|
|
 |
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Kevin Jordan's first career grand slam capped a six-run seventh inning as the Philadelphia Phillies posted an 8-3 triumph over the Atlanta Braves. After Kevin Millwood gave Atlanta six solid innings, Odalis Perez (1-2) started the seventh and surrendered a single to rookie Jimmy Rollins. Scott Rolen walked and Bobby Abreu bounced into a forceout at second base. Mike Lieberthal put the Phillies ahead 3-2 on an infield hit and Travis Lee walked to load the bases. Marc Valdes was brought in to face Pat Burrell, who was 9-for-13 in his career with the bases loaded, and got the Philadelphia slugger to bounce to second. But Braves second baseman Quilvio Veras bobbled the ball and could only get the out at second base. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox opted to intentionally walk Marlon Anderson and Jordan came up as a pinch hitter and homered over the left-field wall for an 8-2 lead. It was Jordan's sixth career pinch-hit homer and the first pinch-hit grand slam for Philadelphia since Jim Eisenreich accomplished the feat August 23, 1995. "I don't even know where (the pitch) was at," Jordan said. "I think it was down and I just put the barrel on it. That's it. I wasn't looking for anything. ... Just to get a ball to hit and put a good swing on it." "I don't feel bad," Perez said. "I threw three good pitches. (You) just keep playing, see what's going to happen next time." It also marked Philadelphia's first homer with a man on base this season. Millwood allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings, walking two and striking out a pair. "Four games now, I think I've had one bad inning out of all four," Millwood said. "It's not all coming together for me right now. ... I feel like I'm throwing the ball well. That's all I worry about" Philadelphia starter Omar Daal allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out five. Wayne Gomes (2-0) tossed a hitless seventh inning to notch the victory before Rickey Bottalico retired the final six batters. Philadelphia continues to get solid production from its suspect bullpen. Gomes has an ERA of 0.82 while Bottalico's is 0.93. Closer Jose Mesa has five saves in six chances. "No matter who we play, I'm glad we won," Phillies manager Larry Bowas said. "Obviously, when you battle a team like this team -- a team that everyone picks (to win the division) between them and the Mets every year -- it's gotta feel good." The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Andruw Jones' fourth homer and added another run in the sixth on an RBI double by Chipper Jones. Philadelphia finally solved Millwood in the sixth. Abreu led off with a double and one out later Lee singled to right. Burrell got the Phillies within a run with a base hit and pinch hitter Rob Ducey came through with a two-out bloop single that knotted the contest. Atlanta, which fell to 8-9 this season, dropped to 0-1 on its 10-game road trip. "Hopefully, it'll start happening soon, because if it doesn't, we could dig ourselves a hole we might not be able to get out of," Chipper Jones said.
|
