How Sweep It Is ...

August 29:  PHILLIES 5, San Diego 0

"Just when I think I'm out ... they pull me back IN!" -- Michael Corleone in "The Godfather, Part III"

And so it was that on the 29th day of August in the Year of The Big Phillies Fan, 2010, that the Phillies hath resurrected their morbid ways and did smite the Padres with something less than a slingshot and a rock.  In fact, they did it with the old soupbone ... three, to be exact:  Roy Oswalt's, Joe Blanton's, and Cole Hamels'.

I was impressed by the Padres pitching so far this season, and even said the other day that the Padres may still be the team to beat in the National League.  But hold on, Nellie!  These Phillies can chuck it with the best of them, holding the Pads to just three runs over the weekend, despite the offense being kept pretty much in check by the Padre staff, as well.

Mike Sweeney's first tater as a member of the Quakers was a sweet swing, indeed.  A low liner that made it out over the left field wall and what looked like an open window beyond the wall.  That made it 3-0 and gave King Cole the biggest lead he's had to work with since seventh grade.  The lanky lefty made the most of it, scattering four hits over eight innings and pretty much making San Diego hitters look foolish all afternoon.

It was refreshing to see the Phils bounce back from their disaster against the Astros, which clearly could have sent this team into a stone cold funk that could have bounced them right out of the playoffs.  But such are Charlie Manuel-led teams.

I posted a comment the other day on a thread at The Good Phight, a blog over on SB Nation at Yahoo!  The original poster had noted than in the last four pennant races, the Phils had one four-game losing streak in either August or September in each season (2007-2010).  I had done the research at Retrosheet, and discovered the following:

After each of the four-game losing streaks, the Phils record, from the game after the streak ended through the end of the regular season was:

2007:  23-11 (.676)
2008:  28-13 (.683)
2009:  16-11 (.593)
2010:  3-0 (1.000), updated since the post was made originally on The Good Phight

So, the Phils do take notice when they get in a funk, and then they make their opponents pay dearly.  They'll need to do better than the .593 they posted last year, because the Braves have a two-game advantage, to win the division.  But it is possible as the Phils, after those four-game losing streaks, are now 70-35 (.667).  At 73-57, with 32 games left, a .667 clip puts the Phils at 94-68.  That would mean Atlanta could go 19-13 (.594) and still tie for the division lead.

It's not an impossible mountain to climb with one month to go.  But with every win by the Phils, the pressure on this young Braves team begins to mount.  Let's see if the boys can keep it up at Chavez Ravine.

Order up!