Phils Comebacks Fall Short Twice as Cubs Sweep Twinbill

CHICAGO -- A day after a ninth inning comeback for a win at ice cold Wrigley Field, the Phillies efforts for a repeat performance fell short. Twice.

The Phillies were swept in both games of a doubleheader, 4-3 and 5-3, against the Chicago Cubs. Making up Monday's snow-out, the Phils and Cubs were forced to play two Wednesday because of Major League Baseball's new unbalanced schedule, designed so teams face teams in their division more often. Not only was Wednesday the Phillies last two games in Chicago this season, it was the last time the two teams will meet all year.

The two losses drop the Phillies to 8-6 as they hold a half-game lead on the Montreal Expos for first place in the NL East.

Game 1
Kevin Tapani gave the Chicago Cubs what they needed Wednesday, and then was pulled in preparation for his next start in just three days.

The veteran righthander allowed nine hits but just one run over 5 2/3 innings and the Cubs' bullpen was able to hold a three-run advantage in a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader.

Tapani (3-0) will make his next start Sunday and Cubs manager Don Baylor pulled him after just 96 pitches, despite another game to follow Wednesday afternoon.

"It was not his stuff," Baylor said. "It was just that we kept him on a count. He changed speeds real well."

"The Phillies did a nice job of fouling off some tough pitches and running up my pitch count," Tapani said. "Sometimes I made good pitches and they were able to just get enough of them so they would fall in."

Courtney Duncan allowed Philadelphia to get back in the game by giving up a pair of runs, but Felix Heredia, Kyle Farnsworth and Jeff Fassero combined to hold down the Phillies over the final 2 2/3 innings.

Fassero worked a perfect ninth for his major league-leading seventh save.

Philadelphia, which scored four times in the ninth inning to win Tuesday's game, tried rallying earlier Wednesday with a pair of runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell's bloop double to center.

Scott Rolen scored on the play but Mike Lieberthal, who represented the tying run but did not immediately take off from first with two outs, reached only third, where he was left when Marlon Anderson flied out.

Farnsworth got Anderson to end the seventh and pitched the eighth. Fassero worked a perfect ninth to give the Cubs their sixth win in seven games.

Chicago scored twice in the first before Burrell's second homer of the season in the second cut the deficit in half. But Anderson dropped a potential double play relay in the third, opening the door for two runs and a 4-1 lead for the Cubs.

"It was a big play. It's a play that has to be made in the big leagues," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "He (shortstop Jimmy Rollins) gave him a good feed and he just missed it."

Bruce Chen (0-1) started for Philadelphia and allowed four runs -- three earned -- and five hits in five innings, striking out four with one walk.

"My curveball was great today," Chen said. "I had it going in the bullpen. But the first two innings I couldn't get my fastball over for strikes."

"I thought Chen threw good. He made a few mistakes early but he hung in there and battled," Bowa added. "He got us a double play ball, but we didn't turn it and it cost us the game."

Wednesday's doubleheader was necessary after Monday's game was postponed by snow. On Tuesday, the teams played in wintry conditions and Wednesday's game-time tempature was a more comfortable 54 degrees.

"The weather was nice and it was definitely better than yesterday," Chen added.

Game 2
Jason Bere continues to pay early dividends for the Chicago Cubs.

The righthander tossed eight scoreless innings and the Cubs withstood a three-run ninth to complete a doubleheader sweep with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Signed as a free agent in the offseason, Bere (3-0) allowed two runs and four hits over eight-plus innings with three walks and eight strikeouts. He joined Kevin Tapani, the Game One winner, as the National League's only three-game winners.

"I thought I had great stuff from the bullpen on," Bere said. "I really wanted to get that shutout. I've never had one in my career but (manager Don Baylor) was right for getting me out of there. I was toast."

After retiring 10 straight batters, Bere tired in the ninth, walking Scott Rolen and Bobby Abreu to start the inning. After throwing a ball to Pat Burrell, he was replaced by Mike Fyhrie, who struck out Burrell but gave up an RBI single to Rob Ducey.

"I knew he (Bere) had never had (a shutout) before and it was on my mind, but once he threw a pitch behind Rolen, I knew he was on fumes," Baylor said.

Fyhrie struck out Kevin Jordan before walking Gary Bennett to load the bases. Jeff Fassero yielded a two-run double to pinch hitter Mike Lieberthal before getting rookie Jimmy Rollins to fly to center to end the game.

"Our guys need to know that we need to go out there and play nine innings," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "Hopefully, what we did in the ninth will carry over to the next game."

Fassero saved both ends of the doubleheader and leads the National League with eight. The Cubs posted their first sweep since July 19, 1997 against the Colorado Rockies.

"I told our pitching coach, Oscar Acosta, that if Don needed me for the second game I was available," Fassero said. "To be honest, I think I threw better in the second game than the first."

"It's not like I demanded it from him," Baylor added. "He told me he was available. I asked him to be honest with me and he said, `I have some pitches left in my arm.'"

Fassero, a converted starter, has grown comfortable in his new role.

"I think as long as I'm doing the job, they'll have a hard time replacing me," he said.

Chicago (10-5) has won seven of its last eight games and became the first National League team to reach 10 victories.

"Right now, our team is feeling really good about itself," Cubs left fielder Rondell White said. "The thing about it for people like myself is that we're healthy. We've got a lot of players on this team who are either coming back from injuries or have had tough injuries during their career. I think you're seeing now if we stay healthy, what we can do on the field."

Bill Mueller gave Bere an early lead with a solo homer off Randy Wolf (0-3) in the bottom of the first. The Cubs stretched their lead to 4-0 in the fourth on White's leadoff homer, Todd Hundley's RBI double and Ricky Gutierrez's run-scoring single.

After Bere worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, the Cubs tacked on their final run in the bottom half against reliever Eddie Oropesa.

Mueller led off with a single and took third on a single by White, who advanced to second on the throw. After Sammy Sosa was intentionally walked to load the bases, Chris Brock induced Julio Zuleta to ground into a run-scoring forceout.

Wolf surrendered four runs and six hits over four-plus innings.

"I didn't do my job out there today," he said. "I felt my command was just a little bit off. I left some pitches up and the Cub players didn't miss them. Hopefully, I'll do a better job next time out."

The Phillies have dropped three of their last four and four of their last six.

ComcastSportsNet.com & Sportsticker




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