Phils, Hamels Take Down the Mets
Posted by Jason Bintliff, Fri, September 11, 2009 10:28 PM | Comments: 29
2009 Recaps, Posts
In the month of September, every game is huge. Each game’s importance is magnified as teams jockey for position and make their final push for October. When it’s all said and done, fans often point to the little things that helped get you over the hump, that put you in the position to make a run at the title. Tonight’s game was one of those little things.
The Phillies defeated the Mets tonight 4-2 and did it in uncharecteristic fashion, they played a little bit of small ball.
With twelve hits, the Phillies were able to push four runs across the plate, enough to secure Cole Hamels ninth win of the season. Hamels is now 9-9 this season and his ERA has dropped to 4.21.
Hamels looked good, going 6.2 innings, allowing only one run, while striking out six. His stuff wasn’t over-powering as he scattered seven hits, but it was just good enough to beat a team sinking further and further out of playoff contention.
At the dish the Phillies bats came to life as they banged out 12 hits, yet still failed in clutch situations, hitting just 4 for 19 with runners in scoring position. Their 13 runners left on base matched a season high.
Shane Victorino carried the offense, going 3 for 3 with two walks, three doubles, and a run scored. His effort lifted his average back over .300.Carlos Ruiz also chipped in, knocking in and scoring a run with a hit and two walks.
The Phillies also got doubles from Raul Ibanez, Chase Utley, and Pedro Feliz.
Despite notching a win in the contest, questions still linger as to whether the line-up has snapped it’s recent slump. The Phillies reached base in every inning and again, had 12 hits, yet only scored four runs. Timely hitting will make or break you in the post-season and the Phillies were lucky they didn’t fall victim to the Rays in the World Series when the Phillies set a record for futility with runners in scoring position. They won’t get that lucky again.
Also notable was Ryan Madson’s third straight save. He did give up a run in the ninth, but indifference allowed that run to score as the Phillies gladly traded it for the two outs recieved on the double-play.
The Phillies and Mets go at it again tomorrow, playing in front of a national crowd in game two of the four-game series. Should the Phillies take three of four from the Mets, they will mathematically eliminate them from the postseason.
Also with a Marlins loss to the Nationals, the Phils move ahead six games over the second place Fish.
Posts: 0 Phan in TN
is it my imagination or is Jamie starting tomorrow?
is it a Fox game?
Posted: 10:34 PM on September 11, 2009
Posts: 0 Bill
No Jaime is starting sunday in place of J.A. Happ and possibly starting the second game will be Kyle Kendrick.
Posted: 10:36 PM on September 11, 2009
Posts: 0 MP
No Jamie does go tomorrow. The first game of the double header is Kendrick and Pedro will pitch the night game.
Posted: 10:49 PM on September 11, 2009
Posts: 0 Ken
The Mets are amazingly bad this year. Its not even fun beating them anymore, we have jumped heads and shoulders above them now and shouldnt look back for the next few years with core of the team we have. Just a great time to be a fan. How far do you think the Fightens will go this yeat ?
Posted: 10:57 PM on September 11, 2009
Posts: 0 Dan
I don’t see the Phils making much of a postseason run. Too many red flags…but stranger things have happened.
Posted: 11:17 PM on September 11, 2009
Posts: 0 Ken
Dan you are too much of a pessimist. The only team I think can stand in their way is the Cardinals. The Dodgers are a paper tiger as are the Rockies.
Posted: 11:21 PM on September 11, 2009
Posts: 0 Dan
Well when you put it that way…a trip to the Fall Classic doesn’t seem particularly unlikely.
Posted: 11:35 PM on September 11, 2009
Posts: 0 Jeff
My friend gave his make up game sunday night. Two behind home plate. I cant wait.
Posted: 12:31 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Dave S
I agree with Ken’s take on the Mets. Making fun of Wright and his 8 homers [eight!!!!!!] isn’t fun considering the AAA players they are forced to run out there. For the first time in three years they have an excuse for why they stink.
Posted: 02:04 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 george55
They won this game by not putting loser lidge in – anybody have a problem with this?
Posted: 03:06 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Repeat!
I went to the game…I saw about 5 Mets fans…..Seriously.Maybe Vick’s signing w/ the Eagles scared some of the Mutts fans away…I talked w/a couple of them. They we’re cool as hell. They said the Braves will replace the Mets as the Phils biggest threat for the next 2-3 years. The said they hate those Marlins of course, but no one knows how long they’ll keeps these young guys around.. The Braves have already passed the Mets,but I wasn’t going to be a jerk and say that to their faces….Where’s that tuna fish fan from earlier. 6 up w/23 games left is a lot better than 6 down w/21 games left…. Right? Maude Fans? Your fake sand hour glass confidence was very easy to see through….Didn’t Josh Johnson start for you guys. The pitching matchups for the remaining 3 games leaves us vulnerable…4/19 w/risp. what a bleeping joke….. We must cash in here with our next 6 being against Mets/Nats. The Mets will play hard all weekend….The Phils better be ready….I have a lot of respect for the Nats.They are playing their starters and are trying to win every game….very classy/very professional…. They deserve a contender…but not until we win a couple more WS rings first…
Posted: 03:12 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Repeat!
Yes, the whole stadium groaned when Charlie put Myers in the 8th and Madson in for the save..You got it backwords Chuck…Stop fooling around with Madson….He also left Cole in one batter too long….Send Lidge away…..far away….he’s presense is screwing up our entire bp..same w/durbin….Make a dec Chuck and stick with it.. There’s only 3wks left….it’s about time that you establish you BP correctly….JC says he’ll be ready soon..Stop goofing around Charlie…it’s very annoying to watch… you keep making these same fundamental managerial mistakes over and over…..and over…again! Madson/Brett>Brett/Madson…..
Posted: 03:21 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 george55
Cholie won this game by not putting in his buddy, Loser Lidge. He must have been foaming at the mouth wanting to put him in. That’s how they won. Just barely….again scoring just enough. Wonder what it feels like to watch a game without pressure where they would score 8 or 9 runs and play a relaxing game.
Posted: 04:47 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 The Original Chuck P
Great win last night in a must win situation… with Jamie, KK and Pedro going these next three, it was essential for Cole to get a win last night and he did, convincingly. Couple that with the Fish loss (even sweeter because they had Johnson on the mound… those pesky Gnats doing exactly what we all hoped they would do) and it’s looking up for sure.
Hey george55, tell us who you root for, buddy. The Dodgers? How does it feel to be playing .500 baseball since the all-star break? Those Rox are breathing down your neck… The Mets? No need to say much here… do you know who leads the Mets in HR’s this season as a Met? How about Gary Sheffield with 10. That would be TEN… as in one-third as many HR’s as four players on our team. Fish? 6GB with 21 games left- time to panic. Get out of here, ya bum.
Posted: 08:51 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Ken
I should amend that any win is fun and Im giddy that we have overtaken the Mets as the class of the division but I dont see the Braves being competitive either next year either. The Phils have a chance to be a dynasty if they can win one or more WS in the next 5 years. Wih Amaro at the helm I have faith in the building process of this organization in a way I havent felt in decadeds. This is just a great time to be a fan. Eagles have a legit shot too this year!
Posted: 08:59 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Ed R.
Chuck P 1, Georgie 0
Posted: 09:22 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Stuart
Is any one else as worried about Happ as I am. I mean yeah we won but I just think for us to have any playoff hope we need Happ back in this rotation. what is the latest on him?
Posted: 09:24 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Phils have a deep starting rotation so the loss of Happ wouldn’t be a huge loss. Even if he is back, he might not be the 4th starter in the playoffs, he might be in the pen.
The latest I heard on him is that he puts his odds of making his next start at 50/50.
Posted: 10:03 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Georgie
I fell asleep for the last 3 innings, so I had to check in here this a.m. to see what happened. They won, so that’s good, Madson saved again, that’s good, oh, but the RISP, I wish they could solve that problem so we could quit talking about it, yeeesh!
Ed, George55 does NOT = Georgie, if you’re going to equate me with someone, PLEASE make it someone who at the very least is a Phillies fan, which obviously big George55 is NOT.
Posted: 10:40 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Brooks
have you girls cooled yet? Big game today, Phils need to eat some Pelfrey – Ryan needs to come out of his little funk – how many men did he leave on base last night???
Tonight some fireworks if you please. The old man is pitching! He always gets run support, more than anybody.
Posted: 11:31 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 karen
I am concerned without happ in the starting rotation but i think they are being extra careful so that they have him for the end of the season. without him, they havent really won with the replacement (moyer) but it wasnt moyer’s fault
Posted: 11:33 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Brooks
that might be part of the beauty of it all Karen – how about Jamie pitching like we hoped for from the beginning and then what to do with a nice set of starters like this.. except for Lee’s recent burps, the really have not looked that bad – Blanton has had many of these “quality starts” but the run production has hurt all the starters but Jamie.
Nicer “predicament” to be in than not.
Closing situation and the bench – my biggest concerns going into the post season – hopefully the bats will hit with RISP from this point on –
that might help…
Posted: 11:40 AM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 The Original Chuck P
Jamie could win 15-16 games this year… that’s pretty crazy. Add Pedro’s 4 and that’s 20 games from our 5th starter. Ridonkulous…
Posted: 01:11 PM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Stuart – On Happ, a reoccurring oblique strain is getting that much closer to a Sportsman Hernia…be worried…I have a condition that mimics the symptoms of a sportsman hernia and because at the time my condition presented, little was know about this “hernia” I had to alot of research. If you want to know more about it let me know, but
it’s not a hernia in a true sense as the damage isn’t to the abdominal wall, but to the muscles of abdomen and pelvic region. Oblique strains and repeated groin pulls are the early warning signs. This is injury has plagued hockey players for years and is commonly called “slapshot gut”
Posted: 01:40 PM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 teejvee
As far as the post season goes. It’s impossible to predict. When this team is hot, they are as good as any. When they tank, they are as bad as the as any, as they have shown the past couple weeks.( When is the last homer Howard hit?)
The big known problems are the unsetelled bullpen, the lack of even a decent leadoff hitter, and the inability to execute basic offensive fundamentals.
Posted: 02:35 PM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Miles
The problem with that logic, Chuck, is that Jamie was signed to be the third starter (or fourth starter depending on your view of Blanton going into the year). We only dubbed him the fifth starter when he started blowing it. Anyway, your point about the lower half of our rotation being productive is right on. It’s nice to not feel like we have one or two starters that are going to get lit up every 5 days.
I second j reed on Happ. Condrey has had the same thing and every time he gets close to coming back he has a set back. The whole oblique thing really makes me nervous.
Posted: 02:37 PM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Miles
@teejvee…Howard hit one off of Moehler in the Houston series (the Sunday game?)
Also, why is everyone so worked up about the “unsettled” bullpen? The whole idea of everyone having a specific role and only pitching in those situations is BS. That’s why we kept getting burned with Lidge, because it was “his role.” Personally, I would rather see Myers in the 9th, but as long as we are winning ball games Charlie can experiment however he wants.
Posted: 02:42 PM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 » Hamels, Top of Lineup Lead Phillies Past Mets | Blogging-Baseball.com
[...] The Phillies Nation blog post recaps the game: The Phillies defeated the Mets… in… a little bit of small ball. [...]
Posted: 03:06 PM on September 12, 2009
Posts: 0 Ed R.
My apologies Georgie.
Posted: 03:08 PM on September 12, 2009