Survivor Types: Phillies 8, Dodgers 6
by dajafi on Oct 16, 2009 12:30 AM EDT
23 comments
If it were ever easy, it wouldn't be as much fun.
The Phillies' slumbering bats woke all at once in the fifth inning, erasing a 1-0 deficit against Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, and then the club held on for dear life over the last four innings before Brad Lidge nailed down a wild 8-6 win that gave the Phils a 1-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.
Billed as a matchup between brilliantly talented young lefthanders Kershaw and Cole Hamels, Game One was just that through four innings. LA grabbed a 1-0 lead on James Loney's second-inning solo home run, but the Phils erased that with a five-spot in the fifth as Raul Ibanez singled, Pedro Feliz walked, and October hero Carlos Ruiz crushed a three-run homer out to left field. Later in the inning, Ryan Howard came up with two on and two outs and drove a two-run double to right field, putting the Phils up 5-1. He was the last Phillie to face Kershaw, the talented 21 year-old lefty.
But Hamels could not handle prosperity. Russell Martin led off the home fifth with a ground-rule double on a two-strike pitch, and after pinch-hitter Orlando Hudson struck out, Rafael Furcal singled to put runners on the corners. Next came Andre Ethier, who hit what looked like a double-play ball to short. Jimmy Rollins hesitated, however, and fed Chase Utley too late to finish the twin killing; Utley threw the back half of the potential inning-ender into the dugout, and Martin scored. Visibly rattled, Hamels fell behind Manny Ramirez 2-0 and then laid in a change-up that Ramirez crushed for a two-run homer that brought the Dodgers within a run at 5-4.
There it stayed for three innings, with former Dodger Chan Ho Park turning in a brilliant inning of scoreless relief in the 7th after coming in with a man on second and no outs. Joe Torre called upon George Sherrill to start the eighth, and he started by walking Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. Raul Ibanez then jumped on Sherrill's first pitch, a slider that he bombed over the wall for a three-run homer and an 8-4 Phillies lead. It was the first homer Sherrill had allowed to a lefty hitter this season.
The Dodgers weren't done, however. With Ryan Madson on the mound in the 8th, they got one run back on three straight singles from Loney, Rafael Belliard and Russell Martin. After pinch-hitter Juan Pierre grounded into a fielder's choice that put runners on the corners with one out, Furcal hit a sacrifice fly that brought LA within 8-6. Ethier followed with a single, but Madson escaped further damage by getting Ramirez to ground out.
After the Phils could not score against Jonathan Broxton in the ninth, it was time for Brad Lidge. The once-and-again closer started the ninth by allowing a single on a two-strike offering to Matt Kemp, but followed by inducing a double-play grounder from Casey Blake. Lidge jumped out in front of Loney 0-2, but lost him to a walk. With Belliard up as the tying run, however, Lidge got a popup to shallow left which Jimmy Rollins squeezed to preserve the win.
With home-field advantage secured, the Phils go for a 2-0 advantage Friday as ex-Dodger Pedro Martinez faces ex-Phillie Vicente Padilla.
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Congrats to the Phillies!
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
by eths on Oct 16, 2009 12:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
btw
Happ, in relief of Hamels, saved the game in the sixth with a bases-loaded, full-count groundout of Rafael Furcal when it was 5-4. If LA scores to pull even or go ahead there, we probably lose the game.
by dajafi on Oct 16, 2009 1:27 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
Good call. And Madson, horrible though he was, did limit the damage by getting Manny to ground out in the 8th.
by ajay on Oct 16, 2009 2:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Similar to getting a big out that didn’t seem that important at the time in the last game vs. Colorado: bottom of the 8th, after Torrealba doubled in two runs Madson walked a man intentionally then threw a wild pitch to put runners on 2nd and 3rd. Another hit there and it’s a four-run lead, but Madson limited the damage by getting Barmes to ground out. This time it was first and third with Manny Ramirez up representing a potential go-ahead run if he knocks one out, but Madson again limited the damage with a ground out.
by phillyinportland on Oct 17, 2009 2:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was very impressed with Happ too
I think it’s tough for a guy who is used to starting and having the luxury of taking a few pitches to get a feel for the umpire’s strike zone etc. to suddenly come into situations where you have to be sharp right from the start. Happ’s control wasn’t great, but he pitched very carefully to Thome and avoided making a foolish mistake. Then he hung in with Furcal and made a decent pitch to get him out.
by MJW on Oct 16, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I loved how the point was made about Sherrill: it’s almost impossible for a lefthanded batter to hit a home run against him. I was waiting for the rest of the story after Ibanez’ homer, but they never seemed to get back to it. And what was the point of talking about walk-off wins for the Dodgers in the ninth inning when they never brought the winning run to the plate? I only watched the last two innings so I have no opinion of the announcers overall – they probably have to be better than the NLDS crew – but there is something about Buck Martinez’ voice that seems to suck the joy out of every dramatic moment.
by phillyinportland on Oct 16, 2009 1:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
You should have heard how elated Chip Caray was when Manny hit his HR. It’s pretty pathetic how obvious the announcers were leaning towards the Dodgers.
by yosoysean on Oct 16, 2009 3:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
While the announcers made many, many mistakes, I do not think their was any bias towards one team or the other. I am pretty sure Chip was more excited that it was Manny Ramirez hitting the home run rather than the dodgers (think Brett Favre).
by Neduol Caz on Oct 16, 2009 7:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i don't know...
he practically jizzed in his pants
by DeuceisLoose926 on Oct 16, 2009 7:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
TBS Sucks
Between the announcers and the commercials I’ve concluded TBS hasn’t a clue about good, impartial baseball coverage. The only way I can enjoy the Phighten’s this year in the play-offs is to turn down the sound and put on 1260 AM radio Phillie’s coverage. Yea the jack-wads in the NLDS were horrible but the clowns last night weren’t all that much better IMHO. Go Phill’s!!!
by daddieo on Oct 16, 2009 8:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Notes from crashburnalley...
Carlos Ruiz — .950 OPS since the end of July (combining regular and post season).
Howard — RBIs in all 5 postseason games
Phillies — showing they are the main reason CBP is a "launching pad". They hit more HRs on the road than at home in the regular season, and in fact led all MLB in road HRs (ahead of any AL team, and without benefit of a DH).
by schmenkman on Oct 16, 2009 9:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
announcers
I think I marginally prefer this crew to the imbeciles who did the NLDS solely for the presence of Ron Darling. He’s pretty good anyway, he knows the Phillies really well and obviously respects them.
Captain FISTED!, however, is an atrocity. Granted that I thought his grandfather was a lousy announcer and his dad was even worse—as an old girlfriend of mine once put it, he sounded like a Muppet—Carey III is as outrageously bad as most third installments in any franchise.
I’ve gotten to the point that around the seventh inning I can’t stand the bleating of whoever’s calling the game. I mute the TV and put on music, and immediately find myself feeling calmer.
by dajafi on Oct 16, 2009 11:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That turn of phrase really baffles me. Where in his career did he start saying “fisted.” Who told him that was a good idea? Who DIDN’T tell him it was a bad idea?
It’s like Kevin Youkilis’s batting stance.
by Steve J on Oct 16, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
A great many announcers use that term. But the sheer frequency of Caray’s usage makes it notable.
HK’s preferred terminology was “punch shot,” which is a lot better.
by taco pal on Oct 16, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmm. Can’t say I’ve heard it all that often.
by Steve J on Oct 16, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Did Darling and Sarge ever play together? I’ve noticed a similarity in the way they speak. Something about the cadence and occasional weird emphasis.
by phatj on Oct 16, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nope.
Maybe Darling picked it up at Yale. Did Sarge go to Yale by any chance?
by taco pal on Oct 16, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ron Darling went to Yale? Anythings possible then I guess
Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned
by jemagee on Oct 17, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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