PHILADELPHIA _ Tommy Joseph touched home plate, spiked his helmet and sprinted toward first base. The celebration was on.
The Phillies rallied in the 11th inning to defeat Atlanta, 4-3, on Ty Kelly's single with the bases loaded. By the time Joseph got to Kelly, he was already being mobbed by his teammates. The Phillies have won seven of their last 10 as they seem to be finding their way after a miserable first half.
Joseph led off the inning with a single to shallow center. He moved to second on a single from Odubel Herrera, who had tied the game with a homer in the ninth. Herrera also singled in Cesar Hernandez in the eighth. Cameron Rupp loaded the bases with a two-out walk. And then Kelly delivered. Hector Neris, who extended the game with two scoreless innings, earned the win.
The final nine weeks of the Phillies season will be about opportunities. Saturday night was Jesen Therrien's. The rookie right-hander delivered. He logged a scoreless sixth inning in his major league debut. Therrien allowed a leadoff double and then retired three straight batters. The final batter _ Brandon Phillips _ smoked a grounder off Therrien's foot. The pitcher recovered, grabbed the ball and skipped it to first for an out. Therrien survived.
The three trades the Phillies made this week yielded returns that can not be judged for at least a few seasons. It will be years before decisions can be made on pitchers that are still in single A or on the 16-year-old international free agents the Phillies use those extra bonuses on.
But it is those opportunities the trades created that will have an immediate opening. Trading Pat Neshek to Colorado is what put Therrien in the bullpen. Moving Howie Kendrick to Washington allowed Nick Williams to play every day. Sending Jeremy Hellickson to Baltimore inserted Jake Thompson or another young arm into the starting rotation. There were more to the trade deadline moves than just low-level prospects.
Therrien came in relief of Jerad Eickhoff, who allowed three runs in five innings on a night that he did not possess his best command. Eickhoff loaded the bases without an out in the fifth after issuing an intentional walk to Freddie Freeman. The pitcher's night could have derailed then but Eickhoff retired three of the next four batters he faced. He ended his night with his third strikeout.
Luis Garcia retired four batters after Pedro Beato was injured in his first major-league game in more than three years. Neshek's departure may have created a roster opening for Therrien but it will also thrust Garcia into a more meaningful role. He has not allowed a run in 21{ consecutive innings, the longest single-season streak by a Phillies reliever since Larry Andersen had a 322/3 inning streak. Garcia seems to be redefining himself.
Therrien, 24, has the stuff to be a legitimate bullpen threat. His fastball touched 93 mph on Saturday and he paired it with his slider. He used the slider to touch the outside corner and freeze Micah Johnson for his first major league strikeout. Johnson, peeved by the umpire's call, stood in the batter's box before slowly retreating to the dugout.
Therrien emerged last season as his strikeouts began to spike. He struck out 12.3 batters per nine innings last season at three minor-league levels. The success continued this year as he fanned 10.2 per nine at double A and triple A before reaching the majors. He throws strikes, does not issue walks, and has a strong secondary pitch. There is definitely an opportunity for Therrien in the season's final two months.
