Ryan Madson News

's RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning lifted the Philadelphia Phillies over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Charlie Manuel isn't one to second-guess Ryan Madson's pitch selection. "I think if he gets hit, somebody's going to always say, 'Well, he should've did this, he should've did that,' " the Phillies' manager said.

After recording the final out of the eighth inning today, Ryan Madson took a step toward the dugout and pounded his right hand into his mitt three times.

Adding pitcher Rodrigo Lopez to the roster meant the Phillies had to make two transactions yesterday.

Matt Diaz drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the eighth, and the Braves completed their first home sweep of the Phillies in four years.

This time, J.A. Happ could not do it alone. The young lefthander who ended the Phillies' last losing streak with a complete-game shutout, pitched seven gritty innings tonight, but the offense and bullpen did nothing for him.

Atlanta had the Phillies' number: 8-6-7-5-3-0-9. Whoops, sorry. That's Jenny's number.

The road had been the Phillies' safe haven after they left Philadelphia on June 21 after one of the worst homestands in franchise history.

They simply felt that he gave them the best chance to win. "They said he was the guy who could help us at this moment because of the way he has been pitching," manager Charlie Manuel said.

YOU SEE BAD things arising. You see trouble on the way. You see the Phillies as a team still hung over from the intoxication of last year's championship, unable to hold teams down early or hold onto leads late.

Beerleaguer: It's been a couple seasons since we've seen this phrase and now seems like the proper time to revisit it: "losses attributable to the bullpen." In the next few days, I'll go back and count, unless someone has the energy to assign the losses objectively.

Phillies closer Brad Lidge celebrates his first save since June 1 with catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Moyer allowed four runs and five hits in five innings to win consecutive starts for the first time since April 21 and 26.

Since all is relatively quiet this week on the closers front, I'll examine three buy-low candidates and three sell-high guys who are bound to break out/regress in the second half of the season.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - With closer Brad Lidge back from the 15-day disabled list, the Phillies' tired bullpen recovers an important member, although it will continue to miss Scott Eyre and Clay Condrey.

When the Phillies face the Tampa Bay Rays in a 2008 World Series rematch Tuesday night in St.

When the Philadelphia Phillies return from a much-welcomed road trip, they should consider checking into a hotel.

Athletes are a superstitious bunch. The Sports Illustrated jinx. The Madden curse.

Jimmy Rollins , Phillies shortstop, right, signs hats and ball for Wesley Rose, left, and his Ray Rose, standing.

Brian Roberts hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth off fill-in closer Ryan Madson, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 Saturday night.