I was all set to write…WOO-HOO Phillies clinch the 2011 NLDS!  But boy was that shot to s**t after the Phillies lost 5-3 to the Cardinals.

So now we are heading back to Philly for Game 5 on Friday night. Which I really didn’t want to see happen.

And I didn’t think it would be necessary after the Phillies took a nice 2-0 lead in the first inning.  Jimmy Rollins got the ball rolling with his fourth double of the series, then Chase Utley hauled ass to get an RBI-triple.  Hunter Pence then singled to score Utley.  Offense looked good and ready to win this game.  Unfortunately the bats had other plans and flatlined.

The Cards quickly answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI-double by Lance Berkman, that ended up being a double thanks to Shane Victorino slipping (literally) and unable to get the ball back in.

Was hoping for a better outing from Roy Oswalt, but he just didn’t have it.  He threw six innings, gave up five runs on six hits, and struck out five.

The squirrel that made its national television debut on Tuesday night, made another appearance in tonight’s.  And it decided to run across home plate as Oswalt was pitching to Skip Schumaker.

The pitch, which hit the catcher’s mitt a split-second before the furry fellow crossed the home-plate area, was called a ball. The squirrel darted into the stands while Oswalt stood with his hands in the air, either protesting the pitch should have been wiped out or should have been called a strike. – Phillies.com

Obviously Oswalt was struggling anyway, but the squirrel definitely just added to it.  And I defended the little critters in my previous post but they have no place on the baseball field.  When asked after the game what he thought of the squirrel, Manuel stated that there wasn’t much he could do about it, but that being from the south, had he had a shotgun, he would have shot the squirrel.  All I know is that better be the last squirrel sighting at any Phillies games.  The once labeled ‘lucky squirrel’ is now null and void.

On Tuesday night, the Philly killer was Ryan Theriot, tonight it was David Freese, who hit a two RBI-double in the fourth then slammed a two-run homer in the sixth.  Putting the Cards up 5-2.

Joe Blanton threw in the seventh and Brad Lidge pitched the eighth.  Combined they retired all six batters faced but the damage had already been done.

The Phillies managed to squeak in a run in the eighth courtesy of pinch hitter Ross Gload singling then advancing to second on a balk.  Michael Martinez pinched run for Gload and got to third after Utley singled.  With Hunter Pence at the plate, St. Louis reliever Fernando Salas threw a wild pitch, allowing Martinez to score.  At that point the Phillies would take a run any way they could.  Sadly though with the offense on life support, there wasn’t much hope of a miraculous recovery.

Even worse, Ryan Howard who usually kills it at Busch Stadium has been downright invisible. Tonight he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.  Not harping on him, I just want him to find whatever is missing and be the hitter I know he can be!  And hopefully he finds it before Friday night.

And speaking of Friday night, the pitching match-up for Game 5 will be Roy Halladay vs. Chris Carpenter.  If ever there was a time to be grateful that Doc is a Phillie, Friday night would be it.  I have faith…so please baseball gods, don’t disappoint me!

Complete Box Score Phillies/Cardinals – Game 5 NLDS 10/5/11

The song used for the FOX/TBS Postseason is “Written in the Stars” by Tinie Tempah featuring Eric Turner can be heard here.

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

Roy Halladay - MyPHL17.com

With my family over to celebrate my son’s birthday, we all gathered in the family room, excited and ready to cheer on the Phillies.  Our party buzz was quickly killed the moment Lance Berkman slammed a 3-run shot off of Roy Halladay in the first inning.  And we knew it was gonna be one of THOSE games.

But with Doc at the helm, even if he’s given up a couple runs, you always get the feeling that the moment he settles down and gets into his groove, good things will happen.  And that they did.  After allowing a single by Skip Schumaker, Halladay went on to retire the next 21 batters.

St. Louis’ Kyle Lohse kept the Phillies bats quiet and scoreless until the fourth inning, when Chase Utley doubled and Ryan Howard walked.  Shane Victorino then stepped up to the plate and hit an RBI-single, putting the Phillies on the board with one run.

But it would be the sixth inning that Phillies turned it on and then some.  Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence both singled then Lohse threw a sweet pitch that Howard just crushed.  Hitting his first homer of the post season and giving the Phillies a 4-3 lead in the process.  But the Phillies weren’t done with Lohse yet, after Victorino singled, Raul Ibanez homered to right field.  The Phillies were then up 6-3.

St. Louis reliever Marc Rzepczynski took over the seventh, and the Phillies tacked on three more runs.  Then in the eighth Pence hit a 2 RBI-single, adding two more runs.  The Phillies ended up with a total 14 hits in the game.

With an 11-3 lead in the top of the ninth, Charlie Manuel decided to give Halladay a rest and bring in reliever Michael Stutes.  The lead was substantial, so no harm letting the young guy get a little postseason experience.  Well, Stutes probably didn’t have the experience he was hoping for when he gave up three runs on three hits.  So Ryan Madson was called upon to hopefully end the game without giving up anymore hits/runs.  And though Madson gave a up a hit which scored a run (charged to Stutes) he was able to finish the Cardinals off by striking out both John Jay and pinch hitter Matt Holliday. 

Final score was 11-6 and the Phillies are 1-0 in the best-of-five series.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Cardinals – Game 1 NLDS

For the Aerys Sports St. Louis Cardinals perspective, please check out Aaron Miles Fastball

Image Source:  MyPHL17.com

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies for clinching their 5th consecutive National League East Title!

And let me start by saying what a great job Roy Oswalt did tonight. He threw seven innings, allowed five hits, no runs, no walks, and struck out seven.  And that seventh one was Oswalt’s 1,751 career strikeout.  Kudos to Roy!

Jimmy Rollins lead off the game with a single in the first and scored after Hunter Pence hit an RBI-double.  Phillies were up 1-0.

In the fourth, St. Louis’ righty Jake Westbrook had bases loaded and ended up walking in a run.  Shane Victorino received the RBI on that, then added another RBI in the sixth, when he hit a solo shot to center field.  That was Victorino’s 17th home run of the season.  The Phillies were up 3-0.

Rookie Michael Stutes took over for Oswalt in the eighth and quickly worked two outs.  But then gave up hits to both Jon Jay and Albert Pujols.  Next up was Lance Berkman who hit an RBI-single and put the Cardinals on the board.  And then David Freese hit an RBI-single, pulling the Cards within one.

Stutes was yanked and Brad Lidge was brought in to clean up the mess Stutes had gotten the Phillies into.  And thankfully Lidge did his job and got the third out.  The Phillies were still leading but the score was now 3-2.

Carlos Ruiz started the bottom of the eighth with a lead off double.  Rollins then singled, and Victorino got his third RBI of the night with a single.  Phillies were up 4-2 when Chase Utley was hit by a pitch.  The bases were then loaded with one out.  After Ryan Howard struck out, Pence hit an infield RBI-single to shortstop Rafael Furcal, but thanks to Pence’s quick running and Utley’s hauling ass to second, Furcal had no play there and didn’t make the throw to first in time. The Phillies were up 5-2, but it was the next batter that pretty much solidified the Phillies victory.

Raul Ibanez hit a grand slam….SWEET!  Phillies were up 9-2 heading into the top of the ninth.  Ryan Madson closed it out.  GAME OVER!!!

 Complete Box Score Phillies/Cardinals – 9/17/11 Game

Magic Number is 1

I knew the St. Louis Cardinals were going to be tough.  They have no choice not to be, as their postseason appearance is not guaranteed.  So the Phillies not winning last night though disappointing, wasn’t entirely surprising.

Vance Worley threw six innings, allowed six hits, one run, walked three, and struck out five.  The one run that Worley gave up, came when the bases were loaded.  He actually walked in the run which is never a good thing.

But the Phillies got on the board in the second courtesy of an RBI-double by John Mayberry, Jr.

Reliever David Herndon replaced Worley in the seventh with the score tied 1-1.  And it looked dicey to say the least when Herndon had bases loaded, but the Phillies got out of that inning unscathed.

Antonio Bastardo took over in the eighth and gave a up a solo home run to Yadier Molina, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.

Bottom of the eighth, Shane Victorino walked then advanced to second on a wild pitch while Chase Utley was at-bat. Utley hit a dinker to the pitcher and was out at first.  Then Hunter Pence slammed a shot to right-field…but it was foul and he ultimately struck out.

Brad Lidge pitched the top of the ninth and at one point had two men on.  Thankfully he was able to get the third out before the Cards tacked on any more runs.  The Phillies were still down 2-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth where they would be facing St. Louis closer Jason Motte.  Placido Polanco lined out to right field, then Mayberry, Jr. struck out.  Next up was Ryan Howard* in the pinch hitting role and he delivered a hit to right field, that turned into a double by Howard’s aggressive base running. He was promptly pulled in favor of a pinch runner, Michael Martinez.

Carlos Ruiz then hit to right field, and St. Louis right-fielder Corey Patterson almost had it but couldn’t quite get hold onto to the ball.  Martinez scored as Ruiz ended up with an RBI-double.  The Phillies tied it 2-2. The Cardinals took out Motte and put in Arthur Rhodes, who struck out pinch hitter Ross Gload.

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