Moyer lifts struggling Phillies past Nats

By Angelo Saggiomo
The Phanatic Magazine

Jamie Moyer pitched eight-plus strong innings, yielding two runs on four hits with five strikeouts as Philadelphia edged Washington, 4-2, in the finale of a quick two-game set at RFK Stadium.

Shane Victorino finished 3-for-5 with one run batted in and a run scored and Aaron Rowand homered for the Phillies, who halted a two-game skid. Jimmy Rollins had two hits, one RBI and scored a run in the win.

First baseman Ryan Howard, who is hitting just .213 with one home run and seven RBI, sat out the game due to a sprained ligament in his left knee. The reining NL MVP suffered the injury while running out a fielder's choice grounder in the 10th inning of Wednesday's 13-inning 5-4 loss to Washington. He is listed as day-to-day.

Dmitri Young went 2-for-3 with a run scored and one RBI for the Nationals, who have dropped two of three. John Patterson (0-3) absorbed the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in four-plus innings with four walks and one strikeout.

Washington made it interesting in the ninth by scoring twice off Moyer (2-1), but Tom Gordon held his own and escaped with his third save of the season.

Ryan Zimmerman led off with a double and then scored on Young's two-bagger. Gordon then came on to relieve the crafty left-hander, but hit Austin Kearns with a pitch and gave up a single to Ryan Church to load the bases.

Robert Fick's sac fly, however, was the only other run the Nationals could muster as Gordon got pinch-hitter Brian Schneider to ground out and froze Chris Snelling with a curve ball to end the game.

Philadelphia took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning when Rollins scored from second on Victorino's single.

Rowand's lead-off homer in the second gave the Phillies a two-run edge.

The Phillies made it a 3-0 game in the fifth on Wes Helms' sac fly and added another run in the sixth when Rollins' base hit plated Carlos Ruiz, who reached on a double.

Philadelphia continued to struggle with runners in scoring position, leaving 10 on base.

Phillies activate Lieber from DL

By Angelo Saggiomo
The Phanatic Magazine

The Philadelphia Phillies activated right-hander Jon Lieber from the 15-day disabled list on Monday.

Lieber suffered a strained right oblique muscle last month after losing a spot in the starting rotation during spring training.

However, with Freddy Garcia on the DL, the 13-year veteran could reclaim that spot. Lieber finished 9-11 with a 4.93 earned run average in 27 starts last season.

Following Sunday's 6-4 loss at Florida, the Phillies optioned pitchers Zack Segovia and Joe Bisenius to Triple-A Ottawa. Segovia was the losing pitcher in the game, yielding five runs on eight hits in five innings of work.

Reliever Francisco Rosario, who was acquired from Toronto on Friday, also joined the team.