Ben Francisco - Photo credit: Steve Trapani

Phillies won Game 3 but it wasn’t easy.  The Cardinals put up a fight and Ryan Theriot‘s bat was hot tonight.  In fact, he is now referred to on twitter as ‘Cody Ross Theriot‘ thanks to last year’s playoffs where San Francisco Giant Cody Ross was a major thorn in the Phillies’ side.

And to make matters worse, Cole Hamels threw WAY too many pitches early on.  I won’t say he did poorly, because he didn’t, its just the Cardinals’ offense made him work.  He pitched six innings, gave up five hits, no runs, walked three, and struck out eight.  And though he didn’t go as deep into the game as he would have liked (his pitch count was at 117) he still got the win.

The game was scoreless until the seventh inning.  That’s when Shane Victorino lead the inning off with a single then stole second base.  With two outs, St. Louis lefty Jaime Garcia intentionally walked Carlos Ruiz then had to face pinch hitter Ben Francisco.  That’s when I said to myself, “It’d be a great time to hit one out Ben!”  He must have heard me because he delivered a 3-run shot to left-center field, putting the Phillies up 3-0.

Reliever Vance Worley replaced Hamels in the seventh and gave up three hits and one run.  Antonio Bastardo threw in the eighth and gave up a hit to Theriot, then Brad Lidge replaced Bastardo and gave up singles to both Matt Holliday and Rafael Furcal.  Ryan Madson was brought in to get the Phillies out of the eighth and he accomplished that by getting Allen Craig to ground into a double play.

In the top of the ninth, the Phillies had a chance to add to their lead.  With Placido Polanco on first, Carlos Ruiz hit a shot to center where center-fielder Skip Schumaker made a slide and catch.  His glove was on the ground and the ball did in fact land inside of the glove, even though initially Ruiz was called safe at first.  Schumaker argued and the umps converged.  They unanimously agreed that Schumaker caught it, therefore Ruiz was out and the Phillies momentum was quickly snuffed.

Bottom of the ninth brought nervousness and almost panic to the millions of Phillies fans watching as Madson gave up a lead-off double to Albert Pujols.  Madson did retire the next two batters but then allowed an RBI-single by Yadier Molina.  The Phillies lead was cut to just one run and who was up at the plate?  Well you know it had to be none other than ‘Cody Ross’ Theriot.  And would he go 5-for-5???  HELL NO…he grounded out (thank goodness)!  Game over, final score 3-2.

Madson got his first save of the postseason.  And the Phillies now lead the series 2-1.  Game 4 tomorrow night.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Cardinals – Game 3 of NLDS (10/4/11)

Photo courtesy of Steve Trapani – Flickr Follow him on twitter: @Trap_33

Cliff Lee - Photo credit: Steve Trapani

After watching the Philadelphia Eagles blow their game on Sunday afternoon, I for one was hoping the Phillies game would be less frustrating and have a better outcome.  *sigh*

The game began with Rafeal Furcal leading off the with a triple.  And right away I was thinking, “here we go again” BUT Cliff Lee and the Phillies kept Furcal stranded and went on to dominate the bottom of the first by scoring three runs off of Chris Carpenter.  And that all started with a lead-off double by Jimmy Rollins, who in my opinion has really stepped it up.  Chase Utley then walked, then Hunter Pence did as well.  With bases loaded and no outs, Ryan Howard hit a 2 RBI-single.  Raul Ibanez brought Pence home with a single and the Phillies reversed roles with the Cardinals from Saturday night, by having a 3-run lead in the first.

And in the second, Rollins hit his second double of the game and ended up stealing third before Utley was walked.  Pence came up and hit Rollins home.  Phillies were up 4-0.

At that point, Lee had been doing well.  Even with an occasional hit or walk, he had struck out five and kept the Cards scoreless.  That is until the fourth inning when Lee uncharacteristically imploded.  A lead-off walk to Lance Berkman then a single by Yadier Molina, was capped off by a Ryan Theriot double, scoring Berkman.  Then John Jay and Furcal each had an RBI-single, giving the Cards three runs.  The Phillies were still up but by only one.

St. Louis reliever Fernando Salas replaced Carpenter in the fourth and retired all three Phillies batters. Lee had a quick fifth with two strikeouts and a pop out.  But Salas had the same result in the bottom of the fourth.

With two outs in the sixth, Theriot struck again with his second double then Jay hit him home.  The score was tied 4-4.

Octavio Dotel relieved Salas in the sixth and he too retired the Phillies in order.

Lee continued to be un-Lee like when Allen Craig tripled in the seventh, then Albert Pujols hit an RBI-single.  The Cards went up 5-4 and Lee’s outing was done!  In six innings of work, Lee gave up five runs on 12 hits, walked two, and struck out nine.  Relievers Brad Lidge, Antonio Bastardo, and Vance Worley collectively held the Cards hitless and scoreless.  Ryan Madson allowed just one hit, but though it helped defensively, the Phillies offense neglected to even it up.  Therefore, they lost 5-4 to the Cards and the series is now tied at 1-1.

When asked after the game what happened, Lee stated that he had a four run lead and should have done better.  “I take full responsibility,” Lee said.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Cardinals – Game 2 NLDS

The series now shifts to St. Louis for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

Photo courtesy of Steve Trapani – Flickr Follow him on twitter: @Trap_33