NLDS Game 2 - October 8, 2009Rockies 5, Phillies 4
I honestly thought they were going to pull it off today. I thought for sure there would be late inning heroics from Ben Francisco or Miguel Cairo or (most likely) Matt Stairs. I was hoping to have a card celebrating Jimmy Rollins scoring the winning run after pinch-runner Cliff Lee had come around to tie the game on Shane Victorino's double to the gap. But it was not to be.
Three hours and forty-one minutes after Cole Hamels threw his first pitch, the Rockies finally defeated the Phillies this afternoon, 5-4. The NLDS is now knotted at a game a piece and the series shifts to Denver for two games.
Hamels struggled today. He lasted just five innings and was succeeded by six different relief pitchers out of the bullpen, including Saturday night probables Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ. Scott Eyre, Antonio Bastardo and Ryan Madson were the most effective of the bunch. Bastardo was especially impressive in striking out pinch-hitter Jason Giambi with the bases loaded and two outs in the 8th.
The offense was there today, just not in the right order at crucial times. Ryan Howard contributed an RBI-double in the 6th, followed by a two-run single from Raul Ibañez. Jayson Werth hit his fifth career Postseason home run in the 8th to get the Phils to within a run of tying it up. Even though the Phils outhit the Rockies today 11-9, it was not to be.
At least we were spared from the possibility of having Brunt out there at 3B for Feliz!
ReplyDeleteNo doubt in my mind, we were going to pull it out in the 9th
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