Phillies Notes: Shane Victorino finds his extra-base stroke

DENVER - For the second consecutive game, Shane Victorino served as an offensive trigger with an extra-base hit in the opening inning.

Victorino had gone 98 plate appearances and 89 at-bats before hitting a one-out double in the first inning of Saturday night's 8-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

That was his first extra-base hit since June 13 in Minnesota, a remarkably long stretch for a player with his speed. He added an RBI triple in the ninth inning of that game.

Victorino returned to work Sunday by setting the tone again with a one-out triple off lefthander Drew Pomeranz before scoring on a two-out single by Carlos Ruiz in what became a 5-1 Phillies victory in the series finale at Coors Field.

The centerfielder was not oblivious to the fact that he had gone so long without an extra-base hit before Saturday.

"Yeah, I kind of had an idea," he said. "People talked about it . . . but I don't dwell on those stats. I want to focus on winning as a team and go out and bring energy every night and be the best player I can be every night."

Victorino's two triples over the weekend doubled his total to four this season. A year ago, he led the National League with 16 triples.

"I put him in the two-hole," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I wanted to see him a few games before I did anything, and the last couple of days he's definitely swung the bat better. He looks a lot better."

Since he will be a free agent after the season and there is no indication the Phillies are going to sign him to a contract extension, it's quite possible - even probable - that Victorino is in his final days with the team.

He insisted he's not thinking about it.

"I can't control what goes on off the field," he said. "I can only control what is happening on the field. I never look at that and I never will look at that. I stay focused and I'm a Phillie. I'm focused on winning as Phillie."

The Phillies made it official before the game that Roy Halladay will return from the disabled list Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It will be his first start since May 27 in St. Louis, when he left with soreness in the back of his right shoulder.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee said Saturday that Halladay will be on a pitch count. Halladay indicated Friday that he would like to get through at least six innings.

The Phillies had been scheduled to face Nathan Eovaldi in Halladay's return, but the Dodgers pitching matchups for the series changed Sunday when Chad Billingsley was scratched because of elbow tenderness.

Eovaldi (1-5, 4.21 ERA) will pitch Monday against Joe Blanton (7-8, 4.98). The Dodgers are undecided about the pitcher who will face Halladay (4-5, 3.98) on Tuesday. The series finale Wednesday will match Cliff Lee (1-6, 3.92) and Clayton Kershaw (7-5, 2.84).

Ruiz's first-inning RBI single raised his batting average to a major-league best .470 (31 for 66) in the first and second innings this season. He also doubled and scored in the fourth inning and finished the three-game series 5 for 12 with four RBIs. . . . Domonic Brown is scheduled to return to triple-A Lehigh Valley's lineup Monday after hitting .579 during a four-game rehabilitation stint in the Gulf Coast League. Brown had been sidelined since June 14 with a strained right knee. . . . Centerfielder Tyson Gillies returned to the double-A Reading lineup Sunday and had two hits. He had been sidelined since May 26 with a concussion.