Game 161 - Saturday Afternoon, October 2nd in Atlanta
The Phillies won the penultimate game of the 2010 regular season, breaking through against the Braves' bullpen and scoring all their runs in the final three innings. The Braves' loss sets up the intriguing possibility of a 3-way Wild Card tie that could result in the necessity of play-off games on Monday and Tuesday involving the Braves, Padres and Giants. Those three teams are vying for the remaining two play-off spots.
Five Phillies pitchers combined to shutout the Braves, who only managed three hits against the quintet. Rookie Vance Worley started things off with five solid innings and he was followed by Antonio Bastardo, Danys Baez, Ryan Madson and Jose Contreras.
The Phils started their scoring in the 7th when pinch-runner Brian Bocock came in to score on a Chase Utley single. Bocock should have been retired on a double play ball, but Braves' third baseman Brooks Conrad threw Placido Polanco's grounder into center field for a huge error. Six more runs were tacked on by the Phils aided by singles, a wild pitch, another Braves' error, a Wilson Valdez double and a bases loaded walk to John Mayberry, Jr.
A series sweep this afternoon would end the season on a high note and eliminate the Braves from playing further into October.
Why would there be a playoff game Tuesday? From what I've heard in past years, if the Giants and Padres tie for the division, they have a playoff game. The winner wins the division. The loser would then be a half game behind the Braves (since that SD/SF game is considered regular season) so the Braves win the wild card. Or, did they finally correct that crazy rule?
ReplyDeleteHere's the breakdown:
ReplyDeletehttp://zozone.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/10/breaking_down_the_nl_playoff_s.html