Phillies quick hits Sunday June 5th

The Phillies ended their four game losing streak behind ace Roy Halladay on Sunday vs. the below five hundred Pirates squad that Philadelphia has dropped the past two games to. Despite the back to back losses to Pittsburgh the past two nights Halladay and Howard where able to lift the Phillies out of their mini slump with strong performances. In my view it is a such a long season that there is no need to panic if a team loses a few games in a row even to a bad team. The season is a marathon and not a sprint so bad losses will occur. Halladay picked up his 8^th win of the season to help the Phillies avoid the sweep at PNC Park in Pittsburg by  throwing seven strong innings despite giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ryan Howard lead the offence with 3 Rbi’s, Chase Utley also looked strong as he regained his stroke with his first three hit game of the season. This weekend’s return of a healthy Shane Victorino also helped as he was able to chip in with two hits and a Rbi on Sunday afternoon. The return of Shane Victorino couldn’t have came sooner because John Mayberry Jr and, Michael Martinez who had been filling in for the injured Victornio were beginning to become exposed as Martinez is a player who shouldn’t even be in the Major Leagues. However as a rule 5 draft pick Martinez has to remain on the roster for the entire 2011 season or he has to be offered back to the Washington Nationals. In my view I don’t know what the club sees in Martinez who has a lack of pop in his bat batting just  .180 on the season, he is also a below average outfielder, and is already 28 years of age. Mayberry Jr also had been hurting the club as he seems to just be a career 4^th outfielder considering he struggles against right handing pitching. On Sunday Night the club opted Mayberry Jr back down to Leigh Valley their triple A club as they await a roster move on Monday morning on weather the off injuried Ross Gloud will be ready to return?  The NL East leading Phillies return home to Citizen Bank Park on Monday night to take on the L.A Dodgers behind Cliff Lee.