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RAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL! Major props to PSUSarge at BackSheGoes.com for this spectacular image after the final out. These guys want to make sure you vote for Rauuuuuul, for the all star team. So, vote ! Click here to purchase your fresh-ass Raaaauuuuuuulll! shirt from TheFightins.com .

Six shut out innings by the bullpen, a diving catch by Jayson Werth and two homeruns by Chase Utley won the game for the Phillies and got their lead in the NL East back to 3 games over the Metropolitans. It was a surprising effort from the bullpen as Scott Eyre, JC Romero, Jack Taschner, Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson and even Chan Ho Park shut down the Mets lineup in the extra inning victory. It was a risky play by Werth, who could have allowed the winning run to score if he hadn't made the catch on the ball batted by David Wright. It was clutch hitting by Utley, who, with his second homerun of the game, gave the Phillies an 11th inning lead that they would not let up. Huge win for the Phillies! ------------------------- Stats to ponder- Jimmy Rollins in the lead off spot this season- 49 games, .208 avg (47-for-226), .244 OBP, 1 HR, 29 runs. Jimmy Rollins batting any place else in the lineup this season- 7 games, .409 avg (9-for-22), .440 OBP, 3 HR, 6 runs. Carlos Ruiz against the Mets ...

Justin De Fratus is a 21 year old right handed relief pitcher with the Lakewood BlueClaws. An 11th round draft choice in 2007, Justin had been a starter in his first two seasons in the Phillies organization. Informed this spring that he'd be switched from the rotation to the bullpen, Justin has excelled and become one of the most reliable pitchers on the Lakewood staff. In 19 games this season, Justin is 2-0, with a 1.83 ERA and 0.89 WHIP over 39 1/3 innings pitched. PhoulBallz.com spoke with Justin De Fratus just last night. Here's how that went down... Justin, South Atlantic League all star selections were announced this week, and you were named to the team. Can I get your reaction to that? How excited were you? Very excited about it. Well, especially this year because I just got moved to the bullpen, so this is a new role for me. So, if anything, it's reassuring that I'm doing my job. It's the first time in my pro career that I've been selected as an all star...

It has been over a month since they last faced off. This week, the Phillies return to Citi Field for another head to head series with the Metropolitans. The Phillies lost both games the last time they visited Queens on May 6th and 7th. Ahead, check out the pitching match up for this series, plus loads more notes. Tuesday, 7:10pm. "Jay" Happ (4-0, 2.48 ERA) vs. Johan Santana (7-3, 2.00 ERA). Happ has thrown 5 2/3 innings in relief against NY this year and has not been scored upon. Happ's WHIP this season is 0.98. Johan is 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA, as a Met against the Phillies. He gave up just 2 hits over 7 scoreless innings in that May 6th game. Pedro Feliz, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino are a combined 9-for-77 (.117 avg) against Santana in their careers. Raul Ibanez is 13-for-37 (.351 avg) in his career against Santana. Ryan Howard is 6-for-17 (.353 avg) against Santana with 2 homers. Wednesday, 7:10pm. Cole Hamels (4-2, 4.40 ERA) vs. Mike Pelfrey (4-2, 4.85...

MLB announced today that Raul Ibanez and Jimmy Rollins are the current leading all star vote getters at their positions. The Rays are stealing a whole lot of bases this season. More than any other team . One of them by Pat the Bat. Bobby Abreu collected his 2,000th career hit in a loss on Sunday. Remember how much we all hated the Rockies, after they swept the Phillies in the 2007 playoffs? Well, this should make you feel better... Adam Eaton has agreed to torture them by signing a contract with their organization. And just below, you will see former Phillie, Placido Polanco taking up break dancing between innings.

Harry "The Hat" Walker played with the Phillies for less than two full seasons, but made the all star team and won a batting title as a Phillie. Walker came to Philadelphia just a month into the 1947 season in a trade for Ron Northey, after having played parts of 5 seasons with the Cardinals and driving in the winning run in game 7 of the 1946 World Series. Walker arrived with a chance to play every day as the Phillies' centerfielder. His batting average took off and he finished the season with a .363 mark to win the NL batting crown. Harry winning the batting title marked the only time brothers had both done so. Harry's brother Fred "Dixie" Walker hit .357 for the Dodgers in 1944 to win his own NL battinh title. The nickname "The Hat" came about as a result of Harry's constant fidgeting with his ball cap both prior to batting and on the mound between pitches. The press reported that Walker went through dozens of caps in a single season. In 1...

After a perfect 2008 and an extremely difficult start to 2009, perhaps it's time for Phillies closer Brad Lidge to come clean and admit that he sold his soul in order to escape Houston, to have a perfect year, and to win a World Series. This season, Lidge has been scored on in 13 of his 28 appearances. In 2008, Lidge was scored on in 13 of 72 appearances. In 2007, he gave up runs in 14 of 66 games. The Devil is obviously short changing Lidge in his second year of the deal, unless Lidge wasn't smart enough to make the deal for longer than a single season. Come on, Brad...your soul is your body's energy, personality, spirit, heart, strength and apparently your fastball and slider locator. Common sense should have told Lidge that if his soul was valuable to the Devil, then perhaps getting more than a single year of success for it was best. Hey, Devil...if you want another soul, I'll sell you mine if the Philly Phaithful can get 2008 Brad Lidge back. Where do I sign?

In case a 7 game win streak and being in first place are not enough to keep you Philadelphia phans smiling right now, due to concerns over losing Brett Myers or worries about Shane Victorino's hip, I've got a little something that should have you feeling better quicker than a hiccup. The New York Mess are 4 games back in the NL East, were just swept by the lowly Pirates and the injuries keep coming for them. JJ Putz has elbow trouble . Jose Reyes is dealing with a torn hamstring . Those are both on top of the injuries to Carlos Delgado, Angel Pagan and Ryan Church. Plus, just look at this picture of Carlos Beltran. Isn't it glorious?

Tonight, the Phillies make their first visit to Los Angeles, California since clinching a trip to the 2008 World Series. It's a four game series, which will culminate with a prime time nationally televised game on Sunday night. The Phillies lost 2 of 3 games with the Dodgers, in Philadelphia, just three weeks ago. Read on for pitching match up details and plenty more notes. Thursday, 10:10pm. Cole Hamels (3-2, 5.21 ERA) vs. Clayton Kershaw (3-2, 4.34 ERA). Kershaw is 0-2 with a 7.41 ERA in 5 career games against the Phillies, which includes last post season. Kershaw is 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in 4 home starts this year. Cole has a 6.89 ERA in 3 road appearances this season. Cole was 3-0 with a 4.06 ERA in five May games, this year. June was Cole's best month last year, when he went 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and a .187 batting avg. against over 5 starts. Friday, 10:10pm. Jamie Moyer (4-5, 6.75 ERA) vs. Eric Milton (2-0, 3.14 ERA). Moyer's ERA over is last three starts i...

Today is the day. He's FREE! JC Romero's suspension for testing positive for a banned substance has been served. He is eligible to pitch tonight. To make room on the roster, the Phillies have optioned Sergio Escalona back to the minors. For some reason, Jack Taschner remains on the team. To read last week's Phoul Ballz interview with JC Romero, click here . Todd Zolecki asserts that Antonio Bastardo is better than Jake Peavy. Check out today's Zo Zone . Superfan John's got loads of updates on current and former Phillies properties. Check out the HomeSide News blog for tons of great notes and info. Acting on a clause in his own contract, Lehigh Valley reliever Mike Koplove has elected to become a free agent. The IronPigPen talks about where he could end up. Check that out here . As revealed today by Greg over on the BlueClaws Blog , Lakewood's mascot Buster is now "tweeting" on Twitter.com. Check that out right here .

A prospect who has been talked about a whole lot lately is outfielder Anthony Gose. Gose, a 2nd round pick of the Phillies in the 2008 amateur draft played just 11 games for the Gulf Coast League Phillies last year, before getting hurt. Gose, an 18 year older, stole his minor league leading 36th base on Tuesday night, is batting .253 with 21 RBI and 29 runs scored, in 49 games with the Lakewood BlueClaws. Gose took some time to answer some questions for PhoulBallz.com, and here's how that went down... -I've spoken with the coaching staff and they're impressed with you this year. Tim Gradoville even compared your baserunning to Shane Victorino. Can I get your response to the coaches' positive view of your game and speed? I think it's great. I don't watch too many Phillie games. I'm from LA, I'm a big Dodger fan. So, I've never seen too much of how Victorino steals bases. I know they call him the Flyin' Hawaiian. I know he's fast. -Travis D...

Joe Blanton, Brad Lidge and Jamie Moyer have all put together some solid performances as of late. All three had awful stretches recently, but now seem to be back to World Championship form. In his last two starts, Blanton is 2-0, with a 1.93 ERA and 16 K's in 14 innings pitched. In the three starts that preceded those, Blanton was 1-1, with a 7.50 ERA in 18 innings pitched. Just a couple weeks ago, Brad Lidge had given up runs in a career high 6 straight appearances. And as recently as two weekends ago, Lidge blew two saves in New York against the Yankees. In Lidge's last 5 appearances, he's allowed just 1 baserunner, and he's saved each game, including the last four on consecutive days. Jamie Moyer, who just won the 250th game of his career on Sunday, has put together three straight outings where he's pitched 6 full innings and gave the Phillies a real shot to win each game. In his last three games, Moyer's ERA is 4.00 in 18 innings pitched. In the three starts...