2010 Philadelphia Phillies season
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2010 season was the 128th season in the history of the franchise
. The team was the two-time defending National League
champion, having appeared in the 2008
and 2009 World Series
. After defeating the Cincinnati Reds
in the NLDS
, however, the team lost to the San Francisco Giants
in the NLCS
.
, that they would pick up their 1-year, $9 million dollar option on starting pitcher Cliff Lee
, who posted a 4–0 record in the previous postseason. General manager Rubén Amaro, Jr.
informed pitcher Brett Myers
, who had started and relieved in 2009 and sustained several injuries, that the Phillies would not pursue him for a new contract if he filed for free agency. Myers had started the last three opening days for the Phillies. Starting pitcher Pedro Martínez
and infielder Miguel Cairo
also filed for free agency on November 6, the first possible date. Philadelphia also informed third baseman Pedro Feliz
that they declined to pick up his option for the 2010 season, which would have retained him for $5.5 million. The Phillies signed free-agent catcher Brian Schneider
to replace Paul Bako
behind Carlos Ruiz on the depth chart, and replaced Feliz at third base with Plácido Polanco
, who played second base for Philadelphia from 2002 to 2005, and was a Gold Glove-winning second baseman for the prior two seasons with the Detroit Tigers
. Polanco had previously played third base in college, when playing with the St. Louis Cardinals
, and in Philadelphia when David Bell
was injured and Chase Utley
took over at second base.
With Lee under contract for one year, the Phillies traded his rights to the Seattle Mariners
, from whom they received three prospects, including Tyson Gillies
and Philippe Aumont. In a related deal, the Phillies traded three prospects to the Toronto Blue Jays
for the rights to right-handed starting pitcher Roy Halladay
, as well as $6 million cash to cover the difference between the two aces' salaries. The trade for Halladay included a 3-year, $60 million contract extension through 2013 with an option for a 4th season. The trade was the "first of its kind" in the history of the league, the only deal wherein two past winners of the Cy Young Award
changed hands in related transactions.
To complete their bench, the Phillies signed utility infielder Juan Castro
to a one-year contract to replace Eric Bruntlett
, and inked a two-year deal with pinch-hitter and first baseman
Ross Gload
, who replaced Matt Stairs
. In the bullpen, the Phillies signed right-handed relief pitcher Danys Báez
to a two-year contract, and agreed to a one-year deal with right-handed starter and long reliever José Contreras
. Amaro announced that all of the coaches from the 2009 season had also been invited to return.
, defeating them 3–2; Halladay pitched two innings in the opener against CC Sabathia, striking out three and throwing 21 of 24 pitches for strikes. In total, the Phillies went 13–12 in spring training, where a position battle occurred for the fifth spot in the starting rotation between left-handed veteran Jamie Moyer
and young right-hander Kyle Kendrick
. The team announced on March 30 that Moyer had won the fifth position based on his Grapefruit League performance (1–0, 0.77 earned run average
(ERA) in innings). However, Kendrick's performance (0–1, 1.66 ERA in innings) also moved him into the rotation after an oblique
injury to third starter Joe Blanton
. Closer Brad Lidge
and left-handed specialist J. C. Romero also ended spring training on the disabled list
after offseason surgeries.
The Phillies opened the season on the road
for the first time since the opening of Citizens Bank Park
in 2004; they defeated
the Washington Nationals
in their first game of the season, 11–1, behind seven innings from Roy Halladay
and a grand slam
from Plácido Polanco
. Ryan Howard
moved into a tie for fifth place on the franchise's all-time home run
list by hitting his 223rd, matching Greg Luzinski's career total. He passed Luzinski the following day with a two-run home run to center field off of Jason Marquis
in Philadelphia's 8–4 victory, sealing the team's first 2–0 start since the 2003 season. They did not complete the sweep, however, as the Nationals won the third game of the series, 6–5, after newly-acquired relief pitcher Nelson Figueroa
allowed an RBI double
to Ryan Zimmerman
in the seventh inning. The Phillies took sole possession of first place by defeating the Houston Astros
in the opener of their second series on April 9, defeating Brad Mills' new club, 8–0; Raúl Ibáñez
broke out of a spring slump by collecting three hits
and a walk
in four official at bat
s. Jamie Moyer
's first start of the season resulted in the Phillies' fourth win, backed by another Howard home run; Philadelphia scored 41 runs in their first 5 games. A complete-game
victory for Halladay in his second Phillies start sealed the series sweep for Philadelphia, as they defeated the Astros, 2–1, on April 11. Halladay notched both the 150th win and 50th complete game of his career. In the home
opener against Washington, Jimmy Rollins
was scratched from the starting lineup due to a calf strain—which later sent him to the disabled list
—and Jayson Werth
left the game in the fourth inning with a sore hip; however, the Phillies scored five runs in the fifth inning to come from behind and defeat the Nationals, giving Hamels his second victory of the season. Figueroa earned his first victory as a Phillie on April 14 when Philadelphia defeated Washington in the second game of the series, 14–7; their 7–1 start was the best to open a season since 1993, when they appeared in that year's World Series
against the Toronto Blue Jays
. The bullpen, however, allowed a 4–2 lead to turn into a 7–5 loss in the final game of the series; Danys Báez
allowed three runs on home runs by Adam Dunn
and Zimmerman to take the loss.
Opening the final series of the homestand against the Florida Marlins
, manager Charlie Manuel
switched starters Moyer and Halladay in the rotation to keep the latter on normal rest; Halladay responded by allowing two runs in eight innings in an 8–6 victory, supported by Chase Utley
's fourth consecutive contest with a home run. The Marlins defeated the Phillies in the second game of the series, 5–1, as Moyer allowed five runs in the first inning and the Phillies' only run came on a late-game home run by Jayson Werth
. The Marlins took the rubber game of the series with a 2–0 shutout despite eight innings of two-run baseball by Cole Hamels
. Kyle Kendrick
followed Hamels' performance with eight shutout innings on April 20, allowing four hits and walking two, but interim closer Ryan Madson
allowed back-to-back home runs with two outs in the ninth inning to tie the game and José Contreras
gave up another home run in the tenth, sealing the Phillies' third consecutive loss. The next night, Halladay posted the third straight strong performance by the Phillies' rotation, and played the role of stopper by holding the Braves scoreless on five hits to notch his second complete game of the season and the sixteenth shutout of his career. With the win, Halladay became the first pitcher of the season to reach a 4–0 record. The rotation's streak of innings without allowing an earned run extended to 23, as Moyer allowed two unearned runs in six innings; the Phillies won the game, 8–3, and the series, two games to one. The streak was broken, however, the following night, as Hamels allowed four home runs in the span of two innings, and the Phillies lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks
in their first trip west, 7–4.
Figueroa made a spot start for the injured J. A. Happ
in the second game against Arizona, throwing 100 pitches in 5 innings of work; Contreras earned his first win of the season in the 3–2 Phillies victory. However, the Phillies could not earn their fourth consecutive road series victory, as the Diamondbacks defeated Philadelphia, 8–6, after Arizona scored five runs in the fifth inning of the rubber game. Continuing play against the National League West
, Halladay started against the San Francisco Giants
, but lost his first decision
of the season, 5–1, as the Phillies left 22 men on base. The offense fared no better in the second game of the series, ensuring the second straight series loss with a 6–2 defeat. The loss dropped the Phillies out of first place for the first time all season, ending a streak of 135 consecutive games at the top of the division dating back to May 29, 2009. They managed to avoid being swept for the first time by defeating the Giants in 11 innings on April 28, 7–6; starter Tim Lincecum
, winner of the last two National League Cy Young Award
s, allowed one run and struck out eleven Phillies through innings, but a bases-loaded double by Werth against Brian Wilson tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning and Wilson Valdez
batted in the winning run in the eleventh. In the game, Utley became the 5th Phillies player in the last 20 years, and the 32nd in franchise history
, to reach 1,000 career hits, with a single to right field. Philadelphia closed the month with their first game of the year against the division-rival New York Mets
, losing 9–1 to finish with a 12–10 record in the opening month.
Continuing the series with the Mets from the previous month, Halladay completed his second shutout of the season, striking out six batters in a 10–0 victory. The Phillies returned to first place in the division with an 11–5 victory in the series' final game, capped by a grand slam
by Victorino; the 10 runs scored against Mets starter Johan Santana
were the most allowed in a start in his career. Joe Blanton
returned to the starting rotation for his first game of the season; though he allowed one run on seven hits in innings before being relieved, the Phillies lost to the St. Louis Cardinals
in their series opener, 6–3, after the bullpen allowed three inherited runners to score. Carlos Ruiz hit a walk-off home run
in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the second game of the series for Philadelphia, after Hamels and Adam Wainwright
battled to a stalemate, each throwing eight innings of one-run baseball. Home runs by Victorino and Polanco the following evening sealed a second straight victory for the Phillies behind seven scoreless innings from Kendrick. Every starter in the lineup got at least one hit in the final game of the series, save Halladay, who pitched seven innings and allowed two runs. The offense was paced by Werth and Ruiz, who each went 3-for-4 in the game. Werth later said that his three-run home run in the first inning was "big ups to Robin[Roberts] ", the Hall of Fame
Phillies pitcher who died that morning, and who shared Werth's hometown of Springfield
, Illinois
. Werth hit another three-run home run on May 7 against the Braves to back a two-hit, no-walk shutout by Moyer, who became the oldest pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a complete game without allowing a run. The Phillies lost the second game of the series, 4–1, as Blanton took his second consecutive loss since returning from the disabled list, but came back to win the series with a 5–3 victory in Sunday's contest; Victorino, Polanco, and Werth hit home runs, and Brad Lidge
earned his first save of the 2010 campaign.
Playing at Coors Field
to open the team's second trip to the National League West
, the Phillies scored four runs in the ninth inning to win the series opener against the Colorado Rockies
, 9–5. Victorino hit two triples
, and Ruiz notched four hits, including a home run, in five at-bats, the highest single-game total of his career. After weather on May 11 forced a day-night doubleheader the following day, the Rockies defeated Philadelphia, 4–3, on a walk-off home run
by Miguel Olivo
; the second game was postponed again due to additional rain and snow. The Phillies lost Ruiz to a knee injury in the game, sent Lidge back to Philadelphia for tests on his right elbow, and were chastised before the game by Major League Baseball for potentially stealing signs. Next, the team traveled to Wisconsin to face off against the Milwaukee Brewers
, taking the first game of the series, 9–5, from former Phillie Randy Wolf
; Utley, Howard and Ibáñez each hit a home run in the contest, and Victorino batted in three runs. With Madson and Lidge both on the disabled list, Contreras assumed the closer's role and earned his first career save in a 10–6 Phillies victory on May 15. The team completed the sweep with a 4–2 victory on May 16 behind innings and an RBI double from Hamels. A three-run home run from Werth and a late-inning grand slam from Howard gave the Phillies a 12–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates
on May 17, supporting a career-best eight-inning performance from Kendrick; the pair of batters drove in the 10 runs that were the difference in the final score. The two-game series against Pittsburgh ended in a split, however, as Halladay's two-run complete game on May 18 was overshadowed by six innings of one-run baseball pitched by Zach Duke
, handing the Phillies their fourth loss of the month. The team lost consecutive games for the first time in May, as they fell to the Chicago Cubs
the following day, 4–1, but notched a second consecutive series split when Ibáñez drove in the winning run in the eighth inning of the May 20 contest.
Philadelphia opened interleague play
against the Boston Red Sox
on May 21, defeating them, 5–1; J. C. Romero collected his second save of the season to close Hamels' fifth victory, and Werth hit a home run to the second deck in left field. Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka
nearly no-hit
the Phillies in the second game until Juan Castro
singled with two outs in the eighth inning; it was Philadelphia's only hit of the game, as they were defeated, 5–0. The Red Sox took the final game, 8–3, by scoring six earned runs against Halladay, his second consecutive loss and the most runs allowed in a start by the right-hander so far during the season. Traveling to New York for their second series against the Mets, the Phillies were shut out in consecutive games: 8–0 on May 25 by knuckleball
er R. A. Dickey
; and 5–0 on May 26 by Hisanori Takahashi
. Philadelphia was held scoreless for 37 of 38 consecutive innings, with the only runs coming in the final inning of the last game against Boston, and increased that total to 46 of 47 after being shut out again in the final game of the series, 3–0; the Phillies became the first defending league champion in Major League Baseball history not to score a run in a three-game series. It was the first time Philadelphia was shut out in three consecutive games since 1983, the season that they lost to the Baltimore Orioles
in the World Series. The streak ended at 30 consecutive innings (49 of 50) when the Phillies scored in the fourth inning of the May 28 contest to open the Memorial Day
weekend series with Florida; they defeated the Marlins, 3–2, after taking their first lead in a game in a week. Philadelphia completed its second consecutive victory in a pitcher's duel between Halladay and Marlins ace Josh Johnson; Johnson allowed only an unearned run through seven innings, but Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game
in major league history, and the second in franchise history (Jim Bunning
), striking out 11 and retiring all 27 Florida batters in order. The tables were turned the following afternoon as the Marlins shut out the Phillies, 1–0, behind Aníbal Sánchez
, and the month was finished with a 9–3 loss to Atlanta.
Philadelphia opened the third month of the season by breaking a 68-inning streak in which no Phillie had hit a home run; Howard's two-run shot in the sixth inning was one of ten hits for the team, but the Braves defeated them, 7–3. The final game of the series did not bring the Phillies a win. Although Kendrick pitched seven innings—recording the three outs of the seventh on four pitches—and allowed only one run, the Braves scored their second run against Contreras in the eighth inning to win the game, 2–1; it was Atlanta's eighth consecutive victory. After a day off, the Phillies defeated the San Diego Padres
in consecutive games in the Friars' only visit of the season to Philadelphia; Halladay won his eighth decision in a 3–2 victory on June 4, and Moyer followed by becoming the third pitcher to win 100 games after the age of 40 (Jack Quinn
, Phil Niekro
) in a complete-game win on June 5. After scoring five runs against Padres starter Kevin Correia
in less than two innings in the third game, San Diego's bullpen pitched scoreless frames as Philadelphia was defeated in extra innings, 6–5. After Hamels lost a potential no-hitter in the seventh inning on June 7, the Phillies settled for a split with the Padres as they lost, 3–1. The score seesawed back and forth in the first game of the next series with Florida. Ben Francisco
made an error in the outfield and grounded into two double play
s before batting in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning; the final score was 10–8. After the second scheduled game of the series was cancelled due to poor weather conditions, the Marlins won the final game, 2–0; Johnson and Halladay matched up for the first time since the latter's perfect game two weeks prior, and the former left as the victor after pitching eight scoreless innings.
In the second round of interleague play, the Phillies faced the Red Sox for the second time. In the first two games, the Phillies allowed 22 runs in 12–2 and 10–2 losses; Moyer and Blanton, as the starting pitchers, became the fourth set of pitchers in franchise history to allow eight or more earned run
s in the first three innings of consecutive games, and the first pair since 1895. Philadelphia took the final game of the series to collect their second interleague win of the season, defeating Boston, 5–3, behind a four-run inning by the Phillie offense. In a rematch of both the 1950 World Series
and the previous season's Fall Classic
, the Phillies traveled north to face the New York Yankees
for a three-game series beginning on June 16; they were defeated in the series opener, 8–3, although Halladay, who started the game, had been 18–6 with a 2.84 earned run average
against the Yankees in his career. Howard and Werth hit the first back-to-back home runs on the season for the Phillies in the second game of the series to back Moyer's 265th career victory on the 24th anniversary of his first major league start and win, and Philadelphia took the rubber game, 7–1, to close out the series. In the series opener against the Minnesota Twins
, Howard had four hits in four at-bats, finishing a single short of the cycle
and pacing the Phillies offense with two solo home runs, a triple, and a double as Philadelphia won, 9–5. The offense continued in the second game, as the Phillies hit four home runs and entered the ninth inning leading 9–4, but Lidge blew his first save of the season to send the game to extra innings and the Twins won, 13–10, in the 11th frame. The Twins took the final game and the series victory on June 20 behind a complete game from Carl Pavano
; although both pitchers finished the game with identical 8–6 records, it was Halladay's third consecutive loss.
Philadelphia's slate of interleague games was finished with series against the Cleveland Indians
and the Toronto Blue Jays
. Although Moyer allowed
his major league record-tying 505th career home run (tying the recently deceased Roberts), it was the only run, and one of two hits, he gave up to Cleveland in eight innings, and Lidge saved the 2–1 victory for the Phillies in the opener. After being tied 5–5 entering the ninth inning of the second game, the Indians scored in the top of the inning to take a 6–5 lead, but the recently reactivated Rollins hit his first career walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for Philadelphia, 7–6. The Phillies completed the series sweep with a 12–3 victory in which Blanton pitched innings for his third win of the season; Polanco had four hits in five at-bats—Utley and Werth each added three—while catcher Dane Sardinha
hit the first home run of his major league career. Major League Baseball had announced on May 12 that the series scheduled against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre
would be moved to Philadelphia, citing security concerns for the G-20 Summit
. Thus, the Blue Jays batted last as the home team, and the designated hitter
was used. Halladay faced off against his former club for the first time in the regular season, defeating Toronto, 9–0; the offense was paced by three hits and four runs batted in for Ross Gload
, along with four walks from Rollins from the leadoff spot. The game marked the first time that the designated hitter had been used in a National League ballpark during the regular season; Howard was the first player to fill the role. Hamels allowed five runs in four innings in the second game of the series as the Jays defeated Philadelphia, 5–1, snapping their four-game win streak. However, the Phillies capitalized on four Toronto errors
in the rubber game, taking an 11–2 victory and clinching a winning record in interleague play for the first time since the 2007 Phillies season
. In a return to National League play, the Phillies closed June with a series at Great American Ball Park
. They lost to the Cincinnati Reds
in the series opener, 7–3, as Utley sprained his right thumb sliding into second base; the injury led the team to place him on the disabled list, along with Polanco, who had soreness in his elbow. Philadelphia took the second game of the series, 9–6, in extra innings after Lidge gave up a game-tying three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but lost the series after a 4–3 comeback win by Cincinnati to close the month. The Phillies finished the month with a 13–13 record.
The first game of July was also the first of a four-game series against the Pirates; bench coach Pete Mackanin
led the Phillies during Manuel's one-game suspension stemming from an incident with umpire C. B. Bucknor
, but Philadelphia lost, 3–2. Their third consecutive loss came from seven scoreless innings by Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf
, but they broke the streak by defeating Pittsburgh, 12–4, on July 3. The Pirates came back to win the final game of the four-game set, 8–5. Halladay's major-league-leading seventh complete-game victory opened the series with Atlanta, a 3–1 win for the Phillies; however, Philadelphia dropped the second game in extra innings despite eight strikeouts in seven innings from Hamels. A second consecutive loss to Atlanta—7–5 on July 7—dropped the Phillies six games behind
the division leaders, but they defeated the Reds in extra innings the following night, 4–3, on a walk-off home run by Brian Schneider
in the 12th inning. The Phillies continued their winning ways in the late innings the following night, coming back from a six-run deficit in the ninth inning to win, 9–7, in the 10th inning on Howard's home run, and winning the third game on Rollins' RBI single in the eleventh. Another RBI single from Rollins provided the only run in the Phillies' final victory before the All-Star Break
and capped the four-game series sweep for Philadelphia.
After the break, the Phillies opened the season's second half with consecutive losses to the Cubs: 12–6 on July 15, and 4–3 on July 16. In the first game, Howard hit two home runs, but the Cubs scored five runs in the seventh inning when they already owned a four-run lead. Another Howard home run gave the Phillies the lead in the sixth inning of the July 16 contest, but the Cubs promptly tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning and won it with a run in the bottom of the eighth. The Phillies took the third game of the series, 4–1, in Polanco's return from injury, as he tied the game against Chicago closer Carlos Mármol
in the ninth inning on July 17, but Philadelphia could not secure a split in the four-game set, dropping the final match, 11–6, with five earned run
s allowed by Halladay. Moving to St. Louis for their next series against the Cardinals, the Phillies lost the opener, 8–4, as Kendrick allowed five runs in the fifth inning. St. Louis won their seventh straight game with a 7–1 defeat of the Phillies on July 20, and followed it with their eighth straight victory in a 5–1 win on July 21; it was Philadelphia's fourth straight loss. The Phillies avoided the series sweep, however, by winning the final game of the series, 2–0; Polanco hit a two-run home run in the top of the 11th inning after Hamels one-hit the Cardinals through eight.
The Phillies returned home to face the Rockies in a four-game series; they opened with a five-run fifth inning to support Halladay's 11th victory of the year in a 6–0 win, and won their third straight game by handing Colorado starting pitcher Ubaldo Jiménez
his second loss of the season in a 10–2 victory. Two consecutive one-run games—a 4–3 contest on July 25 and a 5–4 win on July 26—sealed the Phillies' series sweep; Schneider hit a two-run triple in the final match to give the Phillies a lead that they did not relinquish, despite two consecutive games of ninth-inning struggles from Lidge. Philadelphia continued against the National League West on July 27 when they opened a series against the Diamondbacks with a 9–5 victory; Howard hit his 23rd home run, but Victorino and Rollins were both injured in the contest. Victorino's abdominal strain put him on the disabled list, and top prospect Domonic Brown was promoted to take his place; Brown went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two runs batted in, and a sacrifice fly in his major league debut the following night, a 7–1 complete-game victory by Halladay. After acquiring starting pitcher Roy Oswalt
in a trade from the Astros for Happ, Valdez sealed Philadelphia's eighth consecutive victory with an 11th-inning single to score Cody Ransom
with one out on July 29. Oswalt made his first start as a Phillies the following night, but the Nationals defeated the Phillies to end their winning streak; Werth hit a solo home run to score the Phillies' only run. A second straight loss to Washington closed Philadelphia's month; after taking a one-run lead against Drew Storen
in the top of the ninth inning, Ryan Zimmerman
hit a walk-off three-run home run against Lidge in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies finished with a 15–13 record in the month of July.
In their first August game, the Phillies avoided being swept by Washington with a 6–4 extra-inning victory; Howard was lost to a sprained ankle in the game, but the Phillies scored two runs against Collin Balester
in the top of the 11th inning and Lidge earned his 11th save. Howard's ankle injury sent him to the disabled list on August 3; John Mayberry, Jr.
was called up in his place. The next night, Halladay batted in two runs and struck out nine hitters over seven innings to notch a 6–1 victory in his first return to the location of his perfect game; Ruiz added four hits, and Francisco had a solo home run. The second game of the series marked a third straight Phillies victory, as Brown backed Kendrick's two-run effort with three runs batted in and an outfield assist
to put out
Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez
at home plate. Philadelphia won its 60th game of the season in extra innings on a Ruiz home run in the top of the 10th; Lidge earned his 12th save as the Phillies swept the Marlins to climb to 12 games over .500. The Mets visited Citizens Bank Park for a three-game series starting on August 6; the Phillies defeated the Mets, 7–5, after scoring six runs in the eighth inning. New York evened the series with a 1–0 victory to hand Hamels his eighth loss of the season despite 11 strikeouts, but Philadelphia took the series with a 6–5 win in Sunday's rubber match; Ibáñez extended his career-long hitting streak to 16 games, while Halladay struck out ten batters in seven innings.
August 10 saw the Dodgers arriving in Philadelphia for a three-game series; despite Brown's first career home run and two from Gload, Kendrick allowed 6 runs in innings, and six pitchers from the bullpen allowed nine more to seal the Phillies' 50th loss of the year, 15–9. The offensive outbursts by both teams were followed by a pitcher's duel on August 11—Chad Billingsley
allowed two runs in six innings of work, but Oswalt scattered five hits and struck out five in seven shutout innings to pick up his first victory as a Phillie; he was followed by Madson and then Lidge, who earned his 15th save with a perfect ninth inning. In the rubber match, the Dodgers scored three runs in the top of the first inning, and led 9–2 by the eighth inning, but Philadelphia scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth, and another four runs in the bottom of the ninth on only one hit, a walk-off RBI double by Ruiz after a hit batter
and two walks by Jonathan Broxton
and an error by Casey Blake
at third base. It was Ruiz' third double against Broxton in three career at-bats. Another series against the Mets at Citi Field yielded the same results as the prior one; Dickey and Hamels engaged in a pitcher's duel in the first game, which the Mets won, 1–0, after the knuckleballer threw a one-hit shutout. In the second game, Halladay turned the tables with an eight-inning shutout performance after the Phillies scored three unearned runs due to an error by third baseman David Wright, snapping a 38-inning scoreless streak at the Mets' home field. Although the Mets filled their line-up with left-handed batters, who had batted .330 through August 14 against Kendrick, he defeated Pelfrey in the final game of the series, 3–1, to seal the Phillies' third consecutive series win by pitching innings and allowing one run. In the next series, the Giants visited Citizens Bank Park to open a ten-game Philadelphia homestand; former Phillie Pat Burrell
hit a home run in the first inning against Oswalt, but the Phillies won, 9–3, behind a two-run single from Rollins and a two-run double from Ruiz. It was Oswalt's first 2010 victory against the Giants; he had faced Lincecum in each of his first three starts against San Francisco, and he sported an 0–3 record with a 3.15 earned run average. Rollins led the Phillies to a second consecutive victory the following night, going 3-for-5 and falling a double short of the cycle in an 8–2 victory. Assured of the series win, the Phillies tried for a three-game sweep in their 100th consecutive sellout, but Hamels allowed three runs in the first inning, and a total of five; the Phillies scored two runs on a double by Sweeney, but could not seal their third straight victory, losing 5–2.
On August 20, Philadelphia began a three-game series against Washington. Halladay captured his sixth straight victory in a 1–0 victory, lowering his ERA to 2.16 despite committing his first balk in over five seasons; the Phillies' only run was plated by Ibáñez in the third inning. Stephen Strasburg
made his first start against the Phillies in the second game, leaving early with an injury; Washington, however, scored eight runs to draw even in the series. Oswalt won his third consecutive game the following day, raising his record in a Phillies uniform to 3–0, to take the series with a 6–0 victory. In the opening game of the next series against Houston, Philadelphia led, 2–1, after seven innings of play, when former Phillies outfielder Michael Bourn
appeared to leave the basepath running from home plate to first base on an infield single. Though Utley, Howard, and Manuel all argued the call—leading to the latter's ejection—the call by umpire Greg Gibson
, later called "controversial", stood and Bourn scored the winning run in the 3–2 Philadelphia loss. Umpiring played a role the following night, as the Phillies and Astros played to extra innings. In the 14th, Howard was called out on a check-swing third strike by Triple-A fill-in umpire Scott Barry
. As Howard tossed his bat toward the dugout, Barry ejected Howard from the game for arguing balls and strikes. After a brief on-field altercation, the Phillies, who were out of bench players, moved Ibáñez to first base and brought on Oswalt to play left field, where he made the first putout of the 15th inning on a fly ball. Ibáñez made the third out on a race to first base with Bourn, but made an error in the 16th during a two-run Astros rally; the Phillies lost their longest game of the season, 4–2. Happ defeated Halladay in his first appearance against Philadelphia since being traded; he allowed 2 runs through innings to secure his fourth victory of the season and seal Halladay's ninth loss. Houston completed the four-game sweep in a 5–1 contest on August 26; it was the Astros' first four-game sweep since they beat the Phillies in four straight games the previous season. After taking the lead from the Padres in the eighth inning of the opener of the next series in San Diego, Lidge balked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, but Rollins scored the winning run from second base on a Polanco single in the twelfth with a slide later described as "fantastic", "athletic", and "unbelievable". Victorino notched two hits and two RBI against right-handed pitcher Jon Garland
in the series' second game, although he had batted only .220 against right-handers through August 26; the Phillies won, 3–1. Philadelphia completed their three-game sweep of San Diego behind eight shutout innings from Hamels and a two-run home run from Sweeney, his first in a Phillies uniform. Against the Dodgers, Hiroki Kuroda
no-hit
the Phillies into the eighth inning on August 30 before Victorino singled; the Phillies lost, 3–0. To complete the month, the Phillies defeated Los Angeles behind Howard's first home run since July 27; the final tally was 8–4 in Philadelphia's favor, finishing the month with a 18–10 record.
, while the Phillies took the nightcap, 7–4. The Phillies took the remaining games of the series as well, winning 8–7 on September 7 and 10–6 the following day, to move into first place in the National League East for the first time since May. Against the rival Mets, Halladay batted in two runs to put the Phillies ahead in the series opener; in doing so, he won his 18th game of the season. New York evened the series in a 4–3 contest on September 11, but Philadelphia bounced back to take their fifth straight series with a 3–0 victory; Oswalt pitched a complete-game shutout, the eighth of his career.
Oswalt's shutout proved to be a harbinger of things to come, as it was the first victory in the Phillies' season-long 11-game winning streak. Their next series against Florida resulted in a sweep, the first of three consecutive series; Philadelphia defeated the Marlins, 11–4, in the series opener behind home runs from Werth, Utley, Ruiz, and Greg Dobbs
. A 2–1 victory in the second contest—in which Hamels struck out 13 Marlins—was Philadelphia's closest win, which was followed by a 10–5 victory on September 16 to close out the series. Three consecutive wins over Washington completed the next series: a 9–1 victory on September 17, highlighted by a six-run first inning; a 5–2 win the following night in which Howard extended his streak of 30 home run and 100 RBI seasons to five; and the sweep completed by a 7–6 contest in which Werth hit a walk-off two-run home run. The next series came against Atlanta, who entered three games behind Philadelphia in the division standings at the start of play on September 20. However, the Phillies swept the Braves with three consecutive victories, beginning with a 3–1 win in which Hamels threw eight innings, calling the game "a chess match" and crediting his improved cut fastball
and curveball
. The second game of the series, which Philadelphia won 5–3, was Halladay's 20th victory of the season; he became the first Phillie pitcher to reach the mark since Steve Carlton
in 1982, and the first right-hander to do so since Roberts in 1955. Werth scored on an Ibáñez double in the bottom of the eighth inning of the final contest to score the game's only run; the Phillies won, 1–0, after Oswalt and the Braves' Tommy Hanson
pitched to a stalemate.
Philadelphia's 11th victory in a row came against the Mets on September 24—they won, 3–2—but they dropped the next two games to New York, 5–2 and 7–3, to notch their first series loss in September. With their magic number
at one, Philadelphia visited Washington with Halladay on the mound; they clinched their fourth consecutive NL East title behind the pitcher's 8–0 shutout victory. The Phillies became the third National League team in history to play in the postseason
in four consecutive seasons, joining the Braves (1991–2005, excluding 1994) and the New York Giants
(1921–1924). In the series' second contest, the Phillies lost, 2–1, while resting several regulars to prepare for the National League Division Series
. They salvaged the series victory, however, with a 7–1 win on September 29; three backup players, including Sweeney, Francisco, and John Mayberry, Jr.
, hit home runs in the game; the Phillies finished the month 21–6. Though some, including Chipper Jones
, had speculated that the final series against the Braves would decide the division, Atlanta sought a wild-card berth after the Phillies had claimed the NL East crown. Philadelphia won the first game of their final series against the Braves to "put[a] dent in Atlanta's playoff plans" behind a Rollins grand slam in the sixth inning. The Phillies continued to play strongly with a third consecutive win, 7–0; after playing to a scoreless tie through six innings, Philadelphia scored four runs in the seventh to take the first lead of the contest. In the season's final game, the Braves clinched the wild card spot to seal their postseason berth with an 8–7 victory over the Phillies. The Phillies finished October with a 2–1 record, and the season at 97–65; it was the first time in franchise history that Philadelphia had completed a season with Major League Baseball's best record.
's best record, the Phillies were the top seed entering the playoffs; since the wild card
winner cannot face a team from their own division in the Division Series
, Philadelphia played the third-seeded Cincinnati Reds
in the first round of the postseason. In the first game, Roy Halladay
threw the second no-hitter
of his career, his second of the season, and the first in National League postseason history, blanking the Reds, 4–0, in his first career playoff start. He became the second pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the postseason (Don Larsen
, 1956) and the first pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a single season since Nolan Ryan
in 1973. In the second game, the Reds' Brandon Phillips
had three hits
, including a double
and a home run
against Philadelphia starting pitcher
Roy Oswalt
, but also committed two of Cincinnati's four errors
. The errors allowed the Phillies to score five unearned runs to take a 7–4 victory over the Reds and a 2–0 lead in the series. Displaying the form he showed in 2008 when he won the League Championship Series
and World Series Most Valuable Player Awards, Cole Hamels
pitched a complete-game shutout in the third game of the series to clinch the Phillies' spot in the National League Championship Series
. Philadelphia's pitchers set a Division Series record, allowing only 11 hits in 3 games, better than the 1998 New York Yankees
' 13 allowed to the Texas Rangers
.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
against the National League West
during the season, the Phillies faced off against that division's champions, the San Francisco Giants
—with whom they split the season series, 3–3—in the National League Championship Series
. Game 1 "had been hyped incessantly because of the matchup between Halladay and Giants ace Tim Lincecum
", and the game ended as a 4–3 victory for the Giants. All of the game's offense was generated via the home run
, with San Francisco's Cody Ross
hitting two solo home runs against Halladay. The second game matched Oswalt against Jonathan Sánchez
; Philadelphia's starting pitcher
allowed one run through eight innings and scored a run sliding in the seventh after running through third base coach Sam Perlozzo
's "stop" sign. The final score was 6–1, with San Francisco's only run coming on Ross' third solo home run of the series. In Game 3, Philadelphia was shut out in the postseason for the sixth time in franchise history; Ross batted in another run to score Edgar Rentería
as the Giants defeated the Phillies, 3–0. The Phillies went 0-for-5 with baserunners in scoring position
. The following night, manager Charlie Manuel
started Joe Blanton
, as planned—instead of Halladay, who would have pitched on short rest—and the Phillies dropped their second consecutive contest. Philadelphia took a 4–2 lead in the fifth inning when Victorino singled to center field to score Ben Francisco
, but San Francisco came back to take a 5–4 lead in the sixth. After the Phillies tied the game, Oswalt pitched the bottom of the ninth inning in relief and gave up a walk-off sacrifice fly to Juan Uribe
. With one loss standing between the Phillies and elimination, Halladay took the mound for Game 5. Although he pulled a groin muscle during the second inning, he completed six innings of work and Philadelphia defeated the Giants, 4–2. The pitcher also sacrificed baserunners to second and third bases with no one out in the third with a bunt "that rolled over home plate", setting up the Phillies' first runs of the game.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
(47 years, 170 days) became the oldest pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a shutout
. Roy Halladay
became the 20th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a perfect game
. Jamie Moyer broke the record for most home runs allowed
in Major League Baseball (506).
History of the Philadelphia Phillies
The history of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League is a long and varied one. The Phillies are based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are a member of the National League East division. Since , the team's home has been Citizens Bank Park in the South Philadelphia...
. The team was the two-time defending National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
champion, having appeared in the 2008
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
and 2009 World Series
2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
. After defeating the Cincinnati Reds
2010 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds' 2010 season was the 121st season for the franchise in Major League Baseball. The Reds began their season at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 5, losing 6 to 11. Cincinnati was coming off a 78-84 season and fourth place in the NL Central. The Reds were managed by...
in the NLDS
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...
, however, the team lost to the San Francisco Giants
2010 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants are an American Major League Baseball team. Their 2010 season marked their 128th year in Major League Baseball, and their fifty-third year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season...
in the NLCS
2010 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 2010 — 7:30 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaIn one of the most touted postseason pitching matchups in recent history, two former Cy Young Award winners faced off: Roy Halladay for the Phillies and Tim Lincecum for the Giants...
.
Offseason
The Phillies announced, following the 2009 World Series2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
, that they would pick up their 1-year, $9 million dollar option on starting pitcher Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
, who posted a 4–0 record in the previous postseason. General manager Rubén Amaro, Jr.
Rubén Amaro, Jr.
Rubén Amaro, Jr. is the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.He is also a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from to . He is the son of former infielder Rubén Amaro, Sr....
informed pitcher Brett Myers
Brett Myers
Brett Allen Myers is a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who is currently playing for the Houston Astros.-High school career:...
, who had started and relieved in 2009 and sustained several injuries, that the Phillies would not pursue him for a new contract if he filed for free agency. Myers had started the last three opening days for the Phillies. Starting pitcher Pedro Martínez
Pedro Martínez
Pedro Jaime Martínez is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He is an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2004 World Series champion...
and infielder Miguel Cairo
Miguel Cairo
Miguel Jesús Cairo is a Major League Baseball utility player who is currently with the Cincinnati Reds. He has mostly played second base during his career, but has played every position in baseball except catcher and pitcher. He currently plays mostly third base, in place of Scott Rolen during his...
also filed for free agency on November 6, the first possible date. Philadelphia also informed third baseman Pedro Feliz
Pedro Feliz
Pedro Julio Feliz is a Dominican Republic minor league baseball third baseman for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball. Feliz has hit 20 or more home runs in four of his first five seasons as a starting third baseman and is an above average fielder at third base...
that they declined to pick up his option for the 2010 season, which would have retained him for $5.5 million. The Phillies signed free-agent catcher Brian Schneider
Brian Schneider
Brian Duncan Schneider is an American Major League Baseball catcher.-Early life:Schneider was born in Jacksonville, Florida to Peter and Karen Schneider...
to replace Paul Bako
Paul Bako
Gabor Paul Bako II is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. Bako is an example of a baseball "journeyman", having played for 11 different major league teams during his 12-year career...
behind Carlos Ruiz on the depth chart, and replaced Feliz at third base with Plácido Polanco
Plácido Polanco
Plácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies and has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers. He is a third baseman, but in the past has played second base and shortstop...
, who played second base for Philadelphia from 2002 to 2005, and was a Gold Glove-winning second baseman for the prior two seasons with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Polanco had previously played third base in college, when playing with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, and in Philadelphia when David Bell
David Bell (baseball)
David Michael Bell is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently the manager of the Triple-A Louisville Bats...
was injured and Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
took over at second base.
With Lee under contract for one year, the Phillies traded his rights to the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, from whom they received three prospects, including Tyson Gillies
Tyson Gillies
Tyson Gillies is a minor league Outfielder in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He was the Seattle Mariners' 25th round selection in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft; signed by Mariners scout Wayne Norton. He graduated R.E...
and Philippe Aumont. In a related deal, the Phillies traded three prospects to the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for the rights to right-handed starting pitcher Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
, as well as $6 million cash to cover the difference between the two aces' salaries. The trade for Halladay included a 3-year, $60 million contract extension through 2013 with an option for a 4th season. The trade was the "first of its kind" in the history of the league, the only deal wherein two past winners of the Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
changed hands in related transactions.
To complete their bench, the Phillies signed utility infielder Juan Castro
Juan Castro
Juan Gabriel Castro is a former Mexican professional baseball infielder. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies, during his career...
to a one-year contract to replace Eric Bruntlett
Eric Bruntlett
Eric Kevin Bruntlett is a retired Major League Baseball utility player who last played in the New York Yankees organization. He was known for his defensive versatility; he usually played second base or shortstop, but has also played left field. Bruntlett played every position except for catcher...
, and inked a two-year deal with pinch-hitter and first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Ross Gload
Ross Gload
Ross Peter Gload is a first baseman and outfielder who is currently a free agent.-High school/college career:...
, who replaced Matt Stairs
Matt Stairs
Matthew Wade Stairs is a former Canadian professional Major League baseball outfielder, first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel, Mike Morgan and Ron Villone...
. In the bullpen, the Phillies signed right-handed relief pitcher Danys Báez
Danys Báez
Danys Báez González is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Báez has previously played for the Cleveland Indians , Tampa Bay Devil Rays , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles , and Philadelphia Phillies .-Cleveland Indians:Báez was signed by the Cleveland...
to a two-year contract, and agreed to a one-year deal with right-handed starter and long reliever José Contreras
José Contreras
José Ariel Contreras Camejo is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently with the Philadelphia Phillies...
. Amaro announced that all of the coaches from the 2009 season had also been invited to return.
Spring training
The Phillies opened their 2010 Grapefruit League play against the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, defeating them 3–2; Halladay pitched two innings in the opener against CC Sabathia, striking out three and throwing 21 of 24 pitches for strikes. In total, the Phillies went 13–12 in spring training, where a position battle occurred for the fifth spot in the starting rotation between left-handed veteran Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer is an American professional left handed baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. At the time of his last game to date , he was the oldest player in the major leagues and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active Major League pitcher...
and young right-hander Kyle Kendrick
Kyle Kendrick
Kyle Rodney Kendrick is a relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
. The team announced on March 30 that Moyer had won the fifth position based on his Grapefruit League performance (1–0, 0.77 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
(ERA) in innings). However, Kendrick's performance (0–1, 1.66 ERA in innings) also moved him into the rotation after an oblique
Abdominal external oblique muscle
The external oblique muscle is the largest and the most superficial of the three flat muscles of the lateral anterior abdomen.-Structure:...
injury to third starter Joe Blanton
Joe Blanton
Joseph Matthew Blanton is a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-College career:...
. Closer Brad Lidge
Brad Lidge
Bradley Thomas "Brad" Lidge is a reliever who is currently a free agent. Nicknamed "Lights Out", he is the all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings among pitchers with at least 200 appearances in their career...
and left-handed specialist J. C. Romero also ended spring training on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
after offseason surgeries.
April
Road (sports)
Road game , more commonly known as an away game, is a reference to all cities and stadia/arenas/fields/venues where an athletic team plays games for which it is not the host. Most professional teams represent cities or towns and amateur sports teams often represent academic institutions...
for the first time since the opening of Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...
in 2004; they defeated
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in their first game of the season, 11–1, behind seven innings from Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
and a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
from Plácido Polanco
Plácido Polanco
Plácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies and has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers. He is a third baseman, but in the past has played second base and shortstop...
. Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard
Ryan James Howard is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Nicknamed "The Big Piece", Howard stands and weighs . He bats and throws left-handed....
moved into a tie for fifth place on the franchise's all-time home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
list by hitting his 223rd, matching Greg Luzinski's career total. He passed Luzinski the following day with a two-run home run to center field off of Jason Marquis
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....
in Philadelphia's 8–4 victory, sealing the team's first 2–0 start since the 2003 season. They did not complete the sweep, however, as the Nationals won the third game of the series, 6–5, after newly-acquired relief pitcher Nelson Figueroa
Nelson Figueroa
Nelson Walter Figueroa, Jr. is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. He attended Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts where he pitched for three years and earned a bachelors degree in American Studies...
allowed an RBI double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
to Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Wallace Zimmerman is a Major League Baseball third baseman with the Washington Nationals. A 6-foot 3-inch player from the University of Virginia and Kellam High School, Zimmerman has been a member of the Nationals since his debut on September 1, 2005...
in the seventh inning. The Phillies took sole possession of first place by defeating the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in the opener of their second series on April 9, defeating Brad Mills' new club, 8–0; Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Javier Ibáñez is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.Over his career, Ibáñez, who did not make 500 plate appearances until the age of thirty, has batted .280 with 377 doubles, 252 home runs and 1054 runs batted in over sixteen Major League seasons...
broke out of a spring slump by collecting three hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in four official at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer is an American professional left handed baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. At the time of his last game to date , he was the oldest player in the major leagues and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active Major League pitcher...
's first start of the season resulted in the Phillies' fourth win, backed by another Howard home run; Philadelphia scored 41 runs in their first 5 games. A complete-game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
victory for Halladay in his second Phillies start sealed the series sweep for Philadelphia, as they defeated the Astros, 2–1, on April 11. Halladay notched both the 150th win and 50th complete game of his career. In the home
Home (sports)
In sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
opener against Washington, Jimmy Rollins
Jimmy Rollins
James Calvin "Jimmy" Rollins , nicknamed "J-Roll", is an All-Star and former MVP shortstop, who most recently played for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League....
was scratched from the starting lineup due to a calf strain—which later sent him to the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
—and Jayson Werth
Jayson Werth
Jayson Richard Gowan Werth is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right-handed.-Background:Werth was born in...
left the game in the fourth inning with a sore hip; however, the Phillies scored five runs in the fifth inning to come from behind and defeat the Nationals, giving Hamels his second victory of the season. Figueroa earned his first victory as a Phillie on April 14 when Philadelphia defeated Washington in the second game of the series, 14–7; their 7–1 start was the best to open a season since 1993, when they appeared in that year's World Series
1993 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe Series' first game sent two staff aces—Curt Schilling for Philadelphia and Juan Guzman for Toronto—against one another. The result was less than a pitcher's duel, however, as both teams scored early and often.The deciding plays...
against the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. The bullpen, however, allowed a 4–2 lead to turn into a 7–5 loss in the final game of the series; Danys Báez
Danys Báez
Danys Báez González is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Báez has previously played for the Cleveland Indians , Tampa Bay Devil Rays , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles , and Philadelphia Phillies .-Cleveland Indians:Báez was signed by the Cleveland...
allowed three runs on home runs by Adam Dunn
Adam Dunn
Adam Troy Dunn , nicknamed "Big Donkey", is an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed....
and Zimmerman to take the loss.
Opening the final series of the homestand against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, manager Charlie Manuel
Charlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball manager of the Philadelphia Phillies...
switched starters Moyer and Halladay in the rotation to keep the latter on normal rest; Halladay responded by allowing two runs in eight innings in an 8–6 victory, supported by Chase Utley
Chase Utley
Chase Cameron Utley is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, before moving on to UCLA...
's fourth consecutive contest with a home run. The Marlins defeated the Phillies in the second game of the series, 5–1, as Moyer allowed five runs in the first inning and the Phillies' only run came on a late-game home run by Jayson Werth
Jayson Werth
Jayson Richard Gowan Werth is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right-handed.-Background:Werth was born in...
. The Marlins took the rubber game of the series with a 2–0 shutout despite eight innings of two-run baseball by Cole Hamels
Cole Hamels
Colbert Michael "Cole" Hamels is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hamels throws a four-seam fastball, a circle changeup, a curveball, and a cut fastball, which he added in 2010...
. Kyle Kendrick
Kyle Kendrick
Kyle Rodney Kendrick is a relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
followed Hamels' performance with eight shutout innings on April 20, allowing four hits and walking two, but interim closer Ryan Madson
Ryan Madson
Ryan Michael Madson , nicknamed "Mad Dog", is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher, who is a currently a free agent...
allowed back-to-back home runs with two outs in the ninth inning to tie the game and José Contreras
José Contreras
José Ariel Contreras Camejo is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently with the Philadelphia Phillies...
gave up another home run in the tenth, sealing the Phillies' third consecutive loss. The next night, Halladay posted the third straight strong performance by the Phillies' rotation, and played the role of stopper by holding the Braves scoreless on five hits to notch his second complete game of the season and the sixteenth shutout of his career. With the win, Halladay became the first pitcher of the season to reach a 4–0 record. The rotation's streak of innings without allowing an earned run extended to 23, as Moyer allowed two unearned runs in six innings; the Phillies won the game, 8–3, and the series, two games to one. The streak was broken, however, the following night, as Hamels allowed four home runs in the span of two innings, and the Phillies lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
in their first trip west, 7–4.
Figueroa made a spot start for the injured J. A. Happ
J. A. Happ
James Anthony "J. A." Happ is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Houston Astros. He is a six-foot-six left-hander. Though his name is James Anthony and his initials are "J...
in the second game against Arizona, throwing 100 pitches in 5 innings of work; Contreras earned his first win of the season in the 3–2 Phillies victory. However, the Phillies could not earn their fourth consecutive road series victory, as the Diamondbacks defeated Philadelphia, 8–6, after Arizona scored five runs in the fifth inning of the rubber game. Continuing play against the National League West
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
, Halladay started against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, but lost his first decision
Decision (baseball)
A decision is a statistical credit given to a baseball pitcher.There are two types of decisions: win and loss.In order to receive a win, the starting pitcher must complete at least five innings and leave with the lead. If the pitcher's lead is preserved by the bullpen, he is credited with a win...
of the season, 5–1, as the Phillies left 22 men on base. The offense fared no better in the second game of the series, ensuring the second straight series loss with a 6–2 defeat. The loss dropped the Phillies out of first place for the first time all season, ending a streak of 135 consecutive games at the top of the division dating back to May 29, 2009. They managed to avoid being swept for the first time by defeating the Giants in 11 innings on April 28, 7–6; starter Tim Lincecum
Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....
, winner of the last two National League Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
s, allowed one run and struck out eleven Phillies through innings, but a bases-loaded double by Werth against Brian Wilson tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning and Wilson Valdez
Wilson Valdéz
Wilson Antonio Valdez is a Major League Baseball utility infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies.-Early career:Valdez was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Montreal Expos on February 4, 1997...
batted in the winning run in the eleventh. In the game, Utley became the 5th Phillies player in the last 20 years, and the 32nd in franchise history
History of the Philadelphia Phillies
The history of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League is a long and varied one. The Phillies are based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are a member of the National League East division. Since , the team's home has been Citizens Bank Park in the South Philadelphia...
, to reach 1,000 career hits, with a single to right field. Philadelphia closed the month with their first game of the year against the division-rival New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, losing 9–1 to finish with a 12–10 record in the opening month.
May
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
by Victorino; the 10 runs scored against Mets starter Johan Santana
Johan Santana
Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....
were the most allowed in a start in his career. Joe Blanton
Joe Blanton
Joseph Matthew Blanton is a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-College career:...
returned to the starting rotation for his first game of the season; though he allowed one run on seven hits in innings before being relieved, the Phillies lost to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in their series opener, 6–3, after the bullpen allowed three inherited runners to score. Carlos Ruiz hit a walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the second game of the series for Philadelphia, after Hamels and Adam Wainwright
Adam Wainwright
Adam Parrish Wainwright is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the St...
battled to a stalemate, each throwing eight innings of one-run baseball. Home runs by Victorino and Polanco the following evening sealed a second straight victory for the Phillies behind seven scoreless innings from Kendrick. Every starter in the lineup got at least one hit in the final game of the series, save Halladay, who pitched seven innings and allowed two runs. The offense was paced by Werth and Ruiz, who each went 3-for-4 in the game. Werth later said that his three-run home run in the first inning was "big ups to Robin
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Phillies pitcher who died that morning, and who shared Werth's hometown of Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Werth hit another three-run home run on May 7 against the Braves to back a two-hit, no-walk shutout by Moyer, who became the oldest pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a complete game without allowing a run. The Phillies lost the second game of the series, 4–1, as Blanton took his second consecutive loss since returning from the disabled list, but came back to win the series with a 5–3 victory in Sunday's contest; Victorino, Polanco, and Werth hit home runs, and Brad Lidge
Brad Lidge
Bradley Thomas "Brad" Lidge is a reliever who is currently a free agent. Nicknamed "Lights Out", he is the all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings among pitchers with at least 200 appearances in their career...
earned his first save of the 2010 campaign.
Playing at Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
to open the team's second trip to the National League West
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
, the Phillies scored four runs in the ninth inning to win the series opener against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, 9–5. Victorino hit two triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and Ruiz notched four hits, including a home run, in five at-bats, the highest single-game total of his career. After weather on May 11 forced a day-night doubleheader the following day, the Rockies defeated Philadelphia, 4–3, on a walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
by Miguel Olivo
Miguel Olivo
Miguel Eduardo Olivo Peña is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners. He bats and throws right-handed.-Career:...
; the second game was postponed again due to additional rain and snow. The Phillies lost Ruiz to a knee injury in the game, sent Lidge back to Philadelphia for tests on his right elbow, and were chastised before the game by Major League Baseball for potentially stealing signs. Next, the team traveled to Wisconsin to face off against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, taking the first game of the series, 9–5, from former Phillie Randy Wolf
Randy Wolf
Randall Christopher Wolf is a left-handed pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball. Randy's older brother Jim is a Major League umpire. Unlike his brother Jim and Houston Astros relief pitcher Ross Wolf, Randy is a boss...
; Utley, Howard and Ibáñez each hit a home run in the contest, and Victorino batted in three runs. With Madson and Lidge both on the disabled list, Contreras assumed the closer's role and earned his first career save in a 10–6 Phillies victory on May 15. The team completed the sweep with a 4–2 victory on May 16 behind innings and an RBI double from Hamels. A three-run home run from Werth and a late-inning grand slam from Howard gave the Phillies a 12–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
on May 17, supporting a career-best eight-inning performance from Kendrick; the pair of batters drove in the 10 runs that were the difference in the final score. The two-game series against Pittsburgh ended in a split, however, as Halladay's two-run complete game on May 18 was overshadowed by six innings of one-run baseball pitched by Zach Duke
Zach Duke
Zachary Thomas Duke is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks...
, handing the Phillies their fourth loss of the month. The team lost consecutive games for the first time in May, as they fell to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
the following day, 4–1, but notched a second consecutive series split when Ibáñez drove in the winning run in the eighth inning of the May 20 contest.
Philadelphia opened interleague play
Interleague play
Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...
against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
on May 21, defeating them, 5–1; J. C. Romero collected his second save of the season to close Hamels' fifth victory, and Werth hit a home run to the second deck in left field. Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka
Daisuke Matsuzaka
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...
nearly no-hit
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
the Phillies in the second game until Juan Castro
Juan Castro
Juan Gabriel Castro is a former Mexican professional baseball infielder. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies, during his career...
singled with two outs in the eighth inning; it was Philadelphia's only hit of the game, as they were defeated, 5–0. The Red Sox took the final game, 8–3, by scoring six earned runs against Halladay, his second consecutive loss and the most runs allowed in a start by the right-hander so far during the season. Traveling to New York for their second series against the Mets, the Phillies were shut out in consecutive games: 8–0 on May 25 by knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
er R. A. Dickey
R. A. Dickey
Robert Allen "R. A." Dickey is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets. He was previously with the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers organizations...
; and 5–0 on May 26 by Hisanori Takahashi
Hisanori Takahashi
is a Japanese Major League Baseball pitcher who is currently with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Career:-Nippon Professional Baseball:Takahashi previously spent his entire professional career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball...
. Philadelphia was held scoreless for 37 of 38 consecutive innings, with the only runs coming in the final inning of the last game against Boston, and increased that total to 46 of 47 after being shut out again in the final game of the series, 3–0; the Phillies became the first defending league champion in Major League Baseball history not to score a run in a three-game series. It was the first time Philadelphia was shut out in three consecutive games since 1983, the season that they lost to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in the World Series. The streak ended at 30 consecutive innings (49 of 50) when the Phillies scored in the fourth inning of the May 28 contest to open the Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend series with Florida; they defeated the Marlins, 3–2, after taking their first lead in a game in a week. Philadelphia completed its second consecutive victory in a pitcher's duel between Halladay and Marlins ace Josh Johnson; Johnson allowed only an unearned run through seven innings, but Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
in major league history, and the second in franchise history (Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning
James Paul David "Jim" Bunning is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and politician.During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1955 to 1971, most notably with the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired, he had the second-highest total of career...
), striking out 11 and retiring all 27 Florida batters in order. The tables were turned the following afternoon as the Marlins shut out the Phillies, 1–0, behind Aníbal Sánchez
Aníbal Sánchez
Aníbal Alejandro Sánchez, Jr. [a-NEE-bal] is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher with the Miami Marlins. He is listed as 6 feet tall and 180 pounds...
, and the month was finished with a 9–3 loss to Atlanta.
June
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in consecutive games in the Friars' only visit of the season to Philadelphia; Halladay won his eighth decision in a 3–2 victory on June 4, and Moyer followed by becoming the third pitcher to win 100 games after the age of 40 (Jack Quinn
Jack Quinn (baseball)
John Picus "Jack" Quinn, born Joannes Pajkos , was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. Quinn pitched for eight teams in three major leagues and made his final appearance at the age of 50.-Biography:Born in Štefurov, Slovakia , Quinn emigrated to America as an...
, Phil Niekro
Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro , nicknamed "Knucksie" because of his usage and skill level with the knuckleball, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997....
) in a complete-game win on June 5. After scoring five runs against Padres starter Kevin Correia
Kevin Correia
Kevin John Correia is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Early life:...
in less than two innings in the third game, San Diego's bullpen pitched scoreless frames as Philadelphia was defeated in extra innings, 6–5. After Hamels lost a potential no-hitter in the seventh inning on June 7, the Phillies settled for a split with the Padres as they lost, 3–1. The score seesawed back and forth in the first game of the next series with Florida. Ben Francisco
Ben Francisco
Louis Ben Francisco is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right handed.-Early life:...
made an error in the outfield and grounded into two double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s before batting in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning; the final score was 10–8. After the second scheduled game of the series was cancelled due to poor weather conditions, the Marlins won the final game, 2–0; Johnson and Halladay matched up for the first time since the latter's perfect game two weeks prior, and the former left as the victor after pitching eight scoreless innings.
In the second round of interleague play, the Phillies faced the Red Sox for the second time. In the first two games, the Phillies allowed 22 runs in 12–2 and 10–2 losses; Moyer and Blanton, as the starting pitchers, became the fourth set of pitchers in franchise history to allow eight or more earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s in the first three innings of consecutive games, and the first pair since 1895. Philadelphia took the final game of the series to collect their second interleague win of the season, defeating Boston, 5–3, behind a four-run inning by the Phillie offense. In a rematch of both the 1950 World Series
1950 World Series
The 1950 World Series was the 47th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as 1950 champions of the National League and the New York Yankees, as 1950 American League champions, competed to win a best-of-seven...
and the previous season's Fall Classic
2009 World Series
The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies, champions of the National League and defending World Series champions, and the New York Yankees, champions of the American League...
, the Phillies traveled north to face the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for a three-game series beginning on June 16; they were defeated in the series opener, 8–3, although Halladay, who started the game, had been 18–6 with a 2.84 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
against the Yankees in his career. Howard and Werth hit the first back-to-back home runs on the season for the Phillies in the second game of the series to back Moyer's 265th career victory on the 24th anniversary of his first major league start and win, and Philadelphia took the rubber game, 7–1, to close out the series. In the series opener against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, Howard had four hits in four at-bats, finishing a single short of the cycle
Hitting for the cycle
In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a "natural cycle". Cycles are uncommon in Major League Baseball , occurring 293 times since the first by Curry...
and pacing the Phillies offense with two solo home runs, a triple, and a double as Philadelphia won, 9–5. The offense continued in the second game, as the Phillies hit four home runs and entered the ninth inning leading 9–4, but Lidge blew his first save of the season to send the game to extra innings and the Twins won, 13–10, in the 11th frame. The Twins took the final game and the series victory on June 20 behind a complete game from Carl Pavano
Carl Pavano
Carl Anthony Pavano is an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher currently with the Minnesota Twins.-Early career:...
; although both pitchers finished the game with identical 8–6 records, it was Halladay's third consecutive loss.
Philadelphia's slate of interleague games was finished with series against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. Although Moyer allowed
Home runs allowed
In baseball statistics, home runs allowed signifies the total number of home runs a pitcher allowed.The record for the most home runs allowed by any pitcher belongs to Jamie Moyer , the oldest active pitcher in the major leagues...
his major league record-tying 505th career home run (tying the recently deceased Roberts), it was the only run, and one of two hits, he gave up to Cleveland in eight innings, and Lidge saved the 2–1 victory for the Phillies in the opener. After being tied 5–5 entering the ninth inning of the second game, the Indians scored in the top of the inning to take a 6–5 lead, but the recently reactivated Rollins hit his first career walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for Philadelphia, 7–6. The Phillies completed the series sweep with a 12–3 victory in which Blanton pitched innings for his third win of the season; Polanco had four hits in five at-bats—Utley and Werth each added three—while catcher Dane Sardinha
Dane Sardinha
Dane Kealoha A. A. Sardinha is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent.-College career:...
hit the first home run of his major league career. Major League Baseball had announced on May 12 that the series scheduled against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
would be moved to Philadelphia, citing security concerns for the G-20 Summit
2010 G-20 Toronto summit
The 2010 G-20 Toronto summit was the fourth meeting of the G-20 heads of government, in discussion of the global financial system and the world economy, which took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during June 26–27, 2010...
. Thus, the Blue Jays batted last as the home team, and the designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
was used. Halladay faced off against his former club for the first time in the regular season, defeating Toronto, 9–0; the offense was paced by three hits and four runs batted in for Ross Gload
Ross Gload
Ross Peter Gload is a first baseman and outfielder who is currently a free agent.-High school/college career:...
, along with four walks from Rollins from the leadoff spot. The game marked the first time that the designated hitter had been used in a National League ballpark during the regular season; Howard was the first player to fill the role. Hamels allowed five runs in four innings in the second game of the series as the Jays defeated Philadelphia, 5–1, snapping their four-game win streak. However, the Phillies capitalized on four Toronto errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in the rubber game, taking an 11–2 victory and clinching a winning record in interleague play for the first time since the 2007 Phillies season
2007 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2007 season began with the Phillies approaching an historic mark. The Phillies started the year with an MLB-record 9,955 losses in franchise history. On July 15, they lost their 10,000th game to the St. Louis Cardinals...
. In a return to National League play, the Phillies closed June with a series at Great American Ball Park
Great American Ball Park
The Great American Ball Park is a Major League Baseball park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home of the National League's Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2003, replacing the Reds' former home, Cinergy Field, which was known as Riverfront Stadium from its opening in June 1970 until the 1996...
. They lost to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in the series opener, 7–3, as Utley sprained his right thumb sliding into second base; the injury led the team to place him on the disabled list, along with Polanco, who had soreness in his elbow. Philadelphia took the second game of the series, 9–6, in extra innings after Lidge gave up a game-tying three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but lost the series after a 4–3 comeback win by Cincinnati to close the month. The Phillies finished the month with a 13–13 record.
July
Pete Mackanin
Peter Mackanin, Jr. is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball who most recently served as the acting manager of the Cincinnati Reds, having replaced Jerry Narron in 2007 before being replaced at season's end by Dusty Baker...
led the Phillies during Manuel's one-game suspension stemming from an incident with umpire C. B. Bucknor
C. B. Bucknor
C. B. Bucknor is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1996 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000...
, but Philadelphia lost, 3–2. Their third consecutive loss came from seven scoreless innings by Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf
Ross Ohlendorf
Curtis Ross Ohlendorf is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is known for his hard-biting sinker. He can hit 97 mph with a two-seam sinking fastball, and he's working to improve his developing changeup, slider, and breaking ball.-High School and College...
, but they broke the streak by defeating Pittsburgh, 12–4, on July 3. The Pirates came back to win the final game of the four-game set, 8–5. Halladay's major-league-leading seventh complete-game victory opened the series with Atlanta, a 3–1 win for the Phillies; however, Philadelphia dropped the second game in extra innings despite eight strikeouts in seven innings from Hamels. A second consecutive loss to Atlanta—7–5 on July 7—dropped the Phillies six games behind
Games behind
In sports, the phrase games behind or games back , is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division...
the division leaders, but they defeated the Reds in extra innings the following night, 4–3, on a walk-off home run by Brian Schneider
Brian Schneider
Brian Duncan Schneider is an American Major League Baseball catcher.-Early life:Schneider was born in Jacksonville, Florida to Peter and Karen Schneider...
in the 12th inning. The Phillies continued their winning ways in the late innings the following night, coming back from a six-run deficit in the ninth inning to win, 9–7, in the 10th inning on Howard's home run, and winning the third game on Rollins' RBI single in the eleventh. Another RBI single from Rollins provided the only run in the Phillies' final victory before the All-Star Break
2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 81st midseason exhibition between the All-Stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
and capped the four-game series sweep for Philadelphia.
After the break, the Phillies opened the season's second half with consecutive losses to the Cubs: 12–6 on July 15, and 4–3 on July 16. In the first game, Howard hit two home runs, but the Cubs scored five runs in the seventh inning when they already owned a four-run lead. Another Howard home run gave the Phillies the lead in the sixth inning of the July 16 contest, but the Cubs promptly tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning and won it with a run in the bottom of the eighth. The Phillies took the third game of the series, 4–1, in Polanco's return from injury, as he tied the game against Chicago closer Carlos Mármol
Carlos Marmol
Carlos Agustín Mármol is a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.-Minor league career:Mármol started his career as a catcher/outfielder...
in the ninth inning on July 17, but Philadelphia could not secure a split in the four-game set, dropping the final match, 11–6, with five earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s allowed by Halladay. Moving to St. Louis for their next series against the Cardinals, the Phillies lost the opener, 8–4, as Kendrick allowed five runs in the fifth inning. St. Louis won their seventh straight game with a 7–1 defeat of the Phillies on July 20, and followed it with their eighth straight victory in a 5–1 win on July 21; it was Philadelphia's fourth straight loss. The Phillies avoided the series sweep, however, by winning the final game of the series, 2–0; Polanco hit a two-run home run in the top of the 11th inning after Hamels one-hit the Cardinals through eight.
Ubaldo Jimenez
Ubaldo Jiménez García is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He pitched the first no-hitter in Colorado Rockies history on April 17, 2010, against the Atlanta Braves.-Colorado Rockies :...
his second loss of the season in a 10–2 victory. Two consecutive one-run games—a 4–3 contest on July 25 and a 5–4 win on July 26—sealed the Phillies' series sweep; Schneider hit a two-run triple in the final match to give the Phillies a lead that they did not relinquish, despite two consecutive games of ninth-inning struggles from Lidge. Philadelphia continued against the National League West on July 27 when they opened a series against the Diamondbacks with a 9–5 victory; Howard hit his 23rd home run, but Victorino and Rollins were both injured in the contest. Victorino's abdominal strain put him on the disabled list, and top prospect Domonic Brown was promoted to take his place; Brown went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two runs batted in, and a sacrifice fly in his major league debut the following night, a 7–1 complete-game victory by Halladay. After acquiring starting pitcher Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
in a trade from the Astros for Happ, Valdez sealed Philadelphia's eighth consecutive victory with an 11th-inning single to score Cody Ransom
Cody Ransom
Bryan Cody Ransom is an American professional baseball utility infielder who is a free agent.-Early life:...
with one out on July 29. Oswalt made his first start as a Phillies the following night, but the Nationals defeated the Phillies to end their winning streak; Werth hit a solo home run to score the Phillies' only run. A second straight loss to Washington closed Philadelphia's month; after taking a one-run lead against Drew Storen
Drew Storen
Drew Patrick Storen is an American baseball relief pitcher for the Washington Nationals. The Nationals selected the 6'1" 170 lb. right-hander No. 10 overall in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft...
in the top of the ninth inning, Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Zimmerman
Ryan Wallace Zimmerman is a Major League Baseball third baseman with the Washington Nationals. A 6-foot 3-inch player from the University of Virginia and Kellam High School, Zimmerman has been a member of the Nationals since his debut on September 1, 2005...
hit a walk-off three-run home run against Lidge in the bottom of the ninth. The Phillies finished with a 15–13 record in the month of July.
August
Collin Balester
Collin Thomas Balester is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball ....
in the top of the 11th inning and Lidge earned his 11th save. Howard's ankle injury sent him to the disabled list on August 3; John Mayberry, Jr.
John Mayberry, Jr.
John Claiborn Mayberry, Jr. is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies...
was called up in his place. The next night, Halladay batted in two runs and struck out nine hitters over seven innings to notch a 6–1 victory in his first return to the location of his perfect game; Ruiz added four hits, and Francisco had a solo home run. The second game of the series marked a third straight Phillies victory, as Brown backed Kendrick's two-run effort with three runs batted in and an outfield assist
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
to put out
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez
Gaby Sanchez
Gabriel "Gaby" Sanchez is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Miami Marlins. He bats and throws right-handed...
at home plate. Philadelphia won its 60th game of the season in extra innings on a Ruiz home run in the top of the 10th; Lidge earned his 12th save as the Phillies swept the Marlins to climb to 12 games over .500. The Mets visited Citizens Bank Park for a three-game series starting on August 6; the Phillies defeated the Mets, 7–5, after scoring six runs in the eighth inning. New York evened the series with a 1–0 victory to hand Hamels his eighth loss of the season despite 11 strikeouts, but Philadelphia took the series with a 6–5 win in Sunday's rubber match; Ibáñez extended his career-long hitting streak to 16 games, while Halladay struck out ten batters in seven innings.
August 10 saw the Dodgers arriving in Philadelphia for a three-game series; despite Brown's first career home run and two from Gload, Kendrick allowed 6 runs in innings, and six pitchers from the bullpen allowed nine more to seal the Phillies' 50th loss of the year, 15–9. The offensive outbursts by both teams were followed by a pitcher's duel on August 11—Chad Billingsley
Chad Billingsley
Chad Ryan Billingsley is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Biography:...
allowed two runs in six innings of work, but Oswalt scattered five hits and struck out five in seven shutout innings to pick up his first victory as a Phillie; he was followed by Madson and then Lidge, who earned his 15th save with a perfect ninth inning. In the rubber match, the Dodgers scored three runs in the top of the first inning, and led 9–2 by the eighth inning, but Philadelphia scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth, and another four runs in the bottom of the ninth on only one hit, a walk-off RBI double by Ruiz after a hit batter
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
and two walks by Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Roy Broxton is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball...
and an error by Casey Blake
Casey Blake
William Casey Blake is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.Blake previously played with the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers. He had alternated between playing at third base and first base before...
at third base. It was Ruiz' third double against Broxton in three career at-bats. Another series against the Mets at Citi Field yielded the same results as the prior one; Dickey and Hamels engaged in a pitcher's duel in the first game, which the Mets won, 1–0, after the knuckleballer threw a one-hit shutout. In the second game, Halladay turned the tables with an eight-inning shutout performance after the Phillies scored three unearned runs due to an error by third baseman David Wright, snapping a 38-inning scoreless streak at the Mets' home field. Although the Mets filled their line-up with left-handed batters, who had batted .330 through August 14 against Kendrick, he defeated Pelfrey in the final game of the series, 3–1, to seal the Phillies' third consecutive series win by pitching innings and allowing one run. In the next series, the Giants visited Citizens Bank Park to open a ten-game Philadelphia homestand; former Phillie Pat Burrell
Pat Burrell
Patrick Brian "Pat" Burrell , nicknamed "Pat the Bat," is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He stands tall and weighs . He bats and throws right-handed...
hit a home run in the first inning against Oswalt, but the Phillies won, 9–3, behind a two-run single from Rollins and a two-run double from Ruiz. It was Oswalt's first 2010 victory against the Giants; he had faced Lincecum in each of his first three starts against San Francisco, and he sported an 0–3 record with a 3.15 earned run average. Rollins led the Phillies to a second consecutive victory the following night, going 3-for-5 and falling a double short of the cycle in an 8–2 victory. Assured of the series win, the Phillies tried for a three-game sweep in their 100th consecutive sellout, but Hamels allowed three runs in the first inning, and a total of five; the Phillies scored two runs on a double by Sweeney, but could not seal their third straight victory, losing 5–2.
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg is a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals, who selected him with the first pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft...
made his first start against the Phillies in the second game, leaving early with an injury; Washington, however, scored eight runs to draw even in the series. Oswalt won his third consecutive game the following day, raising his record in a Phillies uniform to 3–0, to take the series with a 6–0 victory. In the opening game of the next series against Houston, Philadelphia led, 2–1, after seven innings of play, when former Phillies outfielder Michael Bourn
Michael Bourn
Michael Ray Bourn is a professional baseball outfielder with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. He serves as the Atlanta Braves leadoff hitter. He has also been a member of the United States national baseball team....
appeared to leave the basepath running from home plate to first base on an infield single. Though Utley, Howard, and Manuel all argued the call—leading to the latter's ejection—the call by umpire Greg Gibson
Greg Gibson
Gregory Allan Gibson is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1997 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues since 2000. Throughout his career, he has worn the number 53 on his uniform...
, later called "controversial", stood and Bourn scored the winning run in the 3–2 Philadelphia loss. Umpiring played a role the following night, as the Phillies and Astros played to extra innings. In the 14th, Howard was called out on a check-swing third strike by Triple-A fill-in umpire Scott Barry
Scott Barry
Scott Adam Barry is currently an umpire in Major League Baseball . He recently finished his first full-time season as an MLB umpire after previously serving as a replacement from the Triple-A level...
. As Howard tossed his bat toward the dugout, Barry ejected Howard from the game for arguing balls and strikes. After a brief on-field altercation, the Phillies, who were out of bench players, moved Ibáñez to first base and brought on Oswalt to play left field, where he made the first putout of the 15th inning on a fly ball. Ibáñez made the third out on a race to first base with Bourn, but made an error in the 16th during a two-run Astros rally; the Phillies lost their longest game of the season, 4–2. Happ defeated Halladay in his first appearance against Philadelphia since being traded; he allowed 2 runs through innings to secure his fourth victory of the season and seal Halladay's ninth loss. Houston completed the four-game sweep in a 5–1 contest on August 26; it was the Astros' first four-game sweep since they beat the Phillies in four straight games the previous season. After taking the lead from the Padres in the eighth inning of the opener of the next series in San Diego, Lidge balked in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, but Rollins scored the winning run from second base on a Polanco single in the twelfth with a slide later described as "fantastic", "athletic", and "unbelievable". Victorino notched two hits and two RBI against right-handed pitcher Jon Garland
Jon Garland
Jon Steven Garland is a right-handed starting pitcher, who is currently a free agent.-High school career:At John F...
in the series' second game, although he had batted only .220 against right-handers through August 26; the Phillies won, 3–1. Philadelphia completed their three-game sweep of San Diego behind eight shutout innings from Hamels and a two-run home run from Sweeney, his first in a Phillies uniform. Against the Dodgers, Hiroki Kuroda
Hiroki Kuroda
is a professional baseball player from Osaka, Japan who is currently a free agent. He is a starting pitcher, who most recently pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers .-Early days:...
no-hit
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
the Phillies into the eighth inning on August 30 before Victorino singled; the Phillies lost, 3–0. To complete the month, the Phillies defeated Los Angeles behind Howard's first home run since July 27; the final tally was 8–4 in Philadelphia's favor, finishing the month with a 18–10 record.
September and October
The Phillies opened the season's final full month with victories on four consecutive days. On September 1, they defeated the Dodgers, 5–1, to complete their last series of the year against a National League West team; Oswalt no-hit Los Angeles through innings and was supported by a career-high three doubles from Utley. After a one-game stop in Colorado to make up the rainout from May 11—Philadelphia won, 12–11—the Phillies returned home to play their final series against the National League Central, facing the Brewers. Hamels stretched his scoreless streak to 18 consecutive innings in a 1–0 victory, and Philadelphia took a second straight one-run victory on September 4 in a 5–4 win. However, they could not complete the sweep, as Milwaukee won the series' final game, 6–2. The next series against Florida opened with a doubleheader, which the teams split; the Marlins won the day game, 7–1, behind six innings of one-hit ball from rookie Adalberto MéndezAdalberto Méndez
Adalberto Méndez is a professional baseball pitcher. He made his Major League Baseball debut for the Florida Marlins in 2010....
, while the Phillies took the nightcap, 7–4. The Phillies took the remaining games of the series as well, winning 8–7 on September 7 and 10–6 the following day, to move into first place in the National League East for the first time since May. Against the rival Mets, Halladay batted in two runs to put the Phillies ahead in the series opener; in doing so, he won his 18th game of the season. New York evened the series in a 4–3 contest on September 11, but Philadelphia bounced back to take their fifth straight series with a 3–0 victory; Oswalt pitched a complete-game shutout, the eighth of his career.
Oswalt's shutout proved to be a harbinger of things to come, as it was the first victory in the Phillies' season-long 11-game winning streak. Their next series against Florida resulted in a sweep, the first of three consecutive series; Philadelphia defeated the Marlins, 11–4, in the series opener behind home runs from Werth, Utley, Ruiz, and Greg Dobbs
Greg Dobbs
Gregory Stuart Dobbs is a Major League Baseball infielder. Dobbs is primarily a third baseman, but can also field the corner outfield positions and first base.-Early career:...
. A 2–1 victory in the second contest—in which Hamels struck out 13 Marlins—was Philadelphia's closest win, which was followed by a 10–5 victory on September 16 to close out the series. Three consecutive wins over Washington completed the next series: a 9–1 victory on September 17, highlighted by a six-run first inning; a 5–2 win the following night in which Howard extended his streak of 30 home run and 100 RBI seasons to five; and the sweep completed by a 7–6 contest in which Werth hit a walk-off two-run home run. The next series came against Atlanta, who entered three games behind Philadelphia in the division standings at the start of play on September 20. However, the Phillies swept the Braves with three consecutive victories, beginning with a 3–1 win in which Hamels threw eight innings, calling the game "a chess match" and crediting his improved cut fastball
Cutter (baseball)
In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball. Some...
and curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
. The second game of the series, which Philadelphia won 5–3, was Halladay's 20th victory of the season; he became the first Phillie pitcher to reach the mark since Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
in 1982, and the first right-hander to do so since Roberts in 1955. Werth scored on an Ibáñez double in the bottom of the eighth inning of the final contest to score the game's only run; the Phillies won, 1–0, after Oswalt and the Braves' Tommy Hanson
Tommy Hanson
Thomas J "Tommy" Hanson is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. Hanson was considered by Baseball America to be the top prospect in the Braves farm system going into the 2009 season...
pitched to a stalemate.
Philadelphia's 11th victory in a row came against the Mets on September 24—they won, 3–2—but they dropped the next two games to New York, 5–2 and 7–3, to notch their first series loss in September. With their magic number
Magic number (sports)
In certain sports, a magic number is a number used to indicate how close a front-running team is to clinching a season title. It represents the total of additional wins by the front-running team or additional losses by the rival team after which it is mathematically impossible for the rival team...
at one, Philadelphia visited Washington with Halladay on the mound; they clinched their fourth consecutive NL East title behind the pitcher's 8–0 shutout victory. The Phillies became the third National League team in history to play in the postseason
Major League Baseball postseason
The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...
in four consecutive seasons, joining the Braves (1991–2005, excluding 1994) and the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1921–1924). In the series' second contest, the Phillies lost, 2–1, while resting several regulars to prepare for the National League Division Series
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...
. They salvaged the series victory, however, with a 7–1 win on September 29; three backup players, including Sweeney, Francisco, and John Mayberry, Jr.
John Mayberry, Jr.
John Claiborn Mayberry, Jr. is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies...
, hit home runs in the game; the Phillies finished the month 21–6. Though some, including Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
, had speculated that the final series against the Braves would decide the division, Atlanta sought a wild-card berth after the Phillies had claimed the NL East crown. Philadelphia won the first game of their final series against the Braves to "put
Record vs. opponents
| § | National League East National League East The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles... |
| † | National League Central National League Central The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the Western Division and three teams from the Eastern Division of the National League... |
| * | National League West National League West The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other... |
| Team | Record |
|---|---|
| Arizona Diamondbacks Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field... * |
4–2 |
| Atlanta Braves Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997.... § |
10–8 |
| Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... † |
2–4 |
| Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890.... † |
5–2 |
| Colorado Rockies Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains... * |
6–1 |
| Florida Marlins Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at... § |
13–5 |
| Houston Astros Houston Astros The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field... † |
3–4 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming... * |
4–2 |
| Milwaukee Brewers Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League... † |
5–1 |
| New York Mets New York Mets The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League... § |
9–9 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions... † |
2–4 |
| San Diego Padres San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times... * |
5–2 |
| San Francisco Giants San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division.... * |
3–3 |
| St. Louis Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to... † |
4–4 |
| Washington Nationals Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium... § |
12–6 |
| Interleague play Interleague play Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season... |
10–8 |
Game log
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Phillies win | |
| Phillies loss | |
| Postponement | |
| Bold | Phillies team member |
| 2010 Game Log | |
|---|---|
Roster
All players who made an appearance for the Phillies during 2010 are included.| † | Indicates players who started on Opening Day in 2010 |
| 2010 Philadelphia Phillies | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers† | Catchers† Infielders†††† |
Outfielders††† | Manager Coaches (bullpen) (pitching) (hitting) (1B) (bench) (3B) (hitting) |
||||||
National League Division Series
Having clinched the National LeagueNational League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's best record, the Phillies were the top seed entering the playoffs; since the wild card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
winner cannot face a team from their own division in the Division Series
National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series...
, Philadelphia played the third-seeded Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in the first round of the postseason. In the first game, Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
threw the second no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
of his career, his second of the season, and the first in National League postseason history, blanking the Reds, 4–0, in his first career playoff start. He became the second pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the postseason (Don Larsen
Don Larsen
Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
, 1956) and the first pitcher to throw two no-hitters in a single season since Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
in 1973. In the second game, the Reds' Brandon Phillips
Brandon Phillips
Brandon Emil Phillips is a second baseman for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds. The Raleigh, North Carolina native was selected in the second round of the 1999 draft by the former Montreal Expos after signing a letter of intent to play both baseball and football at the University of Georgia...
had three hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, including a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
against Philadelphia starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
, but also committed two of Cincinnati's four errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
. The errors allowed the Phillies to score five unearned runs to take a 7–4 victory over the Reds and a 2–0 lead in the series. Displaying the form he showed in 2008 when he won the League Championship Series
League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award
The second round of the Major League Baseball post-season is known as the League Championship Series . This series has a best-of-seven playoff format, and currently follows the Division Series, in which the three division champions and one wild card team from each league play against each other...
and World Series Most Valuable Player Awards, Cole Hamels
Cole Hamels
Colbert Michael "Cole" Hamels is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hamels throws a four-seam fastball, a circle changeup, a curveball, and a cut fastball, which he added in 2010...
pitched a complete-game shutout in the third game of the series to clinch the Phillies' spot in the National League Championship Series
2010 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 2010 — 7:30 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaIn one of the most touted postseason pitching matchups in recent history, two former Cy Young Award winners faced off: Roy Halladay for the Phillies and Tim Lincecum for the Giants...
. Philadelphia's pitchers set a Division Series record, allowing only 11 hits in 3 games, better than the 1998 New York Yankees
1998 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1998 season was the 96th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a franchise record regular-season standing of 114-48, 22 games ahead of the second-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East...
' 13 allowed to the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
National League Championship Series
Having collected a 22–10 recordWinning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
against the National League West
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
during the season, the Phillies faced off against that division's champions, the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
—with whom they split the season series, 3–3—in the National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
. Game 1 "had been hyped incessantly because of the matchup between Halladay and Giants ace Tim Lincecum
Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....
", and the game ended as a 4–3 victory for the Giants. All of the game's offense was generated via the home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
, with San Francisco's Cody Ross
Cody Ross
Cody Joseph Ross is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has played with the Detroit Tigers , Los Angeles Dodgers , Cincinnati Reds , and Florida Marlins and San Francisco Giants...
hitting two solo home runs against Halladay. The second game matched Oswalt against Jonathan Sánchez
Jonathan Sanchez
Jonathan O. Sánchez is a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals....
; Philadelphia's starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
allowed one run through eight innings and scored a run sliding in the seventh after running through third base coach Sam Perlozzo
Sam Perlozzo
Samuel Benedict Perlozzo is a former second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball, most recently with the Baltimore Orioles...
's "stop" sign. The final score was 6–1, with San Francisco's only run coming on Ross' third solo home run of the series. In Game 3, Philadelphia was shut out in the postseason for the sixth time in franchise history; Ross batted in another run to score Edgar Rentería
Edgar Rentería
Edgar Enrique Rentería Herazo , nicknamed "The Barranquilla Baby," is a Colombian professional baseball shortstop. He throws and bats right-handed. Previously, he has played for the Florida Marlins, the St...
as the Giants defeated the Phillies, 3–0. The Phillies went 0-for-5 with baserunners in scoring position
Scoring position
In the sport of baseball, a baserunner is said to be in scoring position when he is on second or third base. The distinction between being on first base and second or third base is that a runner on first can usually only score if the batter hits an extra base hit, while a runner on second or third...
. The following night, manager Charlie Manuel
Charlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder and current Major League Baseball manager of the Philadelphia Phillies...
started Joe Blanton
Joe Blanton
Joseph Matthew Blanton is a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-College career:...
, as planned—instead of Halladay, who would have pitched on short rest—and the Phillies dropped their second consecutive contest. Philadelphia took a 4–2 lead in the fifth inning when Victorino singled to center field to score Ben Francisco
Ben Francisco
Louis Ben Francisco is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. He bats and throws right handed.-Early life:...
, but San Francisco came back to take a 5–4 lead in the sixth. After the Phillies tied the game, Oswalt pitched the bottom of the ninth inning in relief and gave up a walk-off sacrifice fly to Juan Uribe
Juan Uribe
Juan C. Uribe Tena is a Dominican Republic professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. He began his career in 1997 when he was signed to the Colorado Rockies, and played with the team until December 3, 2003 when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox...
. With one loss standing between the Phillies and elimination, Halladay took the mound for Game 5. Although he pulled a groin muscle during the second inning, he completed six innings of work and Philadelphia defeated the Giants, 4–2. The pitcher also sacrificed baserunners to second and third bases with no one out in the third with a bunt "that rolled over home plate", setting up the Phillies' first runs of the game.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Footnotes
Jamie MoyerJamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer is an American professional left handed baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. At the time of his last game to date , he was the oldest player in the major leagues and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active Major League pitcher...
(47 years, 170 days) became the oldest pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
. Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...
became the 20th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
. Jamie Moyer broke the record for most home runs allowed
Home runs allowed
In baseball statistics, home runs allowed signifies the total number of home runs a pitcher allowed.The record for the most home runs allowed by any pitcher belongs to Jamie Moyer , the oldest active pitcher in the major leagues...
in Major League Baseball (506).