Game 1
Innings One Through Eight
The first game has just ended moments ago and once again the Phillies have led us on a wild roller coaster of 9 innings of baseball. For the first 8 innings of the game the entire day could be predicated on one person : Ryan Howard. He hit three bombs to three different fields to record his 50th, 51st and 52nd home runs of the year. He becomes the first player in the majors to eclipse that mark.
Jamie Moyer also shined in his home debut. He through a solid 7 1/3 innings only getting burned by the long ball twice. At one point he retired 10 straight batters until Matt Diaz hit a single to center in the 8th.
Ryan Madson replaced Moyer to en duce a 4-6-3 double play to retire the side. With one out in the 9th Ryan Howard stepped up to the plate with a chance to hit the first 4 home run game since Carlos Delgado did it in Toronto in 2003. Unfortunately , it was not to be. He instead hit a rocket to center field to fall in for a single.
At this point in the game you’re thinking to yourself "It’s 6-3, even they can’t possibly blow this great of a game, can they?"
Inning Nine
For those who trashed us by giving Tom Gordon the Jeltzy even though he isn’t playing we are here to show you examples A through C on why Tom Gordon’s selfish play is costing our team games.
Example A : Thursday at Washington
Example B: Game One on Saturday Night
Example C: Game One , Today
Since Flash has gone on the DL when he decided he wanted to jeprodize his health and the team’s winning chance by pitching with a bum shoulder we have learned that we can not trust ANYONE in our bullpen. They are a bipolar group and we just pray when Charlie calls on Rhodes, Madson or Fultz that today is one of their good days. Recently, he could have a better chance of pulling a rabbit from his hat then choosing the right man for the situation.
After yet another implosion of the bullpen, this time courtesy of Ryan Madson, I couldn’t help but thinking "Not Again."
Being down by one run going into the bottom half of the ninth brought out the optimism in me (rarely seen optimism) because I knew If the bottom of the lineup could somehow get on base that Jimmy Rollins would tie or win this game.
The Chris Coste at bat was the most important of the inning. Having the lead of man get on when your back is against the wall puts the pressure on Atlanta to get the Phils and gives us a shot of confidence that we may actually win this thing. Abe Nunez successfully bunted over Thurston, who was running for Coste, which proved to be a great strategic move by Manuel to put his team in a position to tie. "Sausage Beating" Randall Simon had the most patient at bat in his career drawing a five pitch walk and not swing at a single ball thrown.
Carlos Ruiz came on to run for Simon to prevent a costly double play. I might call myself Dionne Warwick for now on because J Roll hit a single to left . Ryan Langerhans promptly fielded the ball and air mailed it to the backstop and almost throwing it into the stand, which would have won the game for the phils. J Roll moved up to 2nd, Ruiz now at third with Shane-O up to win the game.
The Braves drew their defense up but it proved not to matter. Victorino singles through the 2nd base hole and the Phillies adverted disaster in a close, close game.
I’m geared up for game too. Hopefully it is becomes another lopsided blowout like Game Two from last night!
