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Werth plates go-ahead run as Phillies extend lead

Sep 23, 2008 - 4:05 AM By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- No matter what the venue is, the Philadelphia Phillies continue to own the Atlanta Braves.

Jayson Werth snapped an eighth-inning tie with an RBI fielder's choice and Pat Burrell followed with a three-run home run as the Phillies defeated the Braves for the 14th time in 16 games by posting a 6-2 victory in the opener of a three-game series.

The win moved the Phillies (89-68) 2 1/2 games ahead of the New York Mets (86-70) for first place in the National League East. The Mets dropped a 9-5 decision to the Chicago Cubs on Monday.

Philadelphia has dominated the Braves this season, taking all nine meetings in Atlanta and five of seven at Citizens Bank Park.

"It's just a stat," Burrell said. "(But) I think it's pretty impressive that we haven't lost in (Atlanta's) ballpark. There's been a lot of years when it hasn't been like that."

"I can't remember a team beating us like this," Atlanta's Chipper Jones added. "It's not like they pummeled us. We basically handed some games to them, like tonight."

The score was tied 2-2 in the eighth when Jeff Bennett came on in relief of Braves starter Jeff Jurrjens. Pinch hitter Greg Dobbs greeted the righthander with a single before leaving in favor of pinch runner Greg Golson.

"(Golson's) the fastest guy we've got to go from first to (third)," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.

As Jimmy Rollins stepped to the plate, Bennett (3-7) threw wildly past first on a pickoff attempt, allowing the rookie Golson to reach third. After Rollins grounded out, Chase Utley was walked intentionally.

"I got my lead (from first) and I was hopping off," Golson said. "Right when I took my hop to second, (Bennett) spun to throw, and I heard (first base coach) Davey Lopes yell, 'go, go, go.'"

Werth then hit a grounder to third baseman Martin Prado, who threw home. But rookie catcher Clint Sammons failed to block the plate and Golson slid in safely for the go-ahead run.

"I was waiting until I got to the plate to see where I was gonna slide at, but (Sammons) gave me a little bit more (of the plate) than I thought he was gonna give me," Golson said. "He didn't really block it."

Braves manager Bobby Cox responded tersely afterward about the play at the plate.

"(Sammons) didn't get in front of the plate, simple as (expletive) that," Cox said. "(Golson's) out easy. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. We've got an easy out and all of a sudden, he's safe."

One out later, Burrell connected for his 33rd home run of the season, when he blasted a 3-1 pitch from Julian Tavarez into the left-field seats to give the Phillies a four-run lead.

"It's important at this time for everybody to contribute," Burrell said. "We had a (heck) of a game. I was able to get in a good count and get a good pitch to hit."

Three of the four runs scored by the Phillies in the eighth were unearned because of Bennett's error.

"In the bottom of the eighth, we kind of fell apart," Jones said.

Scott Eyre (5-0) retired the only batter he faced to earn the win.

Atlanta squandered a chance to take the lead in the top of the frame, when Kelly Johnson led off with a double and went to third when Shane Victorino booted the ball in center. However, two batters later, Johnson was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to short by Jeff Francoeur.

"That was the crusher," Cox said. "We couldn't get (Johnson) in. We didn't do anything after that."

The Phillies used consecutive doubles by Rollins and Utley in the first inning off Jurrjens to take a 1-0 lead. Carlos Ruiz made it 2-0 with an RBI groundout in the second.

Phillies starter J.A. Happ allowed only two singles through the first five innings before the Braves got to him in the sixth. Happ walked Prado with one out before Johnson lined an 0-1 pitch into the right-field seats for a two-run homer to tie the contest, 2-2.

"(The Braves) have been really scrappy," Philadelphia's Ryan Howard said. "Johnson getting the home run to tie the game - they don't give up."

Johnson's homer extended his career-high hitting streak to 20 games, which is the longest in the National League this season.

Happ went 6 2/3 innings and gave up two runs and five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Atlanta wasted a fine start from Jurrjens, who tossed seven frames and allowed two runs and five hits.