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Capps Torched in 9th as Phils Stage Comeback

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Mark this one down as devastating. Carrying a 7-3 lead heading into the 9th, Matt Capps was summoned from the bullpen to finish out the game. One out later, Paul Bako delivered a walk off single to end the game. Prior to that former Bucco Matt Stairs had hit a solo homer leading off the inning and Ryan Howard clubbed a game tying three run shot.

The Pirates had gotten to Cole Hamels early, leading 5-0 after two innings. Garrett Jones, Delwyn Young and Andrew McCutchen each homered and drove in two in support of Ross Ohlendorf.

The Bucs starter was cruising, allowing just two hits through five innings. But the Phillies scored three times on four safeties in the sixth, knocking Ohlendorf from the game.

Ohlendorf allowed three runs in 5-2/3 IP. He gave up four walks and five hits while whiffing five. Hamels gave up five runs in six innings, striking out six and walking none. Tyler Walker pitched a scoreless 9th for the win.

The Good

 Bucs cranked three homers and collected 10 hits.

The Bad

The Phillies stole five bases off of Ryan Doumit.

The Rest

This was the third time in 2009 that the Phillies swiped five or more bags.

Hamels won his only other career appearance against the Pirates, back on 7/9/06.

That was just Howard’s second career homer against Pittsburgh. He has three or more against every other NL team.

Matt Stairs ranks among the top 40 in career OPS+ at 119. He’s ahead of Tony Clark, Sean Casey, Paul Konerko and even Carlos Lee.

This was the second time this year and just the third time in his career that Capps allowed four or more runs in an inning. Five runs is a career worst for runs allowed in a single frame.

In the 7th Jack Wilson made a highlight reel catch, sliding with his back to the plate and making an over the shoulder catch of a blooper from Shane Victorino. Wilson jumped to his feet and doubled Jimmy Rollins off first.

This was the Pirates fourth game in 2009 in which they hit three dingers.

This was the second time in July that the Pirates reached double digits in hits.

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