It’s always nice catching a highlight and seeing that a major league team scored 20 runs in a game. For a game based on statistics, both in fantasy and real-life baseball, there is fun to be had in checking out that box score. And early in a season like this, a big individual outburst can have quite an effect on a player’s bottom line. More on that below.

Of course, for as good as the Phillies’ offense was, the Rockies’ pitching staff was just as bad. Fortunately, in fantasy, it was a bunch of no-names absorbing all the damage. A sketchy, six-man effort got through the game by throwing a whopping 202 pitches and allowing 19 hits and 8 walks.

Here are the statistical highlights:

2B Chase Utley: 3-for-6, 3-run HR, 6 RBIs, SB, 2 runs
The significance here is in the homer and 6 RBIs. Utley is back and forth with Florida’s Dan Uggla for top fantasy second baseman honors, and his 16th homer and 42nd RBI gave him the edge back over Uggla’s 16 HRs and 38 RBIs. Both players are tied with Houston’s Lance Berkman for the major league home run lead.

1B Ryan Howard: 1-for-2, 3 RBIs, 3 runs
Ideally, a big Howard night would include a home run. This one did not, but Howard, hands-down the major league strikeout leader with 75, did walk three times and not strike out. It was the seventh time this season and first time in 15 games that Howard went ‘K-free’ in a game.

C Chris Coste: 3-for-6, 3-run HR, 4 RBIs, 2 runs
The 32-yeard old backup catcher started for the third time in nine games and ripped his fourth homer of the season. With his limited at-bats, the RBI count was a big boost to Coste’s bottom line. He had just 2 RBIs in the Phillies’ previous 28 games combined.

3B Pedro Feliz: 4-for-6, 4 RBIs, 2 runs
Feliz is on fire over his last seven games, hitting .484 (15-for-31) to raise his season average from .227 to .271. He is on a run of four straight 20-homer campaigns, but has just a .253 career average. In a more friendly Citizens Bank Park, he’ll likely exceed his career-best of 22 homers, but with an average that settles back into the .250 range.

Dustin Hockensmith is editor of ImaginaryDiamond.com. He can be contacted at dhockensmith[at]fantasysports101.net.