Phillies whip Astros, 7-3, to complete three-game, season-opening sweep

FROM KEITH GROLLER

So far. so good.

Make that so far, so very good, for the 2011 Phillies.

They completed a three-game sweep of the Astros on Sunday, getting a three-run home run from Ryan Howard in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back in a 7-3 win over Houston before 45,562 fans at Citizens Bank Park.

That crowd, by the way, was the second largest regular-season crowd in CBP history.

And, the 136,254 fans for the three-game series also set an attendance record for a three-game regular season series at CBP.

You get the feeling a lot of records are going to fall this year.

In fact, the three-game sweep was the first at home to start a season since 1899 when the Phillies swept a trio of games from the Washington Senators. Although not posting a three-game sweep over one team, the 1970 team also began the season 3-0 at home, beating the Cubs twice and the Pirates once at Connie Mack Stadium.

This season of high hopes -- as Harry Kalas sings on the giant video board after every home game -- is certainly living up to the vast expectations so far.

"We're off to a good start," Howard said in an understatement. "It's great. As far as all of the hype, and the great pitching staff and all of that, you still have to go out there and do it. Things on paper, all the hearsay, it's easy. ... but you still have to go out there and do it."

Howard said that good pitching breeds good hitting and vice versa.

"It goes hand in hand," he said. "You know those guys [the pitchers] will go out there and compete and give you an opportunity to put up some runs. And when you put up some runs, it makes their job a little easier."

In three games, the highly-rated starting pitchers have delivered as expected. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Sunday's starter, Roy Oswalt, have combined for a 2.84 ERA, a 2-0 record and 23 strikeouts and just one walk in 19 innings. They have allowed just 14 hits.

But the offense, which entered the season with concerns, has been even more impressive.

The Phillies are hitting .349 as a team, averaging seven runs and more than 12 hits per game.

They are hitting 15-for-34 (.441) with runners in scoring position.

So far, they are not missing Jayson Werth or Chase Utley offense or Brad Lidge as the closer.

And, for most of Sunday, they didn't miss Shane Victorino, who was sidelined Saturday night with tightness in his left calf after a collision with Ben Francisco.

Victorino sat out the first five innings of Sunday's game, but got a RBI single as a pinch-hitter in the sixth and then made a nice running catch on a flyball hit to the left-center gap by Michael Bourn in the seventh.

Michael Martinez got his first career start, replacing Victorino in the lineup. He went 1-for-4.

Howard powered the Phillies offense with three hits, including a RBI double to right that just missed leaving the park.

Franciso homered in the first inning and finished with three hits and two runs scored.

Placido Polanco and Jimmy Rollins had two hits apiece and Rollins also walked twice.

Oswalt worked six innings, scattering five hits, including a home run to Hunter Pence, and walked one while fanning six.

David Herndon worked two scoreless innings before Kyle Kendrick was touched for a run in the ninth.

The Phillies, already in first place in the National League East, have Monday off before beginning a three-game series with the Mets on Tuesday night when Cole Hamels opposes Chris Young.

The Mets are off to a 2-1 start after posting back-to-back wins over the Marlins.

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