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Phillies battle back, down Diamondbacks

May 8, 2008 - 6:18 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- It took nearly seven innings, but the Philadelphia Phillies finally found a way to score.

Eric Bruntlett tied it up with an RBI double and Chase Utley plated the go-ahead run with a single in the eighth to lead the Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

The Phillies managed two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to battle back from 3-1 and 4-3 deficits en route to their third win in the last four games.

"As long as our pitching is keeping us in the game, we will put some runs on you," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "We got guys who are not hitting but, at the same time, we have to stay after them. That is when the pitching and defense comes into play."

With Philadelphia trailing, 3-1, in the seventh, Geoff Jenkins reached on a one-out single to right. Pedro Feliz followed and drove an 0-1 pitch from Arizona starter Micah Owings into the left-center field stands for a two-run blast to tie the game at 3-3.

The Diamondbacks answered right back, going up, 4-3, on Conor Jackson's RBI double to center that scored Eric Byrnes.

Jackson's night ended in pain in the next inning, however, when Chad Qualls struck out Shane Victorino but sent the pitch to the backstop.

Arizona catcher Chris Snyder fired the ball to first to try to complete the out, but the throw was up the line just a bit, and Victorino's head slammed right into Jackson's outstretched arm.

"I feel a little nauseous and have a headache," Jackson said. "It was a fluky play. His helmet got me. I didn't know where he was down the line and didn't think he was as far down the line as he was. He is a guy you don't want on base. There was nothing he could have done."

Victorino stayed in the game, but Jackson was replaced by Chris Burke.

"I got his elbow and my helmet got him a bit," Victorino said. "When I saw (Snyder) miss the ball, I wanted to hustle down the line and beat it out. As I got close, I could see (Jackson) coming across, I hope he is OK."

Bruntlett's double then scored Victorino, and Utley followed with the go-ahead RBI single off Qualls (0-3).

"It was 2-0 fastball and, in that situation with a man on second and nobody out, I was just trying to get the man over to third," Utley said. "Anytime you can come back, it makes you feel good. They have a good club over there, but we hung in there and got the win."

The late-inning fireworks overshadowed another solid outing by Owings, who allowed three runs and four hits in seven frames while striking out seven and walking two.

"I thought he pitched great," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "The only bad pitch was to Feliz, but they really didn't have much of anything off him. He gave up very few hits and pitched real well."

Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth to earn his eighth save for the Phillies. The righthander has yet to allow a run in 16 innings this season.