Phillies Vs. Pirates: Philadelphia Falls, 5-4, Loses Series, 2-1

The Philadelphia Phillies lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4, in the series finale on Sunday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The Pirates won the series, 2-1.

After two straight games with only one run produced, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel shook up the lineup. The result was a little better on the scoreboard. Philadelphia scored four runs after only scoring two combined through the first two contests. Unfortunately for the Phillies, the Pirates' bats were hotter on Sunday. Pittsburgh got five runs on 11 hits.

Hunter Pence started the scoring for Philadelphia in the first inning. His double sent Shane Victorino home. Neither team would score until the 4th inning when Pence smashed a solo homer into the left center bleachers. The Phillies lost the shutout in the 5th inning when Pedro Alvarez hit a solo shot for Pittsburgh. Juan Pierre answered for Philadelphia in the 7th inning with a single that sent Ty Wigginton and Freddy Galvis around to score. Alvarez and Casey McGehee were driven in by the Pirates in the bottom of the 7th. The Pirates tied the game at 4 in the bottom of the 8th on a 2-out single. After a scoreless 9th for Philadelphia, the Pirates got the winning run with 2 outs on Andrew McCutchen's walk-off RBI single to deep center field.

Vance Worley got the start for the Phillies and went 6 innings. He gave up five hits and the home run by Alvarez while striking out five and walking one. Kyle Kendrick gave up the only other earned run in the game for the Phillies before the 9th inning. David Herndon took the loss for Philadelphia. He had McCutchen down 0-2 before giving up the game-winning hit on a full count. Antonio Bastardo had the blown save. Joel Hanrahan, who pitched the 9th inning, picked up the win for the Pirates.

For more Phillies coverage, visit our team page or our blog The Good Phight.

Phillies Vs Pirates Sunday Starting Lineup

The Phillies have released their starting lineup for their Easter Sunday series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates. After two straight games where the Phils managed just one run, Charlie Manuel has made notable changes to his lineup.

Juan Pierre will get his first start leading off and playing center field in place of John Mayberry. Jim Thome gets his first start of the season at first base in the cleanup spot and Brian Schneider gives Carlos Ruiz a break in the 9 hole. Ty Wigginton makes his first start of the year at 3B in place of Placido Polanco.

The full lineup is as follows.

1. Juan Pierre, LF
2. Shane Victorino, CF
3. Jimmy Rollins, SS
4. Hunter Pence, RF
5. Jim Thome, 1B
6. Ty Wigginton, 3B
7. Freddy Galvis, 2B
8. Brian Schneider, C
9. Vance Worley, P

It’s certainly a different lineup, but not necessarily better on paper. Plus, it’s one that should certainly be a downgrade as far as defense is concerned. The game gets underway at 1:35pm on WPHL17 today.

Pirates Vs. Phillies, Game 3: Philadelphia, Vance Worley Hope To Take Opening Series Against Pittsburgh

The Philadelphia Phillies have already used up their two strongest guns in their season-opening series with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the results were a 1-1 start to the season. On Sunday, the Phillies hope their starting pitching dominance (two earned runs in two games) continues as Vance Worley opposes the Pirates James McDonald (1:35 p.m. on PHL 17).

On Saturday, despite a solid effort from Cliff Lee, who allowed one run in six innings, Philadelphia fell to Pittsburgh, 2-1, in 10 innings. Lee's performance wasn't as impressive on Roy Halladay's start the day before, a eight-inning, no-run, five-strike out performance that helped the Phillies earn a 1-0 victory.

The two dominant starts by Lee and Halladay sets the stage for Worley, who ended last season 11-3 with a 3:03 ERA, while McDonald went 9-9 with a 4.21 ERA in his first full major league season.

For more Phillies coverage, visit our team page or our blog The Good Phight.

Phillies Vs. Pirates Final Score: Philly Falls In Extras

Cliff Lee did his part, tossing six sensational innings for the Phillies on Saturday night, but the Pirates were able to squeeze past Philadelphia 2-1 in ten innings.

Lee passed the ball off to his bullpen in a 1-1 ballgame, and they were able to get the job done for three and two thirds innings before Alex Presley scored on a Michael McKenry infield single off of Joel Blanton in the tenth.

Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco each collected a pair of hits for the Phillies, but they weren't able to solve Jeff Karstens, who threw six innings of worthwhile stuff in his first start of the season.

The loss drops Philadelphia to 1-1 in the early part of the 2012 season, and they'll square off with Pittsburgh once more on Sunday afternoon, with Vance Worley scheduled to take the mound.

For more Phillies coverage, visit our team page or our blog The Good Phight.

Phillies Vs Pirates: Cliff Lee Makes His 2012 Debut

Cliff Lee makes his 2012 debut on Saturday for the Philadelphia Phillies against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, two days after Roy Halladay and Jonathan Papelbon combined for a two-hit shutout to get Philadelphia's season started the right way.

Lee was 17-8 during the 2011 season with a 2.40 ERA over 32 starts, finishing in third place in the NL Cy Young voting behind winner Clayton Kershaw and teammate Halladay.

The Pirates already saw evidence that Lee's arm if feeling lively again to begin this season, as the lefty threw six scoreless innings during a spring training outing against Pittsburgh on March 27. Lee finished spring training with a 2.45 ERA in 25.2 innings.

Jeff Karstens, who was 9-9 with a 3.38 ERA last season, gets the start for the Pirates.

For more Phillies coverage, visit our team page or our blog The Good Phight.

Roy Halladay Dominant During Opening Day Start Against Pittsburgh Pirates

Roy Halladay spun a two-hit gem through eight innings during a 1-0 Opening Day win against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, settling down after allowing consecutive singles to open the game.

It was the type of start the Phillies have come to expect from Halladay.

"He got on a roll and he definitely wasn't making any mistakes. He was putting the ball exactly where he wanted it to go, he was making them hit what he wanted them to hit," explained manager Charlie Manuel.

"I felt like I got a little better as the game went on, a little bit more of a groove," Halladay said. "The tempo helped, but any time you're in a close game like that, every pitch is going to matter. Any pitch, any at-bat can change the outcome of the game, so that's always in mind -- but you're still just trying to simplify the game and make quality pitches."

For more from the Phillies on Halladay's dominant first start, click here or watch the video below:

Phillies Vs. Pirates: Jonathan Papelbon's First Save In Philadelphia No Different

How did Jonathan Papelbon react to his first save opportunity with the Philadelphia Phillies?

The same as he would have reacted in Fenway Park with the Boston Red Sox.

"To be honest with you, I felt the same as I felt the past seven seasons in Boston. There was no real difference. I enjoy all my saves just as much," the Phillies' newly-acquired closer told reporters after closing out Philadelphia's 1-0 Opening Day victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Pressure is something that makes me tick," Papelbon added. "I enjoy those types of games, those close ball games."

Explained manager Charlie Manuel, "It seemed like when he first came in, he popped a couple fastballs and all of a sudden, there at the end, it looked like he started to get more loose. He started letting the ball go a little and, yeah, he's good. He's everything that he's built up to be."

For more on Papelbon's save, click here or watch the video below:

For more Phillies coverage, visit our team page or our blog The Good Phight.

Roy Halladay Shines As Phillies Shut Out Pirates On Opening Day

Roy Halladay looked in midseason form as he and Jonathon Papelbon combined on a 2-hit shutout as the Phillies beat the Pirates 1-0 on opening day in Major League Baseball. Doc allowed two hits to the first two batters of the day and that was it. He would strike out 5 over 8 innings and even added a hit.

The Phils' offense today came mostly from Carlos Ruiz, who finished 3-3 with a sac fly to knock in the only run of the day. That came in the 7th when Ty Wigginton singled and John Mayberry Jr (2-4 on the day) doubled. Ruiz hit the sac fly to right to score Wiggington, but the rally would end when rookie Freddy Galvis grounded out to short.

Speaking of Galvis, it was about as poor of a debut as could be imagined for the young second baseman. He was 0-4 on the day, grounding into two double plays and striking out. According to Dan Roche, he's just the second player since 1947 to ground into double plays in each of his first two major league at bats.

The Phillies biggest offseason acquisition, Jonathon Papelbon, came to pitch a perfect ninth for his first save as a Phillie.

In the absence of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, great pitching and good defense (particularly from John Mayberry today) is probably what it's going to take to win ball games. With Halladay, Lee & Hamels at the top of the rotation, the Phils can do that, as we saw today.

Cliff Lee makes his season debut Saturday night against Jeff Karstens as the series continues.

Phillies Vs Pirates Update: Halladay Dealing, Galvis Struggling

The Phillies and Pirates were locked in a pitchers duel through six innings in their opening day matchup, until the Phils offense finally broke through the in the top of the 7th.

Phillies Opening Day Starting Lineup: Victorino Leads Off

The Phillies have released their starting lineup for today's 1:35 opening day matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Flyin' Hawaiian will be leading off.