He crafted a lineup that had the two players with the highest on-base percentages on the team batting seventh and eighth in the order. Jayson Werth batted seventh, the lowest he's hit since Aug. 28, 2008.
Manuel kept Jimmy Rollins, normally his leadoff hitter, in the five hole for the second straight game. (Despite issuing the edict before the game that Rollins is still his leadoff batter.) Shane Victorino led off.
Of course, it all worked tonight - enough to survive a meltdown by the bullpen and defense. And now, with 22 games to play, the Phillies sit atop the National League East for the first time since May 30.
But it was far harder than the Phillies expected tonight.
After extending their lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh, a comedy of errors ensued in the following half-inning as the Marlins evened the game. The tying run scored via a single, error, balk and finally, a wild pitch.
But Victorino, who was hitting .231 against righties entering tonight, did exactly what he was supposed to do at the top of the order: Start something. He blooped a single with two outs in the eighth against righty Jose Veras. He stole second, his 30th swipe of the season. Then, he scored when Placido Polanco singled to right.
The offense, constructed in a makeshift lineup, bailed everyone else out. The Phils hit three home runs tonight at Citizens Bank Park. Rollins drove home two runners in scoring position. Raul Ibanez was a double shy of the cycle and drove in three runs.
So many times this season, the one reliable part of Manuel's Phillies teams has failed the offensive-minded manager. More than once he has been at a loss for words when attempting to describe its inconsistency.
