--RHP Tom Gordon's recovery from a sore right elbow likely will take longer than the minimum 15 days that he will be on the Phillies' disabled list. Pitching coach Rich Dubee said Gordon won't throw a ball for at least five, perhaps 10, days. "At his age (40) and being in 30-something games, some downtime is important for him," Dubee said. "I think the rest will do him good. We're not going to zip him back here." Dubee guessed that Gordon's elbow woes began when his balky shoulder flared last month. The Phillies didn't use Gordon for a 10-day stretch, but he'd been placing more strain on his elbow to compensate for the ache in his shoulder. In his last six games, he has allowed eight runs (six earned) in four innings.
--1B Ryan Howard has hit safely in 11 consecutive games, his longest hitting streak of the season. Howard, the Phillies' slugger, attempted to bunt in the ninth inning of a 2-0 loss to the Cardinals before lacing a single up the middle. "Because we were down 2-0 and needed baserunners," Howard explained. "For me to get up there and hit a home run would've meant nothing. We've got to find ways to manufacture runs because we're not always going to hit home runs. We've got to play small ball and let the home runs come when they come." --LHP Cole Hamels allowed two solo homers, but he thought he made only one bad pitch. Hamels liked the pitch he threw to Cardinals CF Rick Ankiel in the fifth inning, but Ankiel powered it over the left-center-field fence. "The way he hit it was impressive," Hamels said. "I guess that's why he's a hitter now." Hamels, who suffered a hard-luck 2-0 loss to the Cardinals, allowed only three hits in seven innings. It marked the career-best seventh straight time in which Hamels has pitched at least seven innings in a start. Six of Hamels' last seven outings have been quality starts. He's 4-2 with a 2.35 ERA during that span.
--RF Jayson Werth extended his career-best hitting streak to 10 games with a fourth-inning single. During the stretch, Werth is 12-for-32 (.375) with two home runs and six RBIs.
--RHP Brett Myers' second start in his remedial mission to the minors brought a positive report from Class AAA Lehigh Valley pitching coach Rod Nichols. Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee said Myers' fastball averaged about 91 mph, with a few 93s and 94s mixed in. Myers allowed three runs (two earned) in 7 1/3 innings and got the victory. Dubee couldn't say if Myers' start Saturday at Class AA Reading will be his last before he rejoins the Phillies. Myers agreed last week to a 20-day minor league assignment to correct his mechanics. In 17 starts for the Phils, Myers is 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA.
BY THE NUMBERS: 495 -- Career games needed by Ryan Howard to reach the 150-homer plateau. He is the fastest player to the 150-home run mark, surpassing Eddie Mathews (569 games).
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'll put it this way: There's a lot of things in life that a lot of people don't want to do. But you're getting paid. You've got to show up for work and do the best job you can. He's a gamer. I think he'll give it 100 percent, whether it's in a closer situation or as a starter." -- GM Pat Gillick, on the future of RHP Brett Myers, who has stated his preference for pitching out of the bullpen.
