The Phils played a much better game tonight in Washington and yet frustratingly they still found themselves with the short end of the stick. Joe Blanton was good enough, allowing just 4 runs on 9 hits, while striking out 8 in 6 innings. 3 of the 4 runs came in the 1st inning but he settled down after that throwing 4 scoreless innings before allowing that 1 run in the 6th. Thanks to that performance, the Phils were stay within striking distance of the Nats despite getting off to a slow start. It was until 4th innings, when Wilson Valdez slapped a 2 out RBI single, that the Phils finally got on the board. Later, Carlos Ruiz slugged a solo homer to cut the lead to 3-2.
By the 7th, it was 4-2 Nats but the Phils still wouldn't go away. With 1 on and 1 out Raul Ibanez crushed a 2 run homer to tie it at 4. Then Jayson Werth and Ross Gload each singled to put runners on the corners, but neither Dominic Brown nor Carlos Ruiz could bring them home. So it stayed 4-2 heading into the 9th. In the top of the 9th, with Werth at 3rd and 2 out Ruiz ripped an RBI single to seemingly complete the comeback and lift the Phils to a 5-4 win. Unfortunately in reality it wasn't to be for the Phils on this night. Brad Lidge managed to get one out in the 9th. before walking 2 batters and serving up a game winning 3 run homer to Ryan Zimmeran for a stunning 7-5 win. So the Phils have dropped 2 in a row to the Nats, but with the Braves losing tonight as well the Phils remain 3.5 games back in the NL East so they're okay for now.
2 comments:
I'm getting fed up with Lidge either blowing games or coming really close to blowing games. It seems like everytime he comes in he gives up at least a run. Its really hard to win close games when you dont have a good closer and I feel like Charlie Manuel is living in the past when Lidge was actually good.
-to ph1llysports
yeah well I am not sure there's really anything they can do about getting a closer at this point. They don't have anyone left to trade who isn't on the DL. They're just going to have to live with him for now
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