Phillies Further Adjust Petco Park Factors in Bastardo's First Win

Apparently, Petco Park only suppresses offense in games that do not involve the Phillies. The Phils' offense continued their assault on the ballpark-once-regarded-as-"pitcher-friendly" with eleven hits, including three home runs, in their 10-5 victory over San Diego on Tuesday. Raul Ibanez celebrated his 37th birthday, by bashing a pair of homers, and knocking in five runs. Greg Dobbs, starting at 3B to give Pedro Feliz a day off, had the other homer. By the time the Phillies are done with their three-game series, Petco might not be in last place in Park Factor.

Phillies rookie hurler Antonio Bastardo made his first MLB start, matching up with Padres ace Jake Peavy. The Phillies got Bastardo a 4-0 lead, before the young southpaw even took the mound. Peavy left the game after the inning, with what was reported as a viral upper respiratory infection. The Phils pounded the Padres pen, while Bastardo overpowered the San Diego bats. Bastardo's mid-90's fastball was too much for the Pads, as he only permitted four hits and a run, in six superb innings. Bastardo has likely earned another start, which could come Sunday night, in the ESPN game against Randy Wolf and the Dodgers.

With a 10-1 lead in the seventh, the Phillies should have been able to get through the final three frames using the weakest links among Fuqua and Dubee's Plus Eight. However, Manuel was reticent to use Jack Taschner and Sergio Escalona. He brought Chan Ho Park out of the pen, and Park had the same horrid results he had oft-displayed as the fifth starter. He "pitched" one inning, allowing four hits and two walks. Park was fortunate to escape after allowing four runs. Chad Durbin loaded the bases in the ninth, and Ryan Madson had to come in to get the final out.(Lidge had the day off, after four consecutive saves. Madson should have been able to get the day off, as well.) One of the weak links will need to be removed from the roster on Wednesday, to open a spot for J.C. Romero. The only thing, probably, keeping Park on the team right now in his $2.5 million salary.

The Phillies go for the sweep on Wednesday, with rookie J.A. Happ opposed by Chris Young. At the Phils' current rate of improvement they figure to score twenty-five runs Wednesday night. That should be enough for a win, provided that they don't use Chan Ho Park.