VICTORINO DELIVERS IT WHEN COUNTS MOST

(Sept. 18): The mark of a good baseball player, some say, is to deliver when it counts most. But that measure, Shane Victorino of Maui is a very good player.

The Phillies' center-fielder again came through in a big way for his team last night, delivering his third straight multi-hit game.

By going 3-for-4, stealing a base and scoring a run, Victorino helped his team extend its season-high winning streak to six games in a key 6-1 victory over Atlanta.

The win kept the Phillies a half-game ahead of the New York Mets in the National League East and a full game up on Milwaukee for the final playoff spot.

The other two contenders also posted victories yesterday, the Mets holding off Washington 9-7 and the Brewers beating the Chicago Cubs 6-2.

Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard's power surge has deservedly received the most attention. Howard has been on tear, driving in a run again last night to give him 29 RBI in his last 21 games and increasing his major-league leading season total to 137.

But Victorino's contributions shouldn't be overlooked on a team that also features such marquee names as reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins and all-star second baseman Chase Utley.

After trailing New York by 3.5 games going into last Thursday's action, the Phillies have won six straight to vault past the Mets. During that span, Victorino has gone 13-for-23 – that's a .565 batting average – while scoring four runs and driving in five.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

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