Astros bullpen implodes as Phillies roll to big win

Baseball Betting Lines

05/25/2008 - Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Geoff Jenkins, Pat Burrell and Chase Utley each homered in Philadelphia's 15-6 romp over Houston, as the Phillies unloaded on the Astros' bullpen to earn a split in the four-game series.

Jenkins recorded three hits and scored three runs, while Utley and Shane Victorino each knocked in three runs for Philadelphia, which had dropped two straight. Nine of the Phillies' season-high 16 hits went for extra bases.

Cole Hamels, who entered the game in the midst of a 19-inning scoreless stretch, had his shortest outing of the season, lasting just four innings while giving up a season-high six runs on seven hits without recording a strikeout. The bullpen came up huge, however, throwing five innings of scoreless ball with Rudy Seanez (3-3) picking up the win after tossing a scoreless fifth.

Carlos Lee homered and drove in four for Houston, and Lance Berkman went 2- for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.

Chris Sampson allowed four runs on five hits in his five-inning start, but the Astros bullpen allowed 11 runs over four innings. Fernando Nieve (0-1) took the loss after a brutal appearance, surrendering four runs on four hits without recording an out.

After J.R. Towles grounded into an inning-ending force out with the bases loaded in the home fifth, the Astros' bullpen imploded while trying to hold a 6-4 lead.

Nieve surrendered a leadoff homer to Burrell, whose line drive barely cleared the short wall in left. It was all downhill for Houston from there, as three consecutive hits, highlighted by Carlos Ruiz's game-tying single, ended Nieve's poor showing.

Wesley Wright didn't fare much better, allowing a Jimmy Rollins run-scoring groundout and a Victorino two-run double to conclude the five-run frame.

The Phillies put the finishing touches on the blowout by batting around in a six-run seventh. Pedro Feliz recorded an RBI single and Greg Dobbs brought home two with a triple down the right field line.

Victorino added another RBI single and Utley crushed Dave Borkowski's offering to the second deck in right with one man on, giving the Phillies enough breathing room to cruise the rest of the way.

Most of the game was played with just three umpires, as home plate umpire Jerry Crawford was plunked by the backswing of Lee in the first inning.

Play was stopped for 12 minutes as first base umpire Rob Drake took over home plate duties. After the delay, Lee blasted a payoff pitch over the left field wall, snapping Hamels' scoreless streak and giving the Astros a quick 3-0 lead.

Jenkins brought two back in the Phils' next at-bat by connecting on his third home run of the season, a two-run blast to left.

Utley's sacrifice fly to center scored Hamels to tie things in the third, but Houston responded with two in the home half as Berkman had an RBI single and Lee produced a run-scoring groundout after Houston's double steal.

Hamels and Michael Bourn each recorded an RBI in the fourth.

Game Notes

Coming into the game, Hamels posted a 3-0 mark with a 3.14 ERA in four starts against Houston...Ryan Howard was the only Phillies starter not to record a hit...Sampson had faced the Phils four times (three starts), going 0-2 with a 6.19 ERA... Miguel Tejada, who celebrated his 34th birthday on Sunday, extended his hitting streak to 10 games...Hamels has allowed nine first-inning runs in 11 starts...Philly's 15 road wins lead the National League...Berkman recorded his career-high 10th stolen base in the game...Crawford was taken to a local hospital but he did not lose consciousness and likely suffered a mild concussion...J.C. Romero, Clay Condrey and Ryan Madson combined to throw four scoreless innings in relief for the Phils.

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