This Close: Nationals 8, Phillies 7

by WholeCamels on Sep 10, 2009 10:30 PM EDT Comment 16 comments

So Joe Blanton had his worst outing of the season, and the Phillies went into the ninth down by a score of 8-2. Brad Lidge pitched the bottom of the 8th to "get some work in" pursuant to his new/temporary role as the final inning mop-up specialist. Did you turn your TV off?

The Phillies charged back, loading the bases with one out for pinch hitter Matt Stairs, hitless since July 11. And Stairs delivered, blasting a grand slam into the right field seats. Jimmy Rollins followed up with a single, and scored on a double by Shane Victorino. After an infield single by Chase Utley, Ryan Howard came to the plate against lefty Ron Villone. Sadly, the rally ended there, with Ryan Howard grounding into a double play on a slow ground ball to the second baseman.

Sigh. What else?

Joe Blanton was terrible. I guess he's earned the right, but eight runs in 4.2 innings is just no good. And the offense couldn't get a damn thing done against Livan Hernandez, who wasn't good enough to pitch for the Mets this fall.

Nonetheless there are some good things to take away from this -- the offense broke out, for an inning at least, and Brad Lidge had an OK eighth inning; despite allowing a triple to Willie Harris, he struck out two and allowed no runs. Chad Durbin and Tyler Walker also looked good.

I keep telling myself that two out of three on the road is pretty good under any circumstances, but this one was just so close. I hope it doesn't come back to bite them.

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Blanton vs. the Nats

Horrible. This season alone:
15 IP, 21 H, 13 R, 4 HR, 10 BB, with a 7.63 ERA, 2.02 WHIP and .323 BAA.

by doubleh on Sep 10, 2009 11:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Flipped off the radio at 8-2 after nothin was doing offensively in the 8th. THen proceeded to miss all the fun of Lidge, Stairs, etc.

Wish we could have stolen that game, could have been a tremendous lift.

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 10, 2009 11:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I turned off at 7-2. Pulled up yahoo sports after 8, saw 8-2. Refreshed a while later and saw bases loaded, 1 out w/ Stairs up. Chuckled. Refreshed 5 min later, saw bases empty, then saw why. Then I tried to toe the line of paying attention without jinxing. Apparently I went just a little too far with my refreshes.

by Bilzo on Sep 11, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh, and

this upcoming road trip now scares the crap out of me.

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 10, 2009 11:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Why

Is it the way the Mets laid down for the Fish that has you believing they’ll roll over on the Phils?

by doubleh on Sep 10, 2009 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just loathe what feels like an inevitable leitmotif: “And this team, which had been so dominant on the road all season, when they really needed it….”

by Wet Luzinski on Sep 10, 2009 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I guess we’ll get to test that “team of necessity” theory that Jayson Werth had.

by doubleh on Sep 10, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because a Nats team that should be dead played us to one run in all 3 games, despite only winning 1 of 3.

The Mets despise us and will not roll over. To have us blow a 7-8 game september lead would take some of the heat away from their past two collapses.

by Bilzo on Sep 11, 2009 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The mets fans depsise the phillies fans and vice versa – I doubt most of the mets actually care that much one way or another and most of their starters are gone and they’re playing out the string.

Fans need to stop thinking players have the vitriol they do.

And oh yeah to WL ‘when they really needed it’…are they about to lose their division lead or something?

Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned

by jemagee on Sep 11, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why so bitter?

by Steve J on Sep 11, 2009 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he just prefers to disagree with anything I write.

The Phils have never made disparaging remarks about Jose Reyes and his showboating. Hamels has never created bulletin board material for the Mets (like calling them a AAA team now…). Those guys are still part of an organization. Maybe the Phils comments are directed at individual players, but those players represent an organization.

It’s not to suggest that Pedro Feliz would like to beat the crap out of Daniel Murphy, but he might take a little extra enjoyment out of beating his team.

I don’t care if it’s little league, pop-warner, pickup ghoops with your friends, beer-league softball, or professional sports. Play often enough and you develop a rival. You might go have a beer with them afterwards, but you’re really going to try your hardest to best them on the field of competition. That is how the Mets look at the Phils, and vice versa.

by Bilzo on Sep 11, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just disagree with you when I think you’re wrong – i can’t help it if I think you’re usually wrong.

hat is how the Mets look at the Phils, and vice versa.,

Actually, it’s how you think the mets look at the phils and vice versa…i mean if there was ll this vitriol and hatred why would it be so easy for a guy to play for one team one season and then the other the next…

Check out the first three letters of the word fanaticism….think about it for a minute

Don't frack with me or you'll get a punch in the kidneys...you've been warned

by jemagee on Sep 11, 2009 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, it’s how you think the mets look at the phils and vice versa…i mean if there was ll this vitriol and hatred why would it be so easy for a guy to play for one team one season and then the other the next…

pay me a seven figure salary and I’m likely to change teams too.

to throw your words back at you…it’s not how you think the mets look at the phils and vice versa…

by Bilzo on Sep 11, 2009 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Was at the game last night, and I was proud of our fans there. Loud, supportive, and from what my dad said, on the radio, it sounded like a home game.

That being said, I would have rather lost 8-2. Cookies was terrible, he was getting behind hitters all night and then they jumped on every strike he threw. The ending was just so damn painful, especially after the build up with the grand slam and other hits.

by WanderingMoses on Sep 11, 2009 7:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was there, too --- stayed to the bitter end

I came away with a great feeling about the ending — the team did not fold, they kept working, working, working, and almost pulled it out.

Ian Desmond can hit a little, by the way. That last ball to left, but for a really strong wind blowing in, would have been out, and the ball to dead center would have been out anywhere else in the park. He nearly had 3 homers to go with the double. He was raking last night, and he certainly made an impression with everyone at that game.

Time will tell if he’s a flash in the pan, but Desmond, Dunn, and Zimmerman could be a formidable infield core for the Nats.

The Metro is definitely the way to go to a Nats game, by the way — the Green Line to the Navy Yard station, and you are right there. You do need to get a card with about $5.00 when you get off to get out of the Metro park/ride area, though.

Remember the Phitans

by RememberthePhitans on Sep 11, 2009 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Last night wasn’t terrible going home on the Metro. Other times, it has been a nightmare – reminiscent of the old ads in Metro Stations showing the entire platform filled with people. As a regular Metro-rider, it can be a pain, especially if you are used to a particular amount of people in the cars.

I agree with your assessment of the end. I stuck it out too, no matter how alluring the possibility of leaving at 8-2 was, especially knowing that I had to get up at 5 AM to come to work. But these are the Phillies – they can strike at any time. Hopefully we don’t see too many more of these crap the bed starts.

by WanderingMoses on Sep 11, 2009 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs