Saturday, September 4, 2010

2010 Phillies Team Issue 2 #21 Wilson Valdez

Phillies 5, Brewers 4
Game 136 - Saturday Night, September 4th in Philadelphia

Roy Halladay gave up a career-high 4 home runs, but the Phils managed to keep coming at the Brewers, eventually overcoming them, 5-4.  For the first time in 2010, the Phillies are 20 games over .500 and the win allowed them to keep pace with the Braves, who also won tonight.  Fortunately, all 4 of the homers allowed by Halladay came with no one on base.  He battled through 7 innings, striking out 6 on the way to his 17th win of the year.  The bullpen continued to come together and Brad Lidge worked a perfect 9th for his 20th save.

Ryan Howard (26) and Jayson Werth (20) provided back-to-back home runs in the 2nd to tie the game up at 2-2.  Chase Utley drove home Jimmy Rollins with an RBI-single in the 3rd to tie things up again at 3-3.  In the 7th, with the bases loaded and 1 out, Placido Polanco lofted a fly ball to left fielder Ryan Braun.  Carlos Ruiz tagged up and scored to tie things up 4-4, as Braun's throw got past catcher Jonathan Lucroy.  Wilson Valdez, who had tagged and advanced to third, alertly never stopped running and came home to score the go-ahead and eventual winning run.

I could have gone with a Chooch card here, given his 3-for-3 night, but I'm going with a Wilson Valdez card.  If not for Valdez' head's-up hustle to score on the error by Braun, the Phils might still be playing as I write this.  The suddenly hot Phillies go for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon and their 6th win in a row.  Go Phils!

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