How Sweep It Is

What a great way to start!

The Phillies are 3-0 after sweeping the Houston Astros at Citizen's Bank Park this weekend. The pitching was excellent as expected, and the bats have been hot since the 7th inning of the first game.

Cliff Lee picked up the first win for a starter this season while exhilarating the fans during his seven inning, eleven strikeout performance. He allowed three runs.

Roy Halladay allowed just one run over his six strong innings in the opener, and was taken off the hook for the loss by the dramatic ninth inning comeback.

Roy Oswalt faced his former team for the first time yesterday, allowing just two runs over six solid innings. The starters combined for 23 strikeouts and just one walk.

Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard are encouragingly off to outstanding starts. Rollins is 6-for-12 (.500) with a stolen base and four runs scored. Howard is 7-for-13 (.538) with a homer, six RBI, one double and three runs scored.

They aren't the only ones slugging. Ben Francisco is hitting .462 with a home run and made a tremendous catch in right yesterday while crashing into the wall and dislodging the San Diego panel on the out of town scoreboard. Placido Polanco is hitting .417, and Wilson Valdez is hitting .364.

It was a great weekend in every way as the Phillies played all around good baseball. They'll enjoy a day off today before opening a set with the Mets tomorrow with Cole Hamels on the hill.