I am taking full advantage of having this outlet to give props to my son’s baseball team.

Matt is 11 years-old and SO very proud of him and his team.  They won the Southern NJ Cal Ripken 11 Year-Old (46/60) 2011 State Championship game last night.  All the boys played great and though not an easy game by any sense of the word, they won deservedly as they never gave up and have played fantastic all season long.  They now move onto the Regionals which are in Pennsylvania, on August 5th.  They will represent Southern NJ against teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the Northern NJ representative.  Good luck to Matt and to the rest of the team!

2011 Southern NJ State Champs - Photo credit: Carnassale

Okay now onto the Phillies game in which we actually had tickets for, but my son’s game was just a tad more important. Which actually the timing worked out perfect, because though Matt is a huge Phillies fan, he’s also a fan of Tim Lincecum.  And since Lincecum ended up not starting due to being under the weather, Matt wouldn’t have seen him anyway.

Rookie Vance Worley is just pitching fantastic and making a serious case for Rookie of the Year.  The young guy just gets out there and does his thing.  He didn’t look the least bit fazed that he was facing the World Champs.  Plus it was the first meeting the two teams have had since the Giants beat the Phillies in the 2010 National League Championship Series to advance to the World Series.

Shane Victorino was asked if beating the Giants would be redemption.  Victorino replied that bringing the World Series trophy back to Philly is redemption for them, not just beating the Giants in a regular season game.

Worley pitched his first complete game in the majors and collected his seventh win on the season.  Barry Zito spot started for the Giants after Lincecum fell ill.  Zito gave up six runs and six hits, which included three home runs.  One of those homers was a rare in-the-park shot by Chase Utley.  The other two was a 3-run homer by Raul Ibanez and a solo by John Mayberry, Jr.

Ryan Howard hit one as well in the eighth off of Giant reliever Guillermo Mota.  Worley retired 11 batters in a row until former Phillie Aaron Rowand homered in the top of eighth. Victorino referred to Worley as the team’s 5th ace!

So last night, the offense and Worley’s stellar pitching contributed to the 7-2 victory over the Giants.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Giants – 7/26/11 Game

Looks like Tim Lincecum is scheduled to start tonight as long as he feels better, check out tonight’s game after the jump…

Update July 27th 5:10 pm:  Tim Lincecum is still under the weather so Matt Cain is starting instead.

Wednesday’s Game Preview

Phillies (65-37)    vs    Giants (59-44)

Game Time: 7:05 pm EDT

Citizens Bank Park – Philadelphia

TV:  CSN – Philadelphia, ESPN

Radio: WPHT 1210  WUBA  1480

Weather at game time:  80′s, clear

Pitching Matchup

Philadelphia:  LHP Cole Hamels (12-5) ERA 2.62

San Francisco:  RHP Matt Cain (8-6) ERA 3.06

Hamels bounced back from his worst outing of the season, allowing just three hits and one earned run over eight innings to the Padres and striking out a season-high 10. He last faced the Giants in game 3 of the NLCS, when he gave up three runs

Cain didn’t have his best stuff in Friday’s loss to the Brewers, allowing four runs (three earned) in six innings. Cain will be seeking his first career regular-season win against the Phillies, though he pitched a gem and beat them in the 2010 NLCS.. – MLB.com