out on the ride aboard Black Hercules in the National Hunt C

PHILADELPHIA -- Odubel Herrera clapped his hands together and yelled toward the dugout as he ran to first base after yet another big hit.The speedy center fielder is having fun again, and hes helping his team win games, too.Herrera kept up his hitting surge with a homer among his three hits and drove in three runs as the Philadelphia Phillies held off a late Chicago White Sox rally in a 7-6 win Tuesday night.Tommy Joseph and Roman Quinn added two hits apiece and combined to drive in three runs for the Phillies. Herrera, who hits between Quinn and Joseph in the lineup, is 15 for 28 in his last seven games after slumping for most of the summer following his trip to the All-Star Game.I was a little disappointed because things were not working out the way I wanted them to work out, Herrera said through a translator. Thankfully now things are better for me and Im putting the work in and the results are showing.Melky Cabrera hit a three-run home run for the White Sox, who have lost four straight. Struggling veteran James Shields (5-18), winless since July 26, allowed six earned runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.Trailing 7-3 in the ninth, the White Sox pulled within one on a two-out wild pitch and a two-run double from Adam Eaton. However, Michael Mariot came on and got Tim Anderson to ground out to short to end the game and pick up his first career save.It wasnt pretty but we hung on to win that game, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. That was huge.Jake Thompson (3-5) gave up three runs and four hits over five innings. The rookie right-hander, who struggled for most of August after first getting called up from the minors, has won his last two starts and has a 2.99 ERA over his last five appearances.For the second straight game, the Phillies jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. After Quinn walked, Herrera hit a 1-1 pitch into the Phillies bullpen for his 15th homer of the season.Herrera also started a two-out rally in the third, singling and stealing second, before scampering home on Josephs two-out double. Joseph then came home when Anderson couldnt handle a sharp liner off the bat of Maikel Franco, giving the Phillies a 4-3 lead.Herreras big night continued in the fifth when he snuck a ground-ball through the hole between first and second to drive in Quinn and extend Philadelphias lead to 5-3. On the next pitch, the speedy center fielder stole his second base of the game and 24th of the season.Hes more disciplined at the plate, Mackanin said of Herrera. He looks more like the guy we saw early in the season than the guy we did for the last six weeks. For whatever reason, he seemed to lose focus but he seems to be getting it back. That bodes well for us.Quinns two-run single in the sixth provided enough insurance for the Phillies to open their second-to-last home series of the season with a win.Before the ninth, Chicagos big inning came in the third. With two outs and nobody on, Anderson doubled and Jose Abreu walked before Cabrera lined a 1-1 pitch just inside the right-field foul pole for his 12th home run of the year, putting the White Sox ahead 3-2.Offensively, we just kept chipping away and getting to a point, even in the last inning right there, you bring up the tying run, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. Weve got to be able to hold them, and thats got to be the biggest thing.FLASHING LEATHERWith two on and one out in the fifth, sure-handed Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis made a very nice sliding snag of Abreus grounder before starting an impressive inning-ending double play.The Phillies also ended the seventh inning with a double play.RED-HOT ROOKIELike Herrera, Joseph is also riding a hot streak with 10 hits in his last six games. The rookie first baseman has been playing more with veteran Ryan Howard hobbled with an injury.MORE ABOUT HERRERAHerrera became the first Phillies outfielder with three hits, three RBI and two stolen bases in a game since Ben Revere on March 31, 2014. Hes also the first Phillies outfielder with at least 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases since Shane Victorino in 2010.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: Ryan Howard missed his third straight game because of knee soreness. He had his knee drained over the weekend.UP NEXTThe Phillies and White Sox close their two-game series Wednesday with Chicago LHP Chris Sale (16-8, 3.03) opposing Philadelphia RHP Jerad Eickhoff (10-14, 3.74). Cheap Vans Shoes .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Vans Shoes Clearance . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. http://www.vansshoesclearancesale.com/vans-sk8-hi-clearance/sk8-hi-leather.html . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Vans Shoes Wholesale . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. Vans Old Skool White . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle.Nichols Canyon could clash again with Champion Hurdle conqueror Annie Power in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle on April 7. Inched out of second place by My Tent Or Yours in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last week, the performance of the six-year-old delighted owner Graham Wylie, not least because of his flat previous effort in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the end of January.Wylie had considered moving Nichols Canyon up in trip earlier in the season, but is unable to resist the temptation any longer and plans to move him up to two and a half miles at Aintree next month, before looking at the World Series Hurdle at Punchestown over three miles. Speaking to Matt Chapman on At The Races on Monday evening, Wylie was still on a high after a Festival return that saw his string collect three victories and a further three placed efforts from his small team.If youd said to me before Cheltenham that Id get three winners, two seconds, a third, some very close finishes then I wouldnt have believed you, he said.The best thing [about Nichols Canyon] was that I actually got my horse back because I honestly thought that with his race over Christmas and his race in the [Irish] Champion Hurdle, that we might have bottomed him. If hed come last or second-last that day, I might have thought that wed lost him forever, but the way he ran that day and the way he battled on was more pleasing than where he came.The fact is that we didnt run him over a longer distance because we didnt think he would settle very well but this season as he has got bigger and stronger and more experienced, he has seemed to settle better in his races, so his next trip could be to Aintree for the two-and-a-half mile hurdle, because he won the two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdle there last year, and then I think we might just try him in the three-mile race at Punchestown just to see if he gets the trip.With Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power also mooted as a possible runner in the same race, that could see the pair clashing again, but Wylie said: Willie hasnt told me. All that he has said is that he will see how the horse is in the next 10 days - whether Annie goes there or not, I dont know. What I really want is just to see how he gets on over the longer trip because Id love to get him to the World Hurdle.Wylies other Festival winners, JLT Chase scorer Black Hercules, and impressive Neptune Novices Hurdle victor Yorkhill could also be under consideration for Aintree.I think [Black Hercules] could be very good, said the owner. He jumps brilliantly. He only made one small, novicey mistake at the second-last. Is he Gold Cup standard? I dont think well know until we try him over the trip, but I think he could be a Ryanair horse for next season.He was fourth in the Champion Bumper two seasons ago so he does have pace. Hes a lovely-looking horse too who loves good ground.I think well see him again. Willie likes to get them to Punchestown and if hes looking good, we might pop in to Aintree. I think Nichols Canyon ran at all three last season, as did Bellshill, so youll probably see him.I was feeling fairly confident halfway through [the Neptune] as I was watching Ruby ride Yorkhill and it looked like he had a double-handful all the way, even coming to the third last. I knew he was going to run a big race. I wasnt sure if wed beat Yanworth, because he was touted as something special, but the form he showed that day and the way he won was tremendous to watch.I think youll see him again. Whether he goes to Aintree or not, I dont know, thats up to Willie. I think hell go to Punchestown because I know Willie always says thats the last real race of the season then he gives them a long break over the summer.Its early days yet but it sounds like he will go novice chasing next season. Ruby says he will win the Arkle with his mouth open whatever that means, but he does look like he could step up in trip so it may be the JLT - you know whats going to happen, hes going to be entered in all three and there will be this big debate next season as to which race he goes for if the horse is fit and well.dddddddddddd.If hes potentially what we think he is, which is potentially a Gold Cup horse, then I think we might just try him at a longer trip. Theres a year to go so theres plenty of time to decide.We all think hes something special so lets hope he stays fit and well because hell win his fair share of races.Among the near-misses for Wylie were Voix Du Nord, a last-fence faller in the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle just as he had hit the front, and Shaneshill, runner-up in the RSA Chase to Blaklion.We think Voix Du Nord might be a staying horse and if there is another horse that Willie has bought me to be another Inglis Drever I think it might be him, he said. Although he fell I was delighted because it showed that we have got a good horse there. If hed come down the field, I might have been worried about what Id got but the fact that he was challenging for the lead coming to the last meant that hes got some gears and hes got some staying power. Ruby thought he would have won, but you never know.Hes absolutely fine. He was fine afterwards and weve had him checked over. Well probably challenge for a couple of the juvenile races before the end of the season as he will soon no longer be a novice. Next season, he goes hurdling - handicap hurdling, or maybe even for the graded races.Shaneshill was a surprise for me because we werent sure if he would get the trip and to be honest, he made a mistake at the third-last and he disappeared out of view on the big screen and I thought Wheres he gone? Hes pulled him up then the next thing I knew he has jumped the last in the lead so he proved his stamina and Im delighted with that - hell stay at three miles from now on.The shame about Shaneshill is that hes always the bridesmaid at Cheltenham - hes been second three times now. Hell almost certainly go to Punchestown and then next season he steps up to take on the big boys.Also second was Battleford, beaten in the tightest of photo finishes by Ballyandy in the Champion Bumper.As you know I like to buy bumper horses who can run big races because then I know Ive got something for the novice hurdles next season. He was beaten by more of a nostril than a nose - but never mind, he ran a great race and weve got a horse to really look forward to, said Wylie, who revealed that he now hopes to offer Patrick Mullins compensation for missing out on the ride aboard Black Hercules in the National Hunt Chase by legging him up aboard Gold Cup runner-up On His Own for one more race in the Crabbies Grand National.Mullins jnr had been hoping that Black Hercules might line-up in the four-miler restricted to amateur jockeys, so that he might get the chance to ride, but instead he will be offered a National ride to dream about aboard the 2014 Gold Cup runner-up, who finished well beaten in this years renewal behind Don Cossack.Hes got one more run then I think Im going to retire him and thats in the Grand National, said Wylie. Thats the plan and Patrick will be on him, I believe.Hopefully that will be his swansong. Hes getting old now, hes 12 years old. He likes to lead from the front, so that might be tricky in the Grand National. He didnt travel in the Gold Cup because he couldnt make his own pace. Hell have one more run and then see what to do with him. Patrick would be my preferred choice, because he rides the horse very well, but well see what happens.On His Own is a 33/1 chance with Sky Bet for the £1million race on April 9. Also See: Live results service Full racecards ￡10 free bet Get Sky Sports ' ' '