 hits -- 16 -- but scored just three runs. They left 16 men on base.
Manuel was asked if he could explain how a team could get 16 hits and score just three runs.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I can’t explain it. We just didn’t knock anybody in.”
Only two of the 16 hits were for extra bases. That’s a big reason the Phils didn’t score more. They also had a runner thrown out at the plate.
“But at least we got guys on base,” Manuel said. “We can always have a chance to knock them in if they’re on base. Usually they’re not on base. Tonight we didn’t knock them in, but we knocked in enough.”
Kevin Frandsen started a decisive rally in the eighth with a double and scored the tying run on a hit by Michael Young. Ben Revere scored the go-ahead run on a ground out by Jimmy Rollins. Revere had four hits.
“That’s the best I’ve seen him play,” Manuel said. “The best he’s hit the ball and run. His speed was a factor.”
Cliff Lee got the win with seven strong innings and Mike Adams, who has struggled lately, set up Jonathan Papelbon’s save with his first clean inning in six appearances.
“I needed that -- big time,” Adams said. “It’s been a while. It felt good. I just tried to get ahead and throw strikes and let them get themselves out. It’s been a while since I had a clean inning.”
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for the Phillies. They are 32-35 heading into Denver on Friday night.
“This is a start,” Adams said. “We’ll see where it takes us.”