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Friday, March 18, 2011

2011 Topps Opening Day #52 Placido Polanco

Phillies 13, Blue Jays 7
Spring Training Game 20 - Tuesday Afternoon, March 15th in Dunedin

One Sentence Summary:  Led by Wilson Valdez and Raul Ibanez, the Phils outslugged the Jays in Dunedin, 13-7.

What It Means:  I was travelling on Tuesday, so I didn't get a chance to listen to this game's broadcast or follow along on the internet.  But by the looks of the box score, it seems as if this was a wild game.  Heading into the eighth inning, the Blue Jays were ahead 7-6, thanks to a two-run triple from former Phillies prospect Anthony Gose.  The Phils scored five times in the eighth, capped by Valdez' bases clearing double, to re-take the lead for good.

Top Hitters:  Ibanez (two-run home run in the third), Ben Francisco (3 for 3 with a solo home run), Pete Orr (2 for 2 with 2 runs scored) and Michael Martinez (2 for 2 with 3 RBIs) all contributed to the offensive output.

Top Pitchers:  Joe Blanton surrendered seven hits in his four innings of work, but only two runs scored.

Featured Card:  I picked up the 2011 Topps Opening Day Phillies "master team set" on eBay, which features all Phillies regular base cards and inserts.  Opening Day is Topps' low-end offering for the year, featuring little glitz, not much glamour and previews of cards to appear in the flagship set's Series 2.  This card features two players who each had something to do with today's game - Placido Polanco (see below) and Blanton in a cameo role.

Other Stuff:  Polanco left the game in the second inning after hyper-extending his left elbow.  J.C. Romero was struck on his left hand by a sharp line drive in the seventh inning, but he ended up staying in the game.  Stay tuned.

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