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Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Half-ass Brewers-Phillies live blog!

OK, so here we go. Due to some unforeseen disruptions that I actually foresaw a week ago, when I told my girlfriend I would take her to the beach, we are starting late on the live blog of the National League Division Series Game 1 between the Brewers and Phillies from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. But no matter. Cole Hamels has it under control for the Phils, who lead 3-0, apparently en route to a 1-0 series lead. Let's see if they can avoid blowing it!

Phillies 3, Brewers 1, Aftermath
OK, so to recap, Utley gets a big two-out double to drive home Hamels (!) and Ruiz, Gallardo walks Victorino to score a third run, and that's all the Phillies, behind Hamels, need. Utley gets the friendly interview from David Aldridge (conflict of interest is almost as rampant in sports journalism as it is in real journalism now!), and faces CC Sabathia with the pressure squarely on the Brewers tomorrow. I've got a campaign meeting tomorrow, so no Game 2 live blog, but we'll see what we can do about firing it up again for Game 3 (because, you know, what's better than staring at your computer screen on a Saturday night?). Thanks for joining me for this sorry excuse for a live blog. But hey, I still say I'm better at blogging than Manuel is at his job.

Phillies 3, Brewers 1, Final
Another swing and a miss, and the Phillies have done it! That's right, they have won a postseason game for the first time since Curt Schilling beat Toronto on Oct. 21, 1993. So that's two birds with one stone: the Phils get a big win, and Schillings memory fades one step farther into the mist. Nice!

Top of the 9th, Phillies 3, Brewers 1
You know, it's nasty and rainy in Philadelphia, and here in Florida my girlfriend is talking about how she thinks she got a nice tan today. Yup, I made the right call on the location thing. Oh yeah, the game: Hardy walks, and suddenly the winning run comes to the plate. Corey Hart is up, and oh, no! A pitch in the dirt gets past Ruiz and all Hart needs is a base hit. 1-2 count.

Top of the 9th, Phillies 3, Brewers 1
Saaaaaaaawing and a miss! Lidge threw a high fastball right past him, and the freeswinging Brew Crew does what they do best: strike out. Two outs and J.J. Hardy is up.

Top of the 9th, Phillies 3, Brewers 1
Do you walk Fielder here? Manuel says no. So I guess that means we should have walked him. I (horrors!) do not agree. You've got an opportunity for a K here, and now it's a 1-2 count. Don't give the Brewers anything. Lidge wastes one, then Fielder stays alive with a foul tip. Now a visit to the mound by Ruiz. Another foul tip, another ball outside and the drama builds as I nefariously end this update here with the count 3-2!

Top of the 9th, Phillies 3, Brewers 1
Lovely. Full count on Braun. Little liner down the right field line ... fair ball! Durham pulls up at third, but then keeps chugging home as Werth has trouble getting the ball back in. He scores, and it's 3-1 with a runner on second and one out. Hoo boy.

Top of the 9th, Phillies 3, Brewers 0
Ray Durham, this year's candidate for midseason acquisition you're most likely to forget, does not do much for his case by roping a single into right-center. Ryan Braun up, Prince Fielder to follow. What was that I said about agreeing with Manuel?

Top of the 9th, Phillies 3, Brewers 0
I'm all for starters pitching more innings, but I have to agree with the call to go with Brad Lidge here in a save situation in the ninth. He's 41-for-41 in save situations after all, and after two days without games you have to make sure he's sharp as you move forward in the playoffs. Wow ... I'm agreeing with Charlie Manuel. I think I definitely spent too much time in the sun today. Mike Cameron goes down looking to begin the inning. Two outs to go!

End of the 8th, Phillies 3, Brewers 0
Note to Pedro Feliz: No hard liners down the third base line when Howard is on third base. The big guy had to burn about half a Subway sandwich contorting his body to avoid that one. Feliz hits a soft looper over second base that miiiiight fall, no. It's Craig Counsell with an over-the-shoulder catch. Wait, Craig Counsell? How on earth has this guy managed to get his way into the lineup of a playoff team every other year? If they only played baseball in October, this guy would be a Hall of Famer. And probably a lot richer, too.

Bottom of the 8th, Phillies 3, Brewers 0
Goodness, the Brewers have a lot of tubby pitchers! Mota is most certainly on the CC Sabathia diet. I guess it's in keeping with the relative rotundity of Milwaukee. Which makes me wonder why you never saw more morbidly obese characters on "Happy Days" or "Laverne and Shirley"? Victorino steals second as it's Feliz, and maybe Ruiz, with the chance to knock in the insurance runs. Brad Lidge warming in the bullpen.

Bottom of the 8th, Phillies 3, Brewers 0
The Brewers undoing today? A critical error in the third inning by Rickie Weeks. None of the three runs given up by Yovani Gallardo were earned, but you can bet the five walks he issued didn't help. Nor did the fact the most obvious nickname for him is "Lardo." Wonder if Yost would have gone with him? But that's fantasy. Here's a fact: Brewers pitch around Howard and he goes to first on a walk with one out. Bruntlett follows with an infield single and it's ducks on the pond, 1st and 2nd, for Shane Victorino. Double-play ball! Ah, but you can't double up the Flyin' Hawaiian. Runners on the corners, two outs and we get a pitching change. Ex-Met Gullermo Mota coming in. This should be fun.

Bottom of the 8th, Phillies 3, Brewers 0
How's this for a pitching line from your ace to begin the playoffs? Hamels: 8 IP, 2 H, 0R, 9 K, 1 BB. Chase Utley has driven in two of the Phils' 3 runs, all of which came in the 3rd inning. This is how you draw it up. Lefthander Manny Parra is the fourth Brewer pitcher as he faces Chase Utley to begin the inning.

Top of the 8th, Phillies 3, Brewers 0

Eric Bruntlett in left and a quick drag bunt attempt by Tony Gwynn Jr., to no avail, as we begin the 8th. Actually, no need to write the Jr. in there, as Tony Gwynn Sr., who is working the Cubs-Dodgers series along with Dick Stockton for TBS, is about as likely to attempt a bunt in drag as to attempt. a drag bunt.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hamels at least starts the 9th, right?

Anonymous said...

If Lidge blows it, fire Manuel after the game.

Anonymous said...

As someone who was at that 10/21/93 game, I can say this win was a long time coming!!