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PHILADELPHIA(AP) All
Wes Helms
needed to get him going were some boos from an unforgiving crowd.
Helms homered and drove in four runs,
Chris Volstad
pitched 6 2-3 strong innings and the
Florida Marlins
beat the
Philadelphia Phillies
5-3 on Monday night.
Ryan Howard
hit a pair of homers for the NL East-leading Phillies, while
Jamie Moyer
failed in his fifth try to earn his 250th win.
Helms was a bust in his only season in Philadelphia in 2007. Signed to a $5.45 million, two-year contract as a free agent,
Helms batted .246 with five homers and 39 RBIs in 280 at-bats. Naturally, Phillies fans let him hear it whenever he plays
here.
''It doesn't bother me,'' Helms said. ''It actually drives me to try even harder to do well.''
If that's what it takes, maybe Marlins fans should give Helms an earful at home. He's only hitting .246 with one homer and
10 RBIs.
Volstad (4-3) allowed three runs and six hits.
Dan Meyer
retired the only batter he faced,
Leo Nunez
pitched a perfect eighth and
Matt Lindstrom
finished for his ninth save in 11 chances.
''He was throwing his curveball and pounding the strike zone,'' Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Volstad. ''I was very
encouraged the way he pitched.''
Moyer (3-5) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings, falling to 12-2 against the Marlins. The 46-year-old left-hander
has improved his last two starts after a dreadful stretch. His ERA dropped slightly to 7.42.
''I feel I'm back to where I need to be,'' Moyer said.
Back from an 8-2 road trip, the defending World Series champions continued to struggle at home. They're 8-13 at Citizens Bank
Park, and a major league-best 16-6 on the road.
Moyer breezed through the first three innings, retiring seven straight before running into trouble in the fourth.
Hanley Ramirez
and
Jorge Cantu
walked to start the inning. Moyer thought he struck out Helms on a close 2-2 pitch, but didn't get the call. Helms drove the
next offering out to left for his first homer of the season, giving the Marlins a 3-2 lead.
''Walks kill you,'' Moyer said. ''It's the game right there.''
Ronny Paulino
's RBI single with two outs in the sixth increased Florida's lead to 4-2. Howard led off the bottom half with an opposite-field
shot to left-center.
Helms' RBI single off
Chan Ho Park
in the seventh gave Florida a two-run cushion.
The Phillies jumped on Volstad in the first. After
Raul Ibanez
drew a two-out walk, Howard hit the first pitch he saw high off the brick batter's eye in straightaway center for a 2-0 lead.
Volstad pitched out of a jam in the fourth after consecutive singles by
Shane Victorino
and
Pedro Feliz
put runners at first and third with one out. Volstad struck out
Carlos Ruiz
and Moyer to preserve a one-run lead.
''That was a real good team win for us,'' Volstad said. ''Everyone contributed.''
Victorino led off the ninth with a walk against Lindstrom, and pinch-hitter
Matt Stairs
came to the plate as the potential tying run. But Victorino inexplicably tried to steal second and was thrown out by Paulino.
''It was a stupid mistake,'' Victorino said.
Notes: Marlins LHP
Renyel Pinto
was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation. RHP
Cristhian Martinez
was called up from Double-A Jacksonville to take his spot. ... Park had five strikeouts in three innings. ... Howard has 18
career multihomer games. His previous one came against Washington last Sept. 3. ... Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel
plans to stick with struggling closer
Brad Lidge
, who blew saves in consecutive games against the
New York Yankees
this weekend. Lidge has converted eight of 12 save chances this season after going 48 for 48 last year, including the postseason.
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