I'm pretty stunned that the Phils have won a road series. When was the last time that happened? Well, the last three times before this one actually. Huh? Oh yeah, the NL West. That explains it.
Corey Lidle gave up a run in all three innings in which I was awake last night. Then I went to sleep, and Charlie took him out after four. How did he know it was OK to stop torturing me? Robbie Tejeda and Alvin, Simon, and Theodore pitched the final five innings of scoreless ball, and the Phils scored single runs in the fifth, sixth, and eighth to win 7-4. Abreu, Lofton and Bell had three hits apiece off Bad Brad Hennessey and the beastly Giants bullpen. Now it's on to the final NL West punching bag, Arizona. The Mets recently put up 32 runs in their final two games at the BOB. I'd settle for 30 in three.
The wild card lead has been stretched to a whopping 1.5 games. Am I still sleeping?
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
IT'S TOO LATE
We won a road game! I'll feel better if we win the series, naturally, but I'll take it. Ryan Howard had a career night, smacking four hits, including a solo smash off the forgettable Brett Tomko. The Phillies sprinted to a 5-1 lead early and put the game away with a four-run seventh and added a single run in the ninth for a 10-2 final. Vicente Padilla went eight strong innings to continue his mid-season run of excellence. The Astros lost again, so we're back in front for the wild card. I wish I could stay up tonight, but I know if I did, we'd lose in some hideous fashion in extra innings and I'd spend all day tomorrow alternately exhausted and in a state of despair and regret. Not that that would be any different than usual, but still.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
GIANT NOTHING
And so it begins. The Phils tripped out of the gate in San Fran with a 5-0 blanking by Noah Lowry. At least he's on my Strat team. This is going to be a bad two weeks.
Monday, August 22, 2005
BUCCO SUCK-O
It's been a while since I checked in with the Phils, due to a vacation day on Friday spent trying to get our car inspected for less than $1,000 (successful, no thanks to the dealer) and trying to get Comcast to fix my sporadic cable modem connection (unsuccessful, so far).
On Thursday, the Phillies split the day/night doubleheader with the Nationals. They took the day game 2-1 behind Vicente Padilla and Plains, Trains, and Automobiles. In the nightcap, Charlie Manuel attempted to use Oogie Urbina three times within 24 hours to disastrous effect, as Oogie blew a 4-3 lead on a double, a couple of singles, and a crucial missed cut-off throw by Pat Burrell to give the Nats the 5-4 win.
My wife and I attended Friday night's game (I forgot my camera, sorry), which was "Disability Awareness Night". The Phillies celebrated by playing like a bunch of quadriplegics, absorbing an 11-2 pounding that was not as close as the score would indicate. In addition, it rained for about three solid innings. Boy, can I pick 'em. Robbie Tejeda looked suspiciously like that guy who had a 5+ ERA in Reading last year. Maybe the aliens have switched their bodies back. At least the grub at Bull's was good.
Saturday and Sunday were more pleasant, I guess because I was not at the park. On Saturday, Chase Utley tripled in two runs in the fourth, and Brett Myers went the route for a 6-1 final. For the series finale Sunday, Eude Brito made his long-awaited debut as a Phillie, starting and going five innings, allowing only a Brad Eldred homer, two other hits, and a walk. Frenchie Cormier rapidly gave up the tying runs in the sixth to make it 3-3, but then Bobby Abreu hit a clutch double down the right field line to score Jason Michaels from first base with two outs in the seventh. Michaels executed a perfect slide to touch the plate with his hand and avoid the tag from catcher Ryan Doumit. Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll came through again to finish out the 4-3 victory. Wags now has 30 saves.
Monday morning's standings have the Phils maintaining a half-game lead for the wild card over Houston, who took two of three from the bumbling Brewers. The division lead is suddenly down to only 3.5 games after Atlanta went on a 4-6 run over the last 10 games, but since we never beat the Braves head-to-head, I'm still saying that race is over. The wild card, well, it might be over soon. The Phils start a 12-game, bi-coastal road trip tonight in San Francisco. This is pretty much the season, right here. If the Phils go worse than 6-6, they may never recover. The first six games are extremely winnable, against the struggling Giants and D'Backs. The last six, though, should be brutal, against the tough-at-home Nats and the always annoying Cornelius Floyd and the Mets. Houston is also on the west coast, vs. the Padres and Dodgers, but they come right back home to play the pathetic Reds. We won't get a break in the schedule there until Houston hosts St. Louis in early September, by which time the Cards may have come within a few games of clinching the division. It only gets worse after that. The only games Houston has scheduled against winning teams in September are three here with us, four at home with Florida, and two very late games with the sure-to-be resting Cardinals. Meanwhile, we have to traverse the Sunni Triangle that is the NL East, with our only respite being three games at Cincinnati.
Well, I'll do my part. No more Citizens Bank Park for me this year.
On Thursday, the Phillies split the day/night doubleheader with the Nationals. They took the day game 2-1 behind Vicente Padilla and Plains, Trains, and Automobiles. In the nightcap, Charlie Manuel attempted to use Oogie Urbina three times within 24 hours to disastrous effect, as Oogie blew a 4-3 lead on a double, a couple of singles, and a crucial missed cut-off throw by Pat Burrell to give the Nats the 5-4 win.
My wife and I attended Friday night's game (I forgot my camera, sorry), which was "Disability Awareness Night". The Phillies celebrated by playing like a bunch of quadriplegics, absorbing an 11-2 pounding that was not as close as the score would indicate. In addition, it rained for about three solid innings. Boy, can I pick 'em. Robbie Tejeda looked suspiciously like that guy who had a 5+ ERA in Reading last year. Maybe the aliens have switched their bodies back. At least the grub at Bull's was good.
Saturday and Sunday were more pleasant, I guess because I was not at the park. On Saturday, Chase Utley tripled in two runs in the fourth, and Brett Myers went the route for a 6-1 final. For the series finale Sunday, Eude Brito made his long-awaited debut as a Phillie, starting and going five innings, allowing only a Brad Eldred homer, two other hits, and a walk. Frenchie Cormier rapidly gave up the tying runs in the sixth to make it 3-3, but then Bobby Abreu hit a clutch double down the right field line to score Jason Michaels from first base with two outs in the seventh. Michaels executed a perfect slide to touch the plate with his hand and avoid the tag from catcher Ryan Doumit. Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll came through again to finish out the 4-3 victory. Wags now has 30 saves.
Monday morning's standings have the Phils maintaining a half-game lead for the wild card over Houston, who took two of three from the bumbling Brewers. The division lead is suddenly down to only 3.5 games after Atlanta went on a 4-6 run over the last 10 games, but since we never beat the Braves head-to-head, I'm still saying that race is over. The wild card, well, it might be over soon. The Phils start a 12-game, bi-coastal road trip tonight in San Francisco. This is pretty much the season, right here. If the Phils go worse than 6-6, they may never recover. The first six games are extremely winnable, against the struggling Giants and D'Backs. The last six, though, should be brutal, against the tough-at-home Nats and the always annoying Cornelius Floyd and the Mets. Houston is also on the west coast, vs. the Padres and Dodgers, but they come right back home to play the pathetic Reds. We won't get a break in the schedule there until Houston hosts St. Louis in early September, by which time the Cards may have come within a few games of clinching the division. It only gets worse after that. The only games Houston has scheduled against winning teams in September are three here with us, four at home with Florida, and two very late games with the sure-to-be resting Cardinals. Meanwhile, we have to traverse the Sunni Triangle that is the NL East, with our only respite being three games at Cincinnati.
Well, I'll do my part. No more Citizens Bank Park for me this year.
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