Game 36 - Sunday Afternoon, May 11th in Flushing
Record - 17-19, Tied for 4th Place, 4 games behind the Braves
One Sentence Summary: Cole Hamels pitched one of the gutsier games of his career, but the bullpen couldn't hold a four-run lead and the Mets won in extras, 5-4.
What It Means: This game was hard to watch. As soon as Hamels left the game, after throwing a career high 133 pitches, the Phillies weak bullpen was put on full display for all to see. Again.
What Happened: Hamels allowed a run in his seven innings of work while striking out 10 and he handed the bullpen a 4-1 lead. In line for his 100th career victory, he had to watch from the dugout as Antonio Bastardo blew up in the ninth, allowing three runs on three hits. Long-man Jeff Manship pitched a scoreless 10th but only recorded one out in the 11th (on a sac bunt) before the Mets scored the winning run.
Closer Jonathan Papelbon was unavailable to pitch in this game because he was "sore."
Featured Card: The facial expression Hamels is modeling on this card matches the look on my face when Manship allowed the winning run to score - resigned indignation.
Even my kindergartner is gutsier than Papelbon when it comes to playing through soreness.
ReplyDeleteSigh. How much longer left on Papelbon-bon's contract?
He's signed through 2015 with a vesting option for 2016. I have to imagine that if the Phillies are completely out of it by this summer, they'd entertain shipping him somewhere for a prospect or two.
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