Chase Utley helps Phillies blow out Cubs

CHICAGO Roberto Hernandez had just retired his sixth straight hitter, just 5 1/3 innings into his first start of 2014, when Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg jogged from the dugout.

With the wind blowing hard, Sandberg looked down the lineup card and saw three left-handed hitters coming up to face the right-handed Hernandez, who had given up just three hits. He also saw that Hernandez, who had not faced live hitters in nine days due to a rainout, was losing velocity on his pitches.

Even with 11 outs remaining and a bullpen that had blown the last two games, Sandberg had no qualms about turning the game over to his relievers.

"With the wind blowing out and the left-handed bats, I just felt 'hey, they might be out ahead of him a little bit,'' Sandberg said. "Almost like an early type of save situation right there, it felt like that. Diekman was the guy."

It paid off. Jake Diekman, Justin De Fratus, Antonio Bastardo, Mario Hollands and Jeff Manship combined to no-hit the Cubs the rest of the way. The Phillies won 7-2.

"I really attribute the last series to over-excitement," De Fratus said of the bullpen's struggles. "Now the season starts to take its form. I know it's only four games, but you start to get back into a groove. For me, I wouldn't worry too much about the first series."

De Fratus logged a perfect inning in his season debut. Hollands started the ninth, got two quick outs and was pulled for Manship, a move that elicited a chorus of boos from the chilly, frustrated Cubs crowd.

"Well we have a heater in the dugout, so I wasn't that cold," Sandberg said jokingly.

The Phillies' offense made life a little easier. Behind Chase Utley's three RBIs, the Phils throttled Cubs pitching for 11 hits. Utley's wind-aided, two-run homer in the fifth gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead.

The homer was Utley's first of the season. And it was a relief to everyone involved, as Utley struggled all spring, hitting few balls hard.

"Obviously you're looking for results in spring training, but being around for a while I know that's not the most important thing," Utley said. "The most important thing is to try to get your rhythm going into the season."

John Mayberry Jr. added a two-run homer of his own in the eighth. Domonic Brown also went 3 for 5 with a double and two RBIs. Ben Revere also went 3 for 5.

The lefty-heavy lineup touched up Cubs starter Travis Wood for four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

"Chase swung the bat well. We had some left-handed bats that came through against the lefthanded pitcher with Revere and Utley. Howard hit some balls hard. Brownie had a nice day," Sandberg said. "All guys in there against the left-handed pitcher. I like that."

And with the win, the Phillies pull back to .500. They have Cliff Lee and A.J. Burnett pitching the rest of the weekend. They return to Philadelphia on Sunday night for the home opener Monday against the Brewers.

Contact Chris Branch at cbranch@delawareonline.com.