The Zo Zone

Mercifully, Ryan Howard sent everybody home after a long night last night at Citizens Bank Park.

Good thing.

I needed the sleep.

His two-run home run helped the Phillies to a 7-5 victory in 14 innings over the Nationals, but everybody who watched knew the Phillies should have won this game in nine innings. Antonio Alfonseca blew a two-run lead in the ninth and put the Phillies down a run entering their final at-bat, but Jimmy Rollins' incredible game-tying triple/error in the bottom of the ninth sent it to extra innings.

As much fun as it can be to watch Howard's power, for my money players like Rollins, Shane Victorino and Chase Utley are more exciting to watch because of their speed. I think the triple is the most exciting play in baseball. Rollins has 12 of them so far.

"I hit third and Smitty [third-base coach Steve Smith] started yelling," Rollins said. "I think it kind of surprised him, too. I looked up and I saw [Felipe] Lopez, and I saw some distance between him and the ball and I said, 'Well, I've got to go.' It was a great play by Smitty to alert me. Then I just let my legs do the rest."

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Last night was July in Christmas Night at the ballpark. The Phillies handed out Cole Hamels bobble heads to everybody. On the side of the box it read: "Cole in Your Stocking." I found that fitting when Alfonseca wasted a great night for Hamels. But then Rollins and Howard saved the day.

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I was surprised that Aaron Rowand tried to bunt with runners on first and second and no outs in the 10th inning because Rowand is one of the top hitters in the league with runners in scoring position and I like his chances hitting better than bunting, something he's not asked to do a lot. I actually thought Rowand might have bunted on his own there. He did not, but Charlie Manuel said that after the first bunt attempt they tried to take the bunt sign off.

The message was never received.

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The Phillies promoted outfielder Greg Golson and lefthander Josh Outman to double-A Reading.

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Brett Myers could be back in time for this weekend's three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He threw a scoreless inning in his third rehab appearance last night for single-A Clearwater.

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I guess we know the starting point for pitching in the current trade market. The Brewers sent one of their top prospects -- and two others -- to the San Diego Padres for setup man Scott Linebrink. I think that's a lot for somebody who seems to have benefited from pitching in cavernous Petco Park. Linebrink is 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA in 25 appearances at Petco this season, but is 0-3 with a 6.05 ERA in 19 appearances on the road. He also had a 3.19 ERA at home last season and a 3.92 ERA on the road. He had a tremendous season in 2005, and actually had a 0.66 ERA on the road compared to a 3.31 ERA on the road.

But the point is: Pat Gillick seemed to be right when he said teams are asking a ton for pitching.