The Phils and Yanks squared off in game 2 of the World Series tonight. Like game 1 it was largely, a pitcher's duel, this time with Pedro Martinez dueling A.J Burnett. Unfortunately, for the Phils Burnett got the best of duel, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, while striking out 9 in 7 innings. The Phils just couldn't figure out his curveball. As for Pedro he pitched well too, allowing just 3 runs on 6 hits and striking out 8 in 6 innings of work, but thanks to Burnett that was only good enough to put the Phils behind 3-1 going into the final 2 innings. Chan Ho Park, Scott Eyre, and, Ryan Madson combined to keep the Yanks scoreless after the 6th inning, and give the Phils a chance to pull a comeback, but with Mariano Rivera coming to pitch the 8th and 9th that was not a favorable propisition. Still, in the 8th inning the Phils actually got to Rivera and had their chance to pull the comeback with 2 on and 1 out for Chase Utley. Unfortunately, Utley grounded into a force out, or at least in reality it was a force out at 2nd, as replays showed Utley beat Derek Jeter's relay to 1st, but he was wrongfully called out to end the inning and strand Ryan Howard in the on deck circle. Howard later struck out to begin the 9th inning, but the Phils managed to give themselves one last chance to rally, as Raul Ibanez lined a 2 out double to bring the DH Matt Stairs to plate with a chance to tie it on one swing. Sadly Stairs could only strikeout to end it. So the series shifts to Philadelphia tied at 1 and the Phils still in good shape.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils and the Yanks began the world series tonight before a packed crowd at the new Yankee stadium. For their 6th straight postseason series the Phils came out firing there best shots and were able to stun the Yankees for an early series lead. Cliff Lee got the start tonight against his former teammate, C.C Sabathia and he was just magnificent tossing a complete game, while allowing just 1 run on 6 hits while striking out 10 and walking none. Sabathia wasn't so lucky serving up 2 solo homers to Chase Utley, making him the first lefty to hit 2 homers in a world series game off a lefty pitcher, since Babe Ruth himself 81 years ago. Thanks to the homers Sabathia was forced to exit after only 7 innings. He then had to watch his bullpen blow any hopes for a Yankee victory, as Raul Ibanez slapped a 2 run single in the 8th inning and "the Flyin Hawaiian", Shane Victorino singled in 1 run and Ryan Howard doubled in another in the 9th inning for a 6-0 lead. From there a Jimmy Rollins error in the bottom of the inning, was all the averted a shutout for the Yankees, as Lee closed out a dominating 6-1 win. It was just unbelievable the way Lee performed tonight. I have never seen a pitcher look calmer on the mound in game 1 of the world series than Lee did tonight. He not only shut the Yankees with his arm, he made the most nonchalant catch of a pop up you've ever seen and incredible back handed stab of line drive. There just wasn't anything he couldn't do tonight. Really the whole team looked relaxed tonight, and it all came almost a little too easy. I new the Phils were a good team but I didn't know they were this good. Now, all of the sudden with Pedro Martinez on the mound tomorrow the Phils have a golden opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead and perhaps turn the lights out on the Yanks for good.
SIXERS NEWS
After a going 5-3 in a pretty good preseason the Sixers opened their 2009-2010 regular season tonight in Orlandon against Dwight "superman" Howard and the defending Eastern conference champion Magic. It wasn't pretty. Maurice Speights led the way with a career best t26 points 5 rebounds, and Jason Kapono, Rodney Carney, each scored in double figures off the bench and Lou Williams, in his 1st start at the poiny for the Sixers, scored 18 to go along with just 4 assists. Defensively however, it just wasn't there for the Sixers, as they allowed Orlando to shoot 55% from the field and beyond the arc, which is pretty much the kiss of death against the most teams. Thus, the Sixers lost convincingly 120-106, not exactly the way they wanted to start the season. The Sixers were really only in it for a quarter, as they trailed by 24 at the half with the score 70-47. Embarrassingly the lead was up to 31 by the start of the 4th quarter. There the Sixers finally woke back up again and at least mounted a rally to cut the final margin to 14. Going the forward the Sixers need to play much better defense if they hope to have any success this season or it's going to be a long year.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
FLYERS NEWS
After running out of gas against the San Jose Sharks in their last game, the Flyers looked to get back on track tonight in Washington against the Capitals. For a while it looked like they would do just that as early in the 2nd period Scott Hartnell and late in the period Braydon Coburn each scored on the power play for a 2-0 Flyer's lead. However, just 2 minutes after Coburn's goal Alexander Ovechkin scored to cut it to 2-1 and then 2 minutes after Niklas Backstrom scored to knot it at 2. Just like that Washington seized the momentum, and did not let go for the remainder of the night as Alexander Semin scored early in the 3rd period for a 3-2 Caps lead and Ovechkin scored again on the empty net with under a minute to play to put away a 4-2 Caps' win. It's hard to say where this one went wrong. The Flyer's outshot the Caps 43-36, went 2 for 5 on the Power play, to just 1 for 4 for Washington, and got 32 saves out of 35 shots faced from Ray Emery, all numbers that should have been enough to get a win over the Caps, but they weren't. Perhaps the defense wasn't strong enough as 36 shots is a little high or maybe they just didn't do a good enough job keeping the pressure on the Caps after getting that lead or maybe they should have taken better advantage of those 5 power plays. Whatever the reason, the Orange and Black need to figure it out fast because this can't keep happening. They just can't afford to keep letting winnable games slip away from them like this.
Monday, October 26, 2009
EAGLES NEWS
The Birds traveled to Fedex field for a divisional showdown with the Washington Redskins tonight as they looked to rebound from last week's loss to the Raiders. Fortunately, the Redskins are playing even worse right now than the Raiders had been and simply didn't have the confidence in themselves to beat the Eagles tonight. A dominant performance by the Eagles' defense and a spectacular game on offense for Desean Jackson also contributed heavily to an 27-17 Eagles' victory. The defense had Redskin QB Jason Campbell running for his life all day, sacking him 6 times and forcing him into 2 of the 4 Redskin turnovers on the night. Clinton Portis and the Redskins' running game was also held in check with just 68 yards, including only 43 by Portis. So it was up to Campbell to carry the load for the Skins on offense and he could not. Newly added linebacker Will Weatherspoon intercepted Campbell for the turnover # 1 and returned it 9 yards for a TD. Later Weatherspoon stripped Campbell and Quintin Mikell recoverd the fumble to set up a David Aker's field goal from 47 yards out. Later Antwan Randle El muffed a punt for turnover # 3 to set up a 44 yard Akers field goal. So the standouts on defense for the Eagles this week were Trent Cole with 2 sacks, and Witherspoon who had quite a debut with the Birds, with an interception, a fumble recovery, and a sack. As for the offense, it was all Desean Jackson, who took an end around on the Eagles first drive of the game and raced 67 yards for a TD. Later Jackson hauled in a 57 yard TD pass from Donovan Mcnabb, to account for all 14 points generated by the Eagle's offense. All in all it was just an ok night for the Eagles' offense which accumulated just 262 yards to go along with those 14 points. They did rush for a solid 122 yards, made all the more impressive by the fact that Brian Westbrook went down early in the game with a concussion, but hopefully he'll be all right. The Eagles' passing game tonight though left something to be desired, but it was good enough for the win and that's really all that matters. Ultimately the Eagles did not play great tonight, they simply played good and that was enough against the struggling the Redskins, but they'll have to pick it up next week against the NY Giants in a showdown for 1st place in the NFC East.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
FLYERS NEWS
The Flyers welcomed the San Jose Sharks to the Wachovia center tonight, as they looked to get their 3rd straight win. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Since the Flyer's were playing on back to back nights, Brian Boucher subbed in for Ray Emery, for his first start in goal this season and he was less than stellar, allowing 4 goals on only 28 shots, including a few that were a bit weak. Considering this was his 1st start of the regular season and that he barely played at all in the preseason, it's not totally surprising that Boucher wasn't sharp in this one. You just have to hope he can pick it up and be effective again, before the season moves to much further along. Anyway, thanks to the weak play by Boucher, the Flyers ultimately fell 4-1, despite outshooting the Sharks 38-28. The Orange and Black was probably also a little tired coming off the win over the Panthers last night. Darroll Powe, who has quietly been making a name for himself on the Flyers, accumulated the only Flyer's only score of the night in the 1st period. After that it was all San Jose skating past the tired Flyers. With the loss the Flyers drop to 5-3-1 overall but remain 7th in the Eastern conference.
PHILLIES NEWS
Well it's official the Phils opponent in the World series beginning on Wednesday will be the New York Yankees and their 26 world titles, as they finished off the L.A Angels in the ALCS tonight. 59 years ago the Phils' Whiz Kids and Yanks faced off in the 1950 world series. The Yankees swept the Phils in that series and now finally the Phils can exact revenge. So all I can say to the Yankees is bring it!
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