Saturday, April 19, 2008
PHILLIES NEWS
The offensive doldrums continued today for the Phils in the 2nd of the 3 game weekend set with the Mets. This time it was Oliver Perez blanking the Phils for 6 innings, just enough for the Mets to wrestle away another ugly win. the veteran Jamie Moyer got the start for the Phils, and pitched well enough to keep the Phils struggling hitters in the game, allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings of work, but it wasn't quite enough. In the top of the first the Mets got off to a quick start as David Wright knocked in two runs with a double. In the top of the 7th Jose Reyes slammed a 2 run homer, which turned out to be the difference in the game. In the bottom of the inning Chase Utley finally put the Phils on the board with a solo homer to cut the lead to 4-1. Then in the bottom of the 8th the Phils had a golden opportunity with the bases loaded and one out, but they could only manage one run, on a bloop single by Carlos Ruiz as Geoff Jenkins and Jayson Werth both struck out to end the inning. Finally in the 9th Billy Wagner came in and closed it out again for a 4-2 Met win. So the Phils drop to 8-10 overall. They'll need a win tomorrow to at least stay near .500 and avoid an ugly sweep at the hands of the hated Mets.
FLYERS NEWS
Coming into tonight the Flyer's had their first chance to closeout a first round victory over the Caps. Sadly, despite a late push they fell short against the desperate Caps. They simply didn't play with the same urgency as the Caps and it cost them. Midway through the first period of play, Niklas Backstrom scored for a 1-0 Caps lead. Early in the 2nd period of play, Sergei Federov made it 2-0 Caps. Then late in the period Vinny Prospal finally put the Flyers on the board, cutting the lead to 2-1. Late in the 3rd period of play, Alexander Semin seemed to put it away for good, scoring on the power play for a 3-1 Caps lead. However, the Flyers weren't ready give in just yet and a minute later Derian Hatcher scored to cut the lead to 3-2. From there the Flyers had there chances, and in the waning moments Danny Briere had a golden opportunity, with a one timer from point black range, but it hit off the stick of a Washington player and went wide and the Flyers finally succumbed. So the Caps get the win and force a game 6 back at the Wachovia center. If the Flyers want to move on to the next round they'll have to close it out here.
Friday, April 18, 2008
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils began an important weekend series tonight, welcoming the arch rival New York Mets to the Bank. Tonight, the opener of the 3 game set, presented the ultimate pitching match up with Cole Hamels going for the Phils and Johan Santana going for the Mets. The game lived up to its billing as Hamels allowed just 5 runs on 8 hits in 7 innings of work, while Santana tore up the Phils in 7 innings, allowing just 3 runs on 4 hits. Unfortunately for the Phils, when it finally came time for some offense, the Mets just had a bit more and prevailed. In the top of the first inning David Wright banged an RBI double for a 1-0 Met lead. In the top of the 3rd inning Jose Reyes walked, stole second, and scored on a triple by Wright. The Phils finally got on the board in the bottom of the 7th as Chase Utley crushed a solo homer to cut the lead to 2-1. In the top of the 8th, Ryan Howard bobbled a possible double play ball, allowing one run to score, while Angel Pagan doubled and Matthew Schneider singled for a couple more runs ,as the Mets pushed ahead to a 5-1 lead. The Phils came right back in the bottom of the inning as Greg Dobbs slugged a 3 run homer to cut the lead to 5-4. In the top of the 9th, a sac fly by Carlos Delgado gave the Mets some breathing room with a 6-4 lead. Billy Wagner then closed out the 5-4 Met win in the bottom of the inning, so once again the Phils fail to get above .500, as their record drops to 8-9 overall.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
PHILLIES NEWS
The Phils finished off their 3 game set with the Astros this afternoon with quite a bang. Brett Myers got the start and produced a better than solid effort allowing just one run on 5 hits in 7 innings of work. Of course, he could have pitched poorly and probably still would have won this one, as the Phils lineup finally came to life pounding the Stros for 10 runs and 16 hits. Basically it was good old fashioned ass whupping that the Phils put on the Stros today. In the bottom of the first, the Phils quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead as Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell each slapped RBI singles and Geoff Jenkins slammed an RBI double. In the bottom of the 3rd, a Chris Coste RBI double made it 4-0 Phils. The Stros finally got on the board in the top of the 4th, as Miguel Tejada slammed a solo homer. The Phils came right back in the bottom of the inning as Chase Utley crushed a 2 run homer to push the lead to 6-1. In the bottom of the 6th Howard and Burrell banged out back to back homers to push the lead to 8-1. In the bottom of the 8th, Coste slugged a 2 run homer for a 10-1 Phils lead. Finally, after serving up a Carlos Lee solo homer, Clay Condrey closed out the stros to finish a 10-2 Phils win. So once again the Phils improve to .500 at 8-8. Maybe this time they'll finally get above it.
FLYERS NEWS
Leading their first round series with the Caps 2 games to 1, coming into tonight, the Flyers had a golden opportunity to put a commanding stamp on the series. Marty Biron provided another solid effort in goal, saving 38 of the 41 shots he faced including a couple dazzling game saving stops deep into the night as the game wound up in double overtime. For their part the Flyer's did not play their best, but they made the plays when it mattered most, while Washington came up short time and time again, and sometimes in a playoff game that is all that is needed to pull out a win. Just 42 seconds into the first period of play, Jeff Carter put the Flyers up 1-0. A couple minutes later Niklas Backstrom scored on the power play to knot it up at 1. Then late in the period Alexander Semin scored yet another power play goal for a 2-1 Caps lead. Finally Carter netted his second goal a few minutes later to knot it up at 2. Early in the second period of play, Steve Eminger scored for 3-2 Washington lead. In the 3rd period of play, with just under 10 minutes to play, Danny Briere saved the day with a power play goal to knot it up at 3. From there neither team could score again before the end of regulation so the game went into overtime. There, both teams had great chances to score and end the game, but both came up short and the game went into a second overtime. Finally, just under 7 minutes into the second overtime Mike Knuble slapped it into the net, off a rebound and the Flyers had themselves a thrilling 4-3 win. So the Flyers lead the series 3 games to 1 and can move on to the second round with a win in game 5 on Saturday.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
PHILLIES NEWS
After a dramatic win last night the Phils once again had a chance tonight to get above .500 for the first time all season with a win in the second of their 3 game set with the Astros. Kyle Kendrick got the start and delivered a solid effort, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits in 7 innings of work. However, just as with Adam Eaton last night, the Phil's offense could do nothing with it as Roy Oswalt held them to a run on 5 hits through 7 innings and this time there would be no 9th inning comeback. In the top of the first inning, ex Phillie Michael Bourn, beat out an infield single, stole second and scored on a double by Carlos Lee. In the bottom of the inning Jayson Werth singled and scored a couple batters later on a single by Ryan Howard. Bourn stuck again in the top of the 5th with a solo homer to put the Stros up 2-1. From there, the two team's pitching staffs took over and kept it 2-1 Stros until the bottom of the 9th. There after two quick outs, Jimmy Rollins(no he's not back yet, just pinch hitting) slapped a pinch single to briefly raise hopes of another Phils comeback, but Greg Dobbs followed Rollins with a strikeout to the end the game in a 2-1 victory for the Astros. So the Phils drop back under .500 again at 7-8. Apparently they are just not meant to be over .500 in April.
SIXERS NEWS
The Sixers finished the season tonight in Charlotte against the Bobcats. With their playoff seeding already decided there wasn't much for the Sixers to play for, except that a win would give them a .500 record for the first time in 3 years. Sadly it was not to be. Charlotte jumped out to a big lead early, and despite a furious late Sxier's rally, was able to hang on. Offensively, 4 Sixers scored in double figures(Andre Iguodala, Willie Green, Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams) with Green's 27 leading the way. Defensively, it was not a good night for the Sixers as they allowed Charlotte to shoot 57% from the field, never a recipe for victory. In the first quarter of play, the Sixers actually got out to a 4 point lead with the score 25-21. In the second quarter of play the Bobcats asserted themselves and sprinted out to a 10 point lead with the score 61-51 at the half. In the 3rd quarter of play the Sixers were able to cut into the Bobcat's lead and by the 4th it was down to 7 with the score 87-80. Finally in the 4th quarter of play the Sixers were actually able to rally back for a one point lead at one point before the Bobcats finally hung on to win by 6, with the final score 115-109. So the Sixers finish the season at 40-42 and will now prepare for an opening playoff round match up with the Pistons. May the best team win.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
PHILLIES NEWS
After losing a heartbreaker on Sunday to finish off their weekend series with the Cubs, the Phils welcomed the Houston Astros to the Bank tonight to begin a 3 game set. Adam Eaton got the start and again surprised everyone with another solid effort, allowing just 3 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings of work. Unfortunately, the Phils at least initially could do nothing with itas Shawn Chacon blanked them for 8 innings. However, it would be the Phils this time who would be saved with some late luck and superb bullpen pitching, as Chad Durbin and the veteran Rudy Seanez of all people, blanked the Astros for the game's final two innings, opening the door for a late Phils rally. In the top of the first inning Miguel Tejada slapped a clutch two out single, to plate Lance Berkman for a 1-0 lead. In the top of the 6th a single by Geoff Blum and a sac fly by Hunter Pence produced two more runs for a 3-0 lead. Thanks to the bullpen it stayed that way until the bottom of the 9th as Jose Valverde came into close it out for the Stros. Pinch hitter Chris Snelling(just called up to fill Shane Victorino's roster spot while he nurses his calf injury) lead off the inning by depositing Valverde's first pitch into the seats to cut the lead to 3-1. Chase Utley was then hit by a pitch, and after Ryan Howard struck out, Ted Williams, er Pat Burrell(.349 BA, .791 slugging percentage, 5 HRs, 15 RBIs, 15 hits, .482 OBP), stepped to the plate with a chance to tie the game and did so slamming a 2 run homer to the opposite field. Geoff Jenkins then struck out, but Brad Ausmus forgot to catch the ball, and Jenkins reached first safely on the passed ball. Finally Pedro Feliz rolled a base hit all the way down the left field line and into the corner and Jenkins made like Enos Slaughter in the 1946 world series and raced all the way home from first to finish a thrilling 4-3 Phils win. So again the Phils get back to .500 at 7-7 and hopefully this time they'll finally get above it.
FLYERS NEWS
The Orange and Black are really rolling now. After a crucial victory in game two on Sunday, the Flyer's returned home for game 3 tonight and continued to thrash the Capitals. The defense continued its gritty play, allowing Washington just 19 shots on goal and Marty Biron put forth another solid effort, allowing just 3 goals on those 19 shots. Late in the first period of play Danny Briere put the Flyer's on the board first for a 1-0 lead. Then about a minute later, Eric Fehr briefly tied it at 1 for Washington before Scotty Hartnell, and Sami Kapanen each scored late goals within seconds of each other for a 3-2 Flyer's lead. Early in the second period of play, Mike Green scored on the power play to cut the lead to 3-2. Then late in the period Briere answered with a power play goal of his own to push the lead to 4-2. Late in the 3rd period of play, Brooks Laich scored to cut the lead to 4-3, to briefly reignite Washington's victory hopes, but Mike Richards scored two minutes later to quickly extinguish those hopes and push the lead to 5-3. Mike Knuble then put the nail in the Caps coffin with an empty netter to cap off a 6-3 Flyer's victory with just over a minute to play. So the Flyers take a 2 games to 1 lead in the series and will be in good shape if they win game 4 on Thursday.
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