PBR - It feels like 2008 all over again.
Trailing by five entering the eighth inning, the Phillies pieced together another late game surge to overtake the Brewers on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, 7-6.
"We still have life," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We have enough fight in us to come back."
Ty Wigginton opened the eighth with a single to left and later scored on a two-run homer by Erik Kratz. Shane Victorino, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard each recorded a two-out walk and all eventually scored on a bases clearing double from Carlos Ruiz. Hunter Pence followed with a bloop single to right allowing Ruiz to score the game-winning run.
The victory marked the second night in a row the Phillies overcame a late-game deficit and pushed the club's winning streak to three.
"We have the talent to make a run and now we're healthy so things can happen," Manuel said.
Cliff Lee was a victim of the long ball, surrendering four over seven innings, including a pair in the eighth. He left the contest after allowing six runs on 12 hits.
Jonathan Papelbon hurled a scoreless ninth to notch his 22nd save of the season.
Zack Greinke pitched well for Milwaukee, allowing just one run on three hits over seven innings, but the Brewers' bullpen again faltered, surrendering six runs in the eighth.
The Phillies are 7-4 since the All-Star break and sit 9 1/2 games behind the pace for a Wildcard spot.
The two clubs conclude their three-game set on Wednesday afternoon with Vance Worley scheduled to oppose Marco Estrado.
- Patrick Gordon is the editor of the Philadelphia Baseball Review. Contact him at pgordon@philadelphiabaseballreview.com or @Philabaseball on Twitter.
