PHILLIES NEWS

If the Phillies do what they did last year and finish the season just one game out of the playoffs, today's' game will be the one everyone looks back at. The game started with a bang as the Phils and Mets combined for 4 runs in the 1st inning. The Phillies scored 3 runs in the top of the inning on a 3 run homer by Ryan Howard (his 38th), and the Mets scored 1 run in the bottom of the inning on 3 consecutive singles blooped into the outfield. However, after this 1st inning explosion it was all about the pitching. Both Mets starter Tom Glavine, and Phils starter Jon Lieber settled down following 1st inning and put zeros up on the scoreboard for the next 4 innings. When the Phillies went down in order in the top of the 6th inning , it appeared the zeros would continue for the rest of the night, but they wouldn't. Following the 1st inning Jon Lieber was unhittable, and entering the 6th inning he had retired the last 12 Mets batters in succession. With the 1st 2 outs of the 6th inning he extended those 12 to 14 consecutive batters and appeared to be well on his way to 15 straight, when he induced Carlos Beltran into hitting a groundball up the 1st base line. What happened next though, is the stuff nightmares are made of. As the ball rolled down the line, Lieber raced over, scooped it up, and cocked his arm to throw, but in his haste to get the out, he never got his feet set, and threw wildly, just out of reach of 1st baseman Ryan Howard. Thus, instead retiring the Mets in order and continuing his mastery, he gave them new life, and they seized it. That one lucky infield hit by Beltran, quickly turned into 2 when Carlos Delgado followed with a single, then 3 when David Wright blooped a single into left field which should have been caught by either Pat Burrell or Jimmy Rollins, but both apparently thinking they other would catch it, pulled up short and allowed the ball to fall in for a single, scoring Delgado to cut the lead to 3-2. Former Phillie, Endy Chavez then finished off the Mets rally with a bases clearing double, for a 4-3 Mets lead. Still, despite his gaff, Lieber stayed in the game to pitch the next 2 innings, and retired the Mets in order, keeping the Phillies within 1 and himself within sight a complete game win. However, the Phils themselves were also retired in order for the next 2 innings, setting up a 9th inning showdown between the Phillies and former closer Billy bleeping Wagner. Although he quickly recorded 2 outs, the Phillies were still able to put up a final rally against him. Ryan Howard lead off the inning with a single, then had to watch both the Met killer, Pat Burrell, and Chris Coste who had been swinging a hot bat, go down on strikes. Then just when it seemed that all hope was lost, in came Chase Utley to pinch hit ( he had the day off today, because his streak ended yesterday), he delivered as he has all year with a single to put runners on 1st and 3rd. Then Charlie Manuel decided to send in his wiley veteran, catcher Mike Lieberthal as a pinch hitter, to get the tying hit, and it almost worked. After working the count against Wagner to 3-2, Lieberthal slapped what appeared to be a line drive base hit to tie the game, but David bleeping Wright, somehow made a diving stop and threw to 1st base, to retire Lieberthal and end the game. Thus instead of an exalting complete game victory, Jon Lieber was dealt the cruelest hand of all, the rare complete game loss. I mean you just kind of have to feel to for the guy, to have pitched such a great game, only to lose it on the simplest of throws. Well happy trails everyone.