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Martinez vaults Phillies over Cubs

Jul 20, 2011 - 5:25 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Michael Martinez provided the heroics for Philadelphia on Tuesday night as his two-run bloop double in the ninth inning lifted the Phillies to a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs in the second of a three-game set.

A two-run double from Chase Utley in the eighth tied the game and Martinez put the team ahead in the ninth off of Sean Marshall (5-4).

The first two batters in the frame recorded outs, but pinch-hitter Ben Francisco kept the inning alive with a single to center. Jimmy Rollins then hit a hot shot to third that Aramis Ramirez was unable to field cleanly. Martinez then hit a blooper to shallow right near the line that dropped in and both runners came home for a 4-2 lead. Martinez was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.

Antonio Bastardo set the Cubs down in order in the bottom of the frame for his seventh save of the season as the Phillies rebounded from a 6-1 loss in the opener on Monday.

"We stayed after them, we stayed with them," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Utley got the big hit in the gap and scored two runs, tied the game up. Martinez hit the ball down the right field line, a great place."

The win prevented the Phils from dropping consecutive games for the first time since losing four straight from May 31-June 4. The best team in the majors has lost consecutive games just four times this season.

At the other end, the Cubs, who have the second-worst record in the majors, have not won two straight since taking two in a row from the Giants to end June and have not won three straight all season long.

Both of the starters had strong outings as Cliff Lee went six innings for Philadelphia and gave up two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and Matt Garza carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and was touched for just one run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts over seven-plus innings.

Garza said he doesn't blame the bullpen for blowing another solid outing from him.

"They want to win just as bad as I do," he said. "There's not blaming anybody, it's just the way the ball bounces."

Before the game the Phils activated center fielder Shane Victorino from the 15-day disabled list. He had been on the DL since July 8 -- retroactive to July 4 -- with a thumb injury.

The Cubs wasted no time in taking the lead off of Lee as Reed Johnson led off with a double and Starlin Castro ripped the first pitch he saw over the ivy in left field for his third homer of the year.

Philadelphia didn't get its first hit until Domonic Brown doubled to left with one out in the fifth and he was left there as the next two batters recorded outs.

The Cubs had men at first and third with one out in the fifth, but Lee bore down and got Ramirez to pop out and Jeff Baker to look at strike three.

Martinez was left at second in the sixth after Utley and Ryan Howard struck out.

In the eighth, Rollins led off with a single to chase Garza and bring out Marshall. Martinez then singled and Utley followed with a one-hopper off the wall in left-center to even the contest. Howard then struck out for the third time and Victorino followed with a chopper to short that a drawn-in Castro fielded cleanly and threw out Utley at home. Raul Ibanez then struck out to end the frame.

Michael Stutes (4-1) grabbed the win for the game as he stranded two Cubs in the seventh then worked a scoreless eighth before Martinez lifted the team to victory.

Game Notes

The Phillies have just two errors over their last 73 innings. Their 45 errors are tied with the Chicago White Sox for the fewest in the majors this season...The Cubs have scored 55 runs in the first inning this season...To make room for Victorino, the team optioned Pete Orr to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.