Phils Stop Skid
Omar Daal doesn`t look anything like the pitcher who nearly lost 20 games last year. Daal took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and sparked a five-run inning with an RBI single as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies 7-1 Tuesday night. "This is the best I`ve felt," said Daal, who came to the Phillies in the Curt Schilling trade last summer. "My location was great and I kept the ball down." The first-place Phillies, who tied the Chicago Cubs for worst record in the majors last season, improved to 15-10 and sent Denny Neagle (2-1) to his first loss with Colorado. Daal didn`t allow a hit until Neifi Perez led off the seventh with a double. Daal lost his shutout on a RBI single by Todd Helton that cut it to 2-1. But the Phillies broke the game open with five runs in the seventh inning. Daal (3-0) allowed one run, four hits, struck out six and walked one in eight innings. Despite going 4-19 last season, he was Philadelphia`s opening-day starter. "He pitched unbelievable," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "He changed speeds, kept them off balance." Neagle, signed to a $51 million, five-year deal with Colorado in the offseason, allowed six runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out five, walked three and gave up just two hits before the seventh. "It`s frustrating," Neagle said after launching into expletive-laced tirade on allowing a hit to Daal. "That`s the best stuff I`ve had all year." Daal hit an RBI single with two outs in the seventh to make it 3-1. He pumped his fist on the way to first as the grounder eluded Perez` diving attempt. After Brian Hunter singled, Jimmy Rollins knocked Neagle out of the game with a RBI single. Scott Rolen greeted reliever Bobby Chouinard with a two-run double on his first pitch and Bobby Abreu followed with a RBI double. "They might say, `The pitcher got a hit. We have to get one, too,"` said Daal, who was nearly lifted for a pinch hitter before Bowa decided to let him bat. Daal didn`t come close to allowing a hit in the first six innings. The toughest play came when second baseman Marlon Anderson ranged to his left to snag a low liner by Ben Petrick in the sixth. He allowed just one baserunner – Larry Walker on a walk on a 3-2 pitch in the fourth – before Perez lined an 0-1 pitch down the left-field line to start the seventh. Perez scored on a two-out single to left by Helton. Greg Norton followed with a single, but Daal struck out Mark Little to end the inning. "He had a lot of command," catcher Mike Lieberthal said. "His sinker has been his pitch and he rarely falls behind." Lieberthal gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI double that scored Abreu, who singled to start the inning. Lieberthal moved to third on a groundout and scored on Pat Burrell`s sacrifice fly. "He`s only the second left-handed starter we`ve seen so that might have something to do with it," Rockies manager Buddy Bell said. "But when a pitcher throws like that, there`s not much you can say." Notes: Daal didn`t win his third game last year until Aug. 8. The Phillies are 5-1 when he starts. ... Perez was 3-for-23 off Daal before breaking up the no-hitter. ... Before the game, Colorado placed 3B Jeff Cirillo on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 27. ... Todd Hollandsworth didn`t start despite a 14-game hitting streak. 2B Todd Walker also didn`t start against the left-hander. ... Burrell struck out once and has fanned 37 times in 91 at-bats. (Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) advertisement
Related Articles
Author: AP
Archives
Bucs Get Chance to Pay Back Eagles
Phillies Erupt Over Expos
Phils Shutdown Expos With Shutout
Phillies faces biggest deficit of season
They Won!
Phillies Continue Falling
Phillies Skid Continues
Phillies Blunders Blow 9th Inning Lead
Phillies Fall Out Of 1st. Place Tie
Phillies tied with Braves
Phils Protest in Loss to Expos
Phils Fall to Mets
Phillies Fall From First
Phils Homer Past Mets
Person Pitches Phillies Past Arizona
More Articles
