Werth ends home run drought and Phillies beat Diamondbacks

JAYSON WERTH says he doesn't listen to the trade rumors that have been swirling around him for the better part of a month.

After last night, those rumors might not exist.

Werth snapped a 29-game homerless drought with a two-run homer off Rodrigo Lopez in the fifth inning, and centerfielder Shane Victorino limped off the field in the seventh inning with a left oblique strain as the Phillies extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 9-5 victory over the Diamondbacks.

The Phillies moved within 3 1/2 games of first-place Atlanta in the NL East.

With Victorino set to visit team doctor Michael Ciccotti today and Werth starting to heat up, it's hard to imagine the Phillies deciding to part ways with their No. 5 hitter. Not only does he provide the bulk of the team's righthanded power - an important role in a lefty-heavy lineup - Werth has the flexibility to play centerfield.

Victorino said he was hoping to avoid a stint on the disabled list. He intially felt the oblique - located on the left side of the rib cage - grab in the sixth inning while running the bases, then felt it tighten while running to catch a fly ball off the bat of Stephen Drew in the seventh. After making the catch, he walked off the field next to team athletic trainer Mark Andersen.

"I just wanted to be precautionary on that," said Victorino, who went 2-for-4 and scored a run to improve his average to .250. "I don't want to make it longer than we need to. Hopefully nothing's really [wrong] except for it being sore."

Oblique strains can take weeks to heal. Starter Joe Blanton missed the first month of the season after straining the muscle. Werth missed a little more than 2 weeks in 2008 with an oblique strain, and Carlos Ruiz missed a similar amount of time last season.

But Victorino thinks he can avoid the DL.

"I hope not [to go on the DL]," Victorino said. "I don't think it's that bad, and I hope it's not that bad. Again, I won't know until I take the MRI in the morning and what that shows and reveals."

Werth replaced Victorino in centerfield, and Ross Gload came off the bench to play right. Reserve outfielder Ben Francisco also has played centerfield.

Manager Charlie Manuel said the team had no immediate plans to call up an outfielder.

"We ain't there yet," the manager said.

Would top prospect Domonic Brown, who hit a go-ahead triple in the ninth inning for Triple A Lehigh Valley last night, be a consideration?

"I have no idea," Manuel said. "I think Domonic is always a consideration."

Manuel is clearly tired of having to answer questions about injuries. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins was already out with a bruised foot, which is expected to sideline him until tomorrow at the earliest. But the Phillies have managed to string together their longest run of success this season.

Less than a week after falling seven games behind the Braves, the Phillies (54-46) cut the deficit in half with the six consecutive victories. Their longest win streak last year was 10, which they rattled off in July.

Last night, Cole Hamels lasted just five innings, leaving the bases loaded in the first, fourth and fifth before his 108 pitches prompted Manuel to remove him from the game. Hamels allowed three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts in five innings. He also walked four, although home plate umpire Tim McClelland's strike zone certainly wasn't pitcher-friendly.

But a weary Phillies bullpen - closer Brad Lidge was unavailable and Manuel was trying to stay away from Chad Durbin and J.C. Romero - held the Diamondbacks to two runs in the last four innings. That was more than enough for a rejuvenated Phillies offense.

Werth's two-run homer gave the Phillies a 4-3 lead. Arizona retook a 5-4 lead off David Herndon in the sixth, but an RBI singled by Raul Ibanez and Ryan Howard's 23rd home run, a two-run shot off lefty Jordan Norberto, provided a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the frame.

Cody Ransom added a two-run homer in the seventh.

"That's the thing about this team - we've had so many injuries, but we've had guys come in and step up," said Howard, who is hitting .302 with 81 RBI.

They'll find out today how long they will have to deal with their most recent one.

For more Phillies coverage and opinion, read David Murphy's blog, High Cheese, at http://go.philly.com/highcheese. Follow him on Twitter at

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