The nicknames are sweet. The record is sweeter.
Jayson Werth joined the exclusive company of men named Kitty, Gavvy, Puddin' Head and Michael Jack last night when he tied a Phillies franchise record with eight RBI in a 10-3 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park.
Werth hit a three-run home run to right field in the second inning, a grand slam to right in the third and a solo homer to left-center in the fifth to earn himself a couple curtain calls.
“That was special tonight,” Werth said. “I had never had a curtain call, and I had two. I'm grateful, and I'm very thankful. It was a special moment. I won't forget this night.”
Werth is the first Phillie to hit three homers in a game since Ryan Howard hit three in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 3, 2006. He's also one of just five players in the Phillies' 125-year history to have eight RBI in a game. He joins Kitty Bransfield (July 11, 1910, at Pittsburgh), Gavvy Cravath (Aug. 8, 1915, at Cincinnati), Willie “Puddin' Head” Jones (Aug. 20, 1958, at St. Louis) and Mike Schmidt (April 17, 1976, at Chicago).
“It's great company,” Werth said. “It's a great honor to be on that list with those guys. It was just one of those nights. I really don't know what to say.”
Werth had a chance for a fourth homer or ninth RBI but fouled out to first in his final at-bat in the seventh.
Other games of note:
ROYALS 7, MARLINS 6: Brett Tomko pitched six innings for his first victory in nearly six weeks, and two unearned runs helped visiting Kansas City extend its winning streak to five games by beating slumping Florida.
ORIOLES 5, NATIONALS 3: Luke Scott homered, Melvin Mora hit a tiebreaking double in the fifth inning and host Baltimore beat Washington for its sixth win in seven games. Left-hander Garrett Olson (3-0) struggled through five innings but remained undefeated in four starts since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on April 29.
REDS 4, INDIANS 3: Adam Dunn homered and drew a tiebreaking walk with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, sending host Cincinnati to its season-high fourth straight win, over intrastate rival Cleveland.
RAYS 3, CARDINALS 1: Andy Sonnanstine carried a shutout into the eighth inning and added two singles to a 12-hit outburst in streaking Tampa Bay's victory over sagging St. Louis. Akinori Iwamura had three hits and an RBI for the AL East leaders, who are eight games above .500 for the first time in franchise history.
RANGERS 16, ASTROS 8: Josh Hamilton went 5-for-5 with two homers and five RBI, and host Texas beat Houston in the Lone Star Series opener. Ian Kinsler scored the go-ahead run on a close play that led to the ejection of Astros manager Cecil Cooper.
BRAVES 3, ATHLETICS 2: Mark Kotsay knocked in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning with a two-out RBI double, and Atlanta won its eighth straight at home. The loss was a season-high fourth in a row for the A's. The Braves have the best home record in the majors at 15-4, and the worst record away from home at 6-16.
ALL-STAR COACHES: Managers Joe Girardi of the Yankees and Willie Randolph of the Mets have been asked to serve as coaches for the All-Star Game in New York. Yankee Stadium will host the game July 15 in its final season. Boston manager Terry Francona will guide the AL team and Colorado manager Clint Hurdle will lead the NL side.
RAINOUTS: The Brewers-Red Sox game in Boston was postponed and rescheduled as the second game of a day-night doubleheader tonight. . . . Rain also postponed the Subway Series opener between the New York Yankees and Mets. The game likely will be made up in June, perhaps in a day-night doubleheader at Shea and Yankee stadiums.
