The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs, 8-7, on Thursday night in Game 2 of their two-game series. Roy Halladay pitched well for eight innings, giving up three earned runs and seven hits with four strikeouts. He almost didn't get the win after the Cubs nearly erased a five-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Jacob Diekman came in for Halladay, and promptly walked two and hit Ian Stewart with a pitch to load the bases. Welington Castillo hit a double with two outs to score three runs. Jonathan Papelbon replaced Diekman and gave up a hit to Darwin Barney to score Castillo and bring the Cubs to within one run, 8-7. Fortunately, pinch hitter Reed Johnson grounded out on a 1-2 pitch to give Papelbon his 11th save of the season and Halladay his first win since April 16.
Chris Volstad's long winless streak continued. The Cubs' starter lasted just two innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs before being pulled in favor of Casey Coleman. Carlos Ruiz batted in his first of three RBIs on the night in the first inning to put the Phillies on the board. He would finish 3-for-4 from the plate. Hunter Pence batted in two more runs on a second inning single to score Jimmy Rollins and Juan Pierre.
The Phillies capped their scoring with a three-run eighth inning. A throwing error by Chicago reliever Blake Parker scored Halladay and Rollins, and Ruiz hit his third RBI to bring Pence around home. The Phillies finished with 14 hits as a team, earning six walks and one base on an error.
Halladay gave up one run on a Starlin Castro sac fly in the first. He pitched five scoreless innings until the seventh, when Castro led the inning off with a home run to left field. Castillo hit another homer to lead off the eighth, but Halladay retired the next three batters to end the inning.
The Phillies head back home for a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox beginning Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET.
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