PHILADELPHIA -- There were no champagne showers or wild celebrations. Still, the Philadelphia Phillies were happy with their late September clinch.
Todd Pratt hit a three-run homer and the Phillies secured consecutive winning seasons for the first time in 21 years with an 8-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday.
"It's not where we all thought we would be, but it's better than a losing season," Pratt said.
The Phillies (82-75) 86-76 a year ago -- last had consecutive winning seasons in 1982-83. In 1983, the Phillies reached the World Series and expectations were that high coming into this season with a $93 million payroll that included a new All-Star closer, a revamped bullpen and a promising starting rotation.
Instead of overtaking Atlanta in the NL East, the Phillies were eliminated from playoff contention Monday night and there has been speculation about manager Larry Bowa's future.
Injuries and inconsistency spoiled the Phillies' first season in their new ballpark and made its "Now Is The Time" slogan -- proudly imprinted on spiffy red shirts they wore in spring training -- a setup for a bad punchline on Philadelphia sports talk radio.
"Anytime you start the season, you want to win more than you lose," Bowa said. "We've done that three of the four years I've been here."
Now Bowa hopes to get a shot at five.
Philadelphia backed Vicente Padilla (7-7) with a five-run second on Pratt's second homer of the year and RBI singles by Pat Burrell and Placido Polanco.
"I can still hit," said Pratt, making his 37th start for Mike Lieberthal. "Sometimes you don't get the repetitions or 20 at-bats a month."
The Phillies made it 8-4 in the seventh on a two-run triple by Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley's sacrifice fly. The inning ended when left fielder Jason Bay threw out Polanco at home.
Padilla allowed four runs and six hits in five innings -- his third straight start where he's failed to go longer than that. Padilla gave up Ty Wigginton's 17th homer of the year, a three-run shot to left in the second, and a Jack Wilson sacrifice fly.
The Phillies are still cautious with Padilla, who does not talk to reporters, after a stint on the disabled list from May 30 to Aug. 9 with right triceps tendinitis.
"He's still not throwing the ball where it's electric, with that popping fastball," Bowa said.
Rheal Cormier, Ryan Madson and Tim Worrell pitched four scoreless innings of relief.
Ian Snell (0-1) gave up 11 hits, five walks and eight earned runs in five innings in his first major league start. He was the 11th different pitcher to start this year for Pittsburgh.
"He just elevated some pitches and they hit the heck out of them," manager Lloyd McClendon said.
Notes
The game was a makeup of Tuesday
night's rainout. It was the first twi-night doubleheader in the first
season at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies and Tigers played a day-night
doubleheader in June. ... Pratt now has more homers (two) than triple
plays (one). ... Pittsburgh's Rob Mackowiak grounded into only his
second double play of the season. ... The Phillies improved to 38-38 at
home. ... Phillies 1B Jim Thome was out of the lineup, still suffering
from discomfort in his chest resulting from a collision on Sept. 15.
Bowa said Thome had an EKG.
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