Person Pitches Phillies Past Arizona

Robert Person is pitching like an ace. Person allowed one run in eight innings, and Marlon Anderson`s RBI single drove in the go-ahead run as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 Monday night.

Person (12-6) gave up five hits, tied a career high with 11 strikeouts and won for the eighth time in nine decisions as the Phillies closed within one game of first-place Atlanta in the NL East.

The right-hander is 6-1 after Phillies losses. He has two of Philadelphia`s three victories in the last 11 games.

"I go out there whether we won or lost the night before and try to get the job done," Person said. "I haven`t felt this great all season except for my last five starts."

Reggie Sanders hit his career-high 29th homer and fourth in four games for Arizona, whose lead over San Francisco in the West was cut to 2½ games.

Person, facing the Diamondbacks for the first time since receiving a six-game suspension for hitting Sanders in a 6-1 loss on May 13, retired 11 of his last 13 batters.

"Person has been unbelievable," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "He has been a stopper. We need a little leadership in that rotation down the stretch and he`s doing that now."

Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly thought Person got some help from a big strike zone.

"Person took advantage of some very generous strike calls at opportune times," Brenly said. "Both dugouts seemed unhappy, but it seemed the ones called on us took us out of possible rallies. But you have to give Person credit. He took advantage of it."

Jose Mesa pitched the ninth, finishing the six-hitter for his 34th save in 36 chances. Before the game, Mesa received a two-game suspension for hitting St. Louis` Jim Edmonds on Aug. 19. Mesa will miss the next two games against the New York Mets.

Anderson, batting fifth for the first time this season, gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead with a two-out single in the sixth that scored Doug Glanville, who led off with a double.

Anderson went to second on the throw home and scored on Kevin Jordan`s single. Bowa juggled the lineup before the game, moving Anderson from the No. 2 spot to fifth.

Anderson has hit in eight straight games, going 14-for-35 in that stretch. Glanville moved up from No. 6 to the second spot, and Travis Lee was dropped to No. 7.

"I try not to think of where I`m hitting," Anderson said. "I just try to hit the ball and be aggressive."

Arizona took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Sanders hit his seventh homer against the Phillies this year.

Lee, batting .178 since the All-Star break, tied it at 1 with an RBI double in the second that drove in Pat Burrell, who walked to start the inning.

Diamondbacks starter Albie Lopez (3-4) allowed four hits and three runs in six innings. Lopez had won three straight, allowing just one run in those games.

"I felt bad about the one pitch (to Lee)," Lopez said. "I left it hanging and it cost me a run. The other two were just groundballs."

Notes:
Phillies 3B Scott Rolen missed his fourth straight game with a strained ribcage. Rolen said he expects to play Tuesday night. ... Lopez singled in the third for his first major league hit. He had been 0-for-27. ... The Phillies have scored three runs or less in nine of 10 games. ... Arizona went 3-4 on its seven-game road trip in Pennsylvania, losing two of three to Pittsburgh after winning nine straight and splitting a four-game series against the Phillies.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News