After scoring just four runs in their previous 42 innings, the Phillies erupted Wednesday in a 10-3 win over the Houston Astros.
The Phils’ top five batters did most of the damage, bringing in eight of the team’s 10 runs. Leading the charge was Ben Revere, who had four hits -- including a triple -- and two runs.
Since June 28, through his last 35 games, Revere is hitting .381.
“He’s on a roll like he was last year,” manager Ryne Sandberg said after the game. “He’s just barreling everything up. He uses the middle part of the diamond very well. There’s a big hole there by the pitcher so he’s taking advantage of that.
“To see him drive the ball there to center field, that’s all right.”
Last Friday night, the Phillies put up two runs in a win over Washington, but then went scoreless twice to finish out the weekend series and managed only two runs in Tuesday’s 15-inning contest.
On Wednesday, it took them one inning to eclipse their previous four-game run total.
Ryan Howard, the hero of Tuesday’s ball game, picked up where he left off and smacked a two-run RBI double to left-center field to put the Phils on top 2-1 in the bottom of the first after a Jimmy Rollins double.
Pitcher David Buchanan got in on the action as well with his first career MLB hit and RBI. He brought home Grady Sizemore with a single to right-center to end the five-run inning.
Chase Utley gave the Phils more breathing room in the fourth with his 10th home run of the year, a three-run blast to right field to make it 8-2 after Houston looked like it was starting to chip away at the Phils' lead.
Marlon Byrd also added a walk in the first and then a left-field single in the seventh inning that drove in Utley for the penultimate score.
While production from the top hasn’t been consistent this season for the Phillies, when it’s there, Sandberg says it’s a huge help.
“It makes a big difference all the way around,” Sandberg said. “It makes a big difference with the rest of the offense and the at-bats … along with the pitching.
“I think it becomes contagious.”