Since the All-Star break the Fightin’ Phils of Philadelphia have gone 35-21 and currently have a 72-72 record overall.
On July 14 the Phillies were 14 games under .500 and most fans put away their jerseys and started looking forward to football season. With Tuesday’s 9-7 win over the Miami Marlins the team broke the .500 mark for the first time since June 3 and have pulled off seven straight wins before their loss Thursday against the Houston Astros
At the trade deadline the Phillies shipped two fan favorites in Shane Victorino, and Hunter Pence to the west coast in return for prospects and much needed cap room. This left many fans disgruntled with thoughts that the trades would blow any chances of the Phillies making a late Wild Card push. Now they are four games out of the wild card and have won 15 out of there last 20 games.
With Chase Utley and Ryan Howard returning to the middle of the lineup it has taken a load of stress of the rest of the players on the team. Also, players like Kevin Frandsen and Erik Kratz have filled in nicely playing for injured veterans Carlos “Chooch” Ruiz and Placido Polanco. Another bonus has been the pitching of rookies Philippe Aumont and Tyler Cloyd.
Aumont has worked into a reliableeighthinning man, which the Phillies so desperately needed, and Tyler Cloyd who went 15-1 with a 2.26 ERA in the Phillies Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley has looked promising in his first few starts with the team.
With All-Stars Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Carlos Ruiz all healthy to go along with an above average pitching staff there’s no doubt the Phils are dangerous. Making postseason play will be no easy task but now sitting four games outside the Wild Card with 18 games still to play it’s definitely a possibility. Playoffs or not Philadelphia is reminding everyone that they’re not called the “Fightin” Phillies just because it rhymes.
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