NLDS Game 1 - Late Wednesday Afternoon, October 6th in Philadelphia
"Come here, Doug. You have to watch this. I want you to remember this." A father to his son, as the bottom of the 9th inning began.
In his first Postseason start after 13 seasons in the Majors, Roy Halladay threw the second no-hitter in play-off history. He was amazing. He was dominating. He was . . . unhittable. Halladay allowed just one baserunner when Jay Bruce drew a walk with two outs in the 5th. (A few of the balls to Bruce were borderline.) Halladay joins Yankees' pitcher Don Larsen as the only two pitchers in history to throw a no-hitter in Postseason play. Larsen of course threw a perfect game against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series. (Sorry, Night Owl.)
Halladay needed just 104 pitches (79 for strikes!) to mow through the Reds' line-up - the best hitting team in the National League. With two outs in the 9th, Brandon Phillips hit a swinging bunt that rolled slowly up the first base line. Dropping to his knees, catcher Carlos Ruiz grabbed the ball and threw out Phillips at first to secure history.
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| 2010 Topps 206 #350 |
The Phillies jumped on Reds' starter Edinson Volquez early. Shane Victorino doubled with one out in the 1st, stole third and came home on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly. They scored their three 2nd inning runs all with two outs. Ruiz walked, Wilson Valdez singled and Halladay (!) brought home Ruiz with an RBI-single to left that left fielder Johnny Gomes maybe should have caught. After Jimmy Rollins walked, Victorino drove in Valdez and Halladay with a single to center. Four runs were more than enough for the Doctor.
And by the way: With the win, the Phils took a 1-0 lead in the NLDS.
Other Game 1 Stuff: Placido Polanco was a late scratch with a bad back. Valdez, who has been invaluable this season, filled in nicely at third. Prior to the game, Valdez opted to dye his goatee red. Victorino's 1st inning double was his 34th Postseason hit, moving him past Mike Schmidt for first place on the team's all-time Postseason hits list. Former reliever Scott Eyre threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game. I love this team.
"Come here, Doug. You have to watch this. I want you to remember this." A father to his son, as the bottom of the 9th inning began.
ReplyDeleteI said that to my sons (who only had a casual interest in baseball) on the night Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris' record!
What an amazing game. Great card to commemorate it.
ReplyDeleteThat game was so awesome!
ReplyDeleteIn the 2nd inning when the Reds brougth in Wood to pitch, I said the Phillies were going to win this whole series now. It was already obvious that Halladay had his stuff workin' for this game & since I know he can do a CG, I knew game 1 was already over. The reds were wasting Travis Wood in a game they'd already lost. Now they can't use Wood for at least a couple more games... by then, it'll be too late.
So I left the TV after the 5th to get some other stuff done and came back to it in the 8th when the announcers said Halladay had still not allowed a hit! I wasn't about to go do anything else after that but watch him finish this.