For the past five years the Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the best organizations in baseball. They have won numerous division titles, a World Series as well as regular-season MVP awards.
But the team struggled greatly through the first three-quarters of the season and after unloading a few stars at the trading deadline, fans wondered if this run of success was over. Not just yet.
After a 3-1 win to complete a three-game sweep against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, the Phillies closed the lead to only three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot. St. Louis lost to San Diego on Wednesday 3-2.
"We're in it," manager Charlie Manuel told the Associated Press. "We're dead in it pretty good."
Cliff Lee pitched great for Philadelphia, throwing seven innings and allowing only one run on four hits. He also had six strikeouts and one walk.
Jimmy Rollins added a two-run home run and also scored twice. The shortstop has been on a tear over the last 20 games, hitting .324 with five home runs.
The Phillies have also been red-hot lately, winning 15 of 19 games and pulling above .500 for the first time since early June. The team has also gone 21-8 in the last 29 home games and has the best record in the NL since Aug. 23.
"If we can continue to play the way we have since the All-Star break, we have a pretty good chance," Lee said.
Lee earned his second home win of the season and also struck out the side in the fourth inning. The former Cy Young Award winner has had a strange season for the Phillies, pitching very well but not earning his first win until his 14th start.
The Phillies have an easy schedule the next seven games, with a four-game series against the last-place Houston Astros and three games against the struggling New York Mets. Both teams are far out of playoff contention.
A late-season surge is not unfamiliar to the Phillies, who overtook the Mets in 2007 after trailing New York by seven games with only 17 left to play. Since 2007 the Phillies haven't missed the postseason.
The Marlins took an early 1-0 lead in the sixth inning off a Carlos Lee single, but Philadelphia tied the game right back up in the bottom of the inning.
Marlins starter Josh Johnson was in control until the seventh and had six strikeouts while allowing only three runs. He had a no hitter going into the sixth inning and didn't give up a run until John Mayberry's single scored Rollins later in the sixth.
Pete Orr hit a two-out single in the seventh before Rollins hit a 370-foot home run off of Johnson to put the Phillies up for good.
"Nobody's saying we've got to win 20 in a row," Orr said.
The Phillies starting pitchers have been one of the biggest differences for the team. They have gone 15-5 in the past 28 games.
"It's their pitching, that's how they're back in it," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said.
The Phillies sit a half-game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates and two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card hunt. The Atlanta Braves currently hold the first Wild Card spot.
On Thursday the Phillies will start Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 4.24 ERA) against Houston's Lucas Harrell (10-9, 3.83). It will be only Cloyd's fourth major league start. Harrell has pitched very well recently, with a sub-3.00 ERA in his last ten starts.
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