Worley, Stutes, Bastardo.
That’s definitely not the pitching combination that Charlie Manuel drew up to start the season, but it’s the trio that shut down the Red Sox Wednesday to ensure a series win over the heavily favored squad from Boston.
Vance Worley pitched seven strong innings for his second straight quality start, and Michael Stutes and Antonio Bastardo pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings to complete the 2-1 win.
All three have become viable fantasy options and with the bullpen injuries and the injury to Roy Oswalt, all three should be key parts to the Phillies run toward October.
If Worley keeps pitching like this and Oswalt continues to struggle with injuries, Worley could easily become the Phils fourth starter in the playoffs.
And it’s not too early to talk about it. The Phils picked up their 51st win at the midway mark and are on pace to win 102 games.
The offensive struggles could be used as a counter argument to why the Phils won’t win 100, but when they continually win one-run, two-run games like they did Wednesday, it’s hard to argue against it.
Worley did just enough, and Wednesday’s hero was Raul Ibanez, who drove in the game’s first run with a single and then homered in the seventh to drive in the game-winning run.
“I was just trying to be aggressive tonight,” Ibanez said after the game. “I think it was down, but I got the fat part on in and hit it out.”
Now the Phils will send out Cole Hamels Thursday to try and complete the sweep, as well as win his 10th game of the season. A win would of course be more in the fashion that Charlie drew it out to start the season.
That’s definitely not the pitching combination that Charlie Manuel drew up to start the season, but it’s the trio that shut down the Red Sox Wednesday to ensure a series win over the heavily favored squad from Boston.
Vance Worley pitched seven strong innings for his second straight quality start, and Michael Stutes and Antonio Bastardo pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings to complete the 2-1 win.
All three have become viable fantasy options and with the bullpen injuries and the injury to Roy Oswalt, all three should be key parts to the Phillies run toward October.
If Worley keeps pitching like this and Oswalt continues to struggle with injuries, Worley could easily become the Phils fourth starter in the playoffs.
And it’s not too early to talk about it. The Phils picked up their 51st win at the midway mark and are on pace to win 102 games.
The offensive struggles could be used as a counter argument to why the Phils won’t win 100, but when they continually win one-run, two-run games like they did Wednesday, it’s hard to argue against it.
Worley did just enough, and Wednesday’s hero was Raul Ibanez, who drove in the game’s first run with a single and then homered in the seventh to drive in the game-winning run.
“I was just trying to be aggressive tonight,” Ibanez said after the game. “I think it was down, but I got the fat part on in and hit it out.”
Now the Phils will send out Cole Hamels Thursday to try and complete the sweep, as well as win his 10th game of the season. A win would of course be more in the fashion that Charlie drew it out to start the season.
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