Philadelphia, PA - Chris Coste’s three-run home run highlighted a season-high eight-run fifth inning and Jimmy Rollins fell a homer short of the cycle, as the Philadelphia Phillies won the middle contest of their three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park, 10-5.
Coste had a career-high four RBI and Shane Victorino ended 2-for-3 and scored three times for the Phillies, who have won seven of their last eight.
Tadahito Iguchi, acquired from the White Sox on Friday and playing in place of the injured Chase Utley, finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in his Phillies debut.
J.D. Durbin (3-2), who was brilliant against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, allowed five runs on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts over five frames. The 25-year-old right-hander got his first home win this season while facing the Pirates for the first time.
Reliever Brett Myers, activated from the disabled list Friday, threw a perfect ninth inning in his first appearance since May 23, as the Phillies moved with 3 1/2 games of the Mets for the top spot in the NL East.
Left-hander Shane Youman (2-3), also coming off a solid start in his last trip to the hill, allowed seven runs - six earned - on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts over four-plus frames in his first-ever appearance against the Phils.
Freddy Sanchez homered for the Pirates, who have dropped five of six. Xavier Nady ended 2-for-4 with two RBI in the loss. Jason Bay also had a pair of hits and scored a run.
Trailing 5-2, the Phillies blew the game open with their big fifth inning. Victorino led off with a double, Rollins singled him over to third before stealing second, and Ryan Howard’s walk loaded the bases for Pat Burrell, who walked to force in a run.
Wes Helms next reached first as Jose Castillo misplayed his grounder at third, allowing Rollins to scamper home. Masumi Kuwata came on the mound to stop the bleeding, but instead gave up a sacrifice fly to Iguchi before a three-run shot to left field on the first pitch thrown to Coste.
Michael Bourn then grounded a single with two outs and stole second before Victorino walked. Rollins brought home both baserunners by roping a triple to right field for the final margin heading into the sixth.
Philadelphia scored a run in the first when Victorino singled and scored on Rollins’ double, and in the second, as Iguchi walked and came home on Coste’s double.
Pittsburgh grabbed the lead with four runs in the third. Youman walked and Nate McLouth singled before Sanchez belted a three-run shot to left field on a 1-1 pitch. Adam LaRoche then singled, advanced a base on Bay’s walk, and came home on a Nady single.
The Pirates plated a run in the fifth when Bay singled, stole second, and scored on a Nady double.
Game Notes
This is the first series between the two clubs this season after they split six games in 2006.
