Over the last 3 years the Phillies have proven that to be the best in your division and/or league and stay there you often need a miracle or two to help you along the way. It could be a rally from 7 games back in September, or a 2 run homer on the road in the most pivotal game of the NLCS by the oldest hitter on the team, or as was the case tonight a rally from 6 runs down in the 9th, but whatever it may be if it is going to be your year that miracle will come to you eventually. Thanks to their most recent miracle, tonight might be soon be remembered forever as the day that saved the Phils 2010 season.
Early on though it looked like it would be anything but a memorable night. Joe Blanton was touched up for 6 runs on 12 hits while striking out 7 in just 5 and 1/3rd innings. Meanwhile, the Phils could not solve the Reds stalwart rookie, Mike Leake, who allowed just 1 run on a sac fly in the 4th and 6 hits, while pitching into the 9th inning. Now normally it isn't a good idea to let a rookie try to close a game, even with, as it happened, a 7-1 lead. You would think after blowing out Mark Prior's arm in Chicago, Dusty Baker would know better than to risk a 9th inning with the kid out there, but fortunately for the Phils he did not.
Right from the start of the inning Leake was in trouble. Shane Victorino lead off with a double and scored on a 1 out single by Ryan Howard to cut the lead to 7-2. Jayson Werth followed with another single to put 2 runners on with 1 out for Greg Dobbs. If ever a guy was due to pop one it was Dobbs here. After a long at bat, a weary Leake laid one over the plate that Dobbs crushed off the foul pole in right field and suddenly it was a ball game again at 7-5. Finally at that point, Baker came to his senses and pulled Leake in favor of closer Francisco Cordero. Cordero got Brian Schneider to fly out for the 2nd out of the inning and it seemed that Cincinnati would find their way out of this game after all,but it was not be for visitors. Ben Francisco followed with a walk to bring pinch hitter, Cody Ransom, to the plate as the tying run. A few pitches later Ransom stunned the Reds and sent the crowd into a frenzy, crushing a high fastball for a game tying 2 run homer.
Next Jimmy Rollins worked a walk and suddenly Shane Victorino, who started this whole thing with the double, was in position to end it but Cordero got him to pop up and it was on to extra innings for the 2nd night in a row. This time the Phils wouldn't have to wait until the 12th. Ryan Madson, in his 2nd appearance since returning from the DL, was brilliant in the top of the 10th, retiring the heart of the Reds lineup in order. That set the stage for the Phils to end it in the home half of the 10th as the Reds sent the ex-Phil, Arthur Rhodes to the mound. First Raul Ibanez leadoff the inning by ripping a double down the line. Next up Ryan Howard. Rhodes did a good job staying away from Howard , but he didn't stay away enough. Howard crushed the 3rd pitch he saw, a slider away, just over the wall in the left field to cap off an incredible 9-7 victory. Do you believe in miracles? Yes!
2 comments:
I forgot that the Phillies were even playing and I came across the game on TV right at the start of the bottom of the 9th and what happened was absolutely amazing. I still cant believe that they came back from 6 down and I think it just proves that the Phils have the never say die attitude and this all happens just a day after another walk off homerun. Its just awesome.
-to ph1llysports
yeah it is awesome and hopefully they'll keep it going
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