Wednesday, June 23, 2010

2010 Topps Heritage #478 Jimmy Rollins MVP

Phillies 7, Indians 6
Game 69 - Wednesday Night, June 23rd in Philadelphia

It still seems weird to type out a score for a Phillies-Indians game. The 9-year-old me would have been amazed by such an event. These teams faced each other a ton in Spring Training, but a regular season game with the National League Phillies against the American League Indians? That's crazy talk! In any event, due to the continuing spectacle that is Interleague Play, we get to witness a regular season series between the Phillies and Indians.

I could recap the back and forth scoring from this game, but the only thing that really matters was the last hit: Jimmy Rollins' walk-off, 2-run home run off Indians' closer Kerry Wood to win the ballgame. I'll admit I had given up on this game a few times, as it just didn't seem like the Phils' night. But Rollins launched a 96-mph fastball into the right field stands to seal the victory.

Kyle Kendrick was off his game (again), but the bullpen did a great job of keeping the Indians off the scoreboard following Kendrick's early departure in the 5th. The most impressive performance from a relief pitcher may have been the brush back pitch thrown by Mike Zagurski to Shin-Soo Choo, following Choo's two home runs. It was a gutsy pitch by someone who hadn't pitched in the Majors since 2007. Jayson Werth and Brian Schneider added home runs to the winning effort, and Ryan Howard raised his average to .297 with a 2-hit night.

3 comments:

Jim from Downingtown said...

The Phillies & Indians played in spring training? I thought the Indians have been based in Arizona for the past few decades (unless they've moved recently).

Jim said...

I definitely remember the two teams meeting, just not when I thought they did. I had to look this up: The Indians trained in Winter Haven, FL between 1993 and 2008. Between 1947 and 1992, they trained in Tucson, and they moved into their current facility in Goodyear, AZ in 2009.

So I must have been thinking about some other American League team since the Phils and Indians never would have met in Spring Training back during my younger years.

Pop-Pop said...

Rollins is back...this is big