Dobbs' home run helps Phillies win

PHILADELPHIA — A week ago, Greg Dobbs was psyching himself up to make the long drive from his New Jersey home to Allentown every day to suit up for the IronPigs.

A few days before that, he was designated for assignment and wasn't even sure if he'd ever wear a Phillies uniform again — or even play in the big leagues.

These days, though, Dobbs is proving manager Charlie Manuel right — regular at-bats can do you wonders.

Dobbs, playing in place of injured third baseman Placido Polanco, hit a decisive, two-run home run in the sixth inning before the Phillies put an insurance run on the board in the eighth in their 3-1 win over the first-place Braves on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

"It's been a lot of work, and to keep it where it needs to be and without the playing time, that's tough," said Dobbs, who was just 1-for-25 as a pinch hitter before rejoining the club. "Being able to see pitching, whether it's Triple-A or big league pitching, is huge. It's the only way to get yourself out of a slump. You're not going to get yourself out of a slump sitting on the bench."

Since having his contract selected from Triple-A Lehigh Valley last week, Dobbs has started to look more like the guy who won over fans' hearts in 2008 when he filled in nicely for then-third baseman Pedro Feliz (out with back problems) and then stayed hot as a pinch hitter (he eventually set the club's single-season record for pinch hits).

In his last five games, Dobbs is 6-for-18 (.333) with a home run, a double and three RBIs. In addition to his 395-foot long ball to right-center field Monday, Dobbs singled in the second inning.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said that Dobbs getting regular plate appearances has helped him "10,000 percent."

Roy Halladay (10-7) needed just 93 pitches en route to his major-league leading seventh complete game this season (56th of his career). The only run he allowed came via a solo shot from Chipper Jones in the first inning. He gave up four other hits, walked just one and struck out seven.

"You don't want to give up the one to begin with, but as the game progressed and you realized it was going to be a close game, it's like a lot of them … you're trying to minimize as much as you can," Halladay said. "We scored just enough with two in the sixth and then the one in the eighth was a big run."

A lack of run support has become a theme for Halladay. In his last 11 starts, the Phillies have scored three runs or less 10 times, and Halladay has lost five of those outings.

Another recent addition came up with a big play for the Phils. With the Phillies clinging to a 2-1 lead, Gregor Blanco reached on a bunt single to lead off the eighth. Trying to make something happen, the eight-hole hitter took off for second. But Dane Sardinha, filling in for catchers Carlos Ruiz (disabled list) and for Northampton graduate Brian Schneider, who is day-to-day with a sprained thumb, fired a perfect throw to Jimmy Rollins, who tagged out Blanco for a caught stealing.

Halladay said it was one of the biggest plays of the game.

"Absolutely. Other than the Dobbs home run," he said. "Nobody out and man on second, they could score without getting a hit or really without you making a mistake. That's a huge play. You end up with one out and nobody on. That really changes the game."

While the win was a step in the right direction for the Phillies, who with the victory moved within four games of Atlanta, they still didn't hit with any consistency.

Of their nine hits, eight were singles. They left seven on base, including four in scoring position and were just 1-for-6 with RISP.

Monday's game marked the 40th time they scored three runs or less, and in those games, they are just 9-31.

"You go out there obviously trying to win every time, but from a numbers standpoint and where we're at in the standings, it's important to win games against teams in your division," Halladay said. "It is an important series for us."

The Morning Call