Games of Monday, September 5 - Phillies' Late-Inning Rally Falls Short Against Astros, 4-3
I'm quite a bit behind, on this weblog, but I will endeavor to catch up...
Games of Monday, September 5 (Labor Day)
Phillies' Late-Inning Rally Falls Short Against Astros, 4-3, As Houston Seizes Wild Card Lead
Link to box score/recap: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250905122
On a night when Brett Myers (12-7) gave up four first-inning runs to Houston, Andy Petitte (14-9) and the Astros made them stand up at Citizens Bank Park, winning 4-3. Houston didn't score The big blow in Houston's initial inning was a three-run HR by Lance Berkman, playing with iced knees. Pettitte exited the game with two outs in the sixth inning, due to a swollen left foot. It hadn't helped his foot, that Myers had hit a ground ball off of Pettite's foot in the third inning.
Petitte turned a 4-0 lead over to the Astros' bullpen, having permitted just three hits and without having walked a batter. But the Phillies rallied for two seventh-inning runs against the Astros' middle-relief corps, and left the bases loaded as Dan Wheeler slipped out of the jam.
The Phillies came tantalizingly close to defeating closer Brad Lidge, entering in the 9th with a 4-2 lead. Lidge retired leadoff hitter David Bell. Kenny Lofton, pinch-hitting for Mike Lieberthal (a luxury now permitted by the swelled roster in September) was able to use his speed to manufacture a run. Lofton legged out an infield single, and advanced to second when the throw from shortstop Adam Everett went errant. Lofton moved to third with two outs when Shane Victorino grounded out.
While Lidge was pitching to Ryan Howard, he permitted Lofton to score on a wild pitch, and then walked Howard, a big no-no with a lead in the ninth. Howard had been given the night off against the tough left-hander Petitte, entering the game as a pinch-hitter and staying in as part of a double switch. Tomas Perez had gotten the start at first base, and Shane Victorino ultimately ran for him.
But back to the ninth. Matt Kata was sent in to pinch-run for Howard, as the potential tying run at first base. Then, Jimmy Rollins raised Phillies' fans hopes by doubling to right field. Unfortunately, Kata - although certainly faster than Ryan Howard - couldn't get past third and score the tying run.
This gave pinch-hitter Endy Chavez, hitting for closer Billy Wagner (who had been brought in to keep the score close) a chance to be a hero. Any single to the outfield would easily score Rollins from second, particularly with two outs and Rollins running on contact, thus winning the game, 5-4.
But Chavez couldn't handle Lidge, and struck out, leaving the tying and winning runs in scoring position. They ended up as the 12th and 13th runners the Phillies had left on base on this frustrating night. Lidge thus recorded his 33rd save, although he allowed two hits, a run and threw a wild pitch, probably one of his most adventuresome saves this year. The Astros have now won 10 straight games against the Phillies.
In so doing, Houston passed the Phillies in the standings, and now hold a 1/2 game lead over Philadelphia and one game over Florida. After the disastrous opening inning, Myers settled down and pitched well, shutting out Houston over the ensuing six innings. Myers allowed only five hits and one walk in seven innings. Myers also regretably hit one Astro, third baseman Morgan Ensberg, in the third inning (Ensberg stayed in but eventually had to leave the game, after Myers struck him out in the fifth).
Also, one of Houston's four runs was unearned, due to an error at third base by Bell. Myers also struck out six Astros. Ryan Madson and Wagner subsequently combined to keep the Astros off the board the rest of the way. Wagner had an interesting inning against his former teammates, permitting a hit and a walk but eventually striking out the side. It says volumes about the Phillies' futility against Houston that Wagner - who has now pitched in Philadelphia for nearly two seasons - faced his former teammates for the first time ever Monday night.
It was a tough night for the Phillies' two biggest outfield guns, as Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell combined to go 0-8 for the evening. But Pettitte is tough. It was his 15th consecutive start in which he has allowed three or fewer earned runs.
Other NL Games of Interest on Monday, September 5, 2005
Atlanta relied on homers from Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones to beat the Mets, 4-2, at Turner Field, as they cruise toward the division title. Chipper's homer was his 34th of his career against the Mets, whom he nearly singlehandedly destroyed in the 1999 NLCS. It came in the 8th inning and broke a 2-2 tie, defeating Steve Trachsel.
Washington defeated visiting Florida and Jason Vargas, 5-2, behind a powerful all-around effort from former Marlin Livan Hernandez, now 15-6 on the year. Florida didn't get a hit until the fifth, and Hernandez took a shutout into the 9th. Hernandez also helped himself with two hits and a RBI - he is the defending NL Silver Slugger for moundsmen. Former Phillie Marlon Byrd had a bases-clearing double, ultimately coming only a homer short of the cycle, finishing with three hits. The Marlins' only runs came on a two-run HR by Miguel Cabrera in the 9th, already trailing, 5-0.
So at the end of the Labor Day weekend, it appeared:
NL East
Atlanta 79-59 ---
Philadelphia 73-65 6
NL Wild Card
Houston 73-64 ---
Philadelphia 73-65 0.5
Florida 72-65 1
Washington 72-66 1.5
New York 70-67 3
Games of Monday, September 5 (Labor Day)
Phillies' Late-Inning Rally Falls Short Against Astros, 4-3, As Houston Seizes Wild Card Lead
Link to box score/recap: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250905122
On a night when Brett Myers (12-7) gave up four first-inning runs to Houston, Andy Petitte (14-9) and the Astros made them stand up at Citizens Bank Park, winning 4-3. Houston didn't score The big blow in Houston's initial inning was a three-run HR by Lance Berkman, playing with iced knees. Pettitte exited the game with two outs in the sixth inning, due to a swollen left foot. It hadn't helped his foot, that Myers had hit a ground ball off of Pettite's foot in the third inning.
Petitte turned a 4-0 lead over to the Astros' bullpen, having permitted just three hits and without having walked a batter. But the Phillies rallied for two seventh-inning runs against the Astros' middle-relief corps, and left the bases loaded as Dan Wheeler slipped out of the jam.
The Phillies came tantalizingly close to defeating closer Brad Lidge, entering in the 9th with a 4-2 lead. Lidge retired leadoff hitter David Bell. Kenny Lofton, pinch-hitting for Mike Lieberthal (a luxury now permitted by the swelled roster in September) was able to use his speed to manufacture a run. Lofton legged out an infield single, and advanced to second when the throw from shortstop Adam Everett went errant. Lofton moved to third with two outs when Shane Victorino grounded out.
While Lidge was pitching to Ryan Howard, he permitted Lofton to score on a wild pitch, and then walked Howard, a big no-no with a lead in the ninth. Howard had been given the night off against the tough left-hander Petitte, entering the game as a pinch-hitter and staying in as part of a double switch. Tomas Perez had gotten the start at first base, and Shane Victorino ultimately ran for him.
But back to the ninth. Matt Kata was sent in to pinch-run for Howard, as the potential tying run at first base. Then, Jimmy Rollins raised Phillies' fans hopes by doubling to right field. Unfortunately, Kata - although certainly faster than Ryan Howard - couldn't get past third and score the tying run.
This gave pinch-hitter Endy Chavez, hitting for closer Billy Wagner (who had been brought in to keep the score close) a chance to be a hero. Any single to the outfield would easily score Rollins from second, particularly with two outs and Rollins running on contact, thus winning the game, 5-4.
But Chavez couldn't handle Lidge, and struck out, leaving the tying and winning runs in scoring position. They ended up as the 12th and 13th runners the Phillies had left on base on this frustrating night. Lidge thus recorded his 33rd save, although he allowed two hits, a run and threw a wild pitch, probably one of his most adventuresome saves this year. The Astros have now won 10 straight games against the Phillies.
In so doing, Houston passed the Phillies in the standings, and now hold a 1/2 game lead over Philadelphia and one game over Florida. After the disastrous opening inning, Myers settled down and pitched well, shutting out Houston over the ensuing six innings. Myers allowed only five hits and one walk in seven innings. Myers also regretably hit one Astro, third baseman Morgan Ensberg, in the third inning (Ensberg stayed in but eventually had to leave the game, after Myers struck him out in the fifth).
Also, one of Houston's four runs was unearned, due to an error at third base by Bell. Myers also struck out six Astros. Ryan Madson and Wagner subsequently combined to keep the Astros off the board the rest of the way. Wagner had an interesting inning against his former teammates, permitting a hit and a walk but eventually striking out the side. It says volumes about the Phillies' futility against Houston that Wagner - who has now pitched in Philadelphia for nearly two seasons - faced his former teammates for the first time ever Monday night.
It was a tough night for the Phillies' two biggest outfield guns, as Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell combined to go 0-8 for the evening. But Pettitte is tough. It was his 15th consecutive start in which he has allowed three or fewer earned runs.
Other NL Games of Interest on Monday, September 5, 2005
Atlanta relied on homers from Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones to beat the Mets, 4-2, at Turner Field, as they cruise toward the division title. Chipper's homer was his 34th of his career against the Mets, whom he nearly singlehandedly destroyed in the 1999 NLCS. It came in the 8th inning and broke a 2-2 tie, defeating Steve Trachsel.
Washington defeated visiting Florida and Jason Vargas, 5-2, behind a powerful all-around effort from former Marlin Livan Hernandez, now 15-6 on the year. Florida didn't get a hit until the fifth, and Hernandez took a shutout into the 9th. Hernandez also helped himself with two hits and a RBI - he is the defending NL Silver Slugger for moundsmen. Former Phillie Marlon Byrd had a bases-clearing double, ultimately coming only a homer short of the cycle, finishing with three hits. The Marlins' only runs came on a two-run HR by Miguel Cabrera in the 9th, already trailing, 5-0.
So at the end of the Labor Day weekend, it appeared:
NL East
Atlanta 79-59 ---
Philadelphia 73-65 6
NL Wild Card
Houston 73-64 ---
Philadelphia 73-65 0.5
Florida 72-65 1
Washington 72-66 1.5
New York 70-67 3
posted by Villanova Viewpoint Publisher | 12:14 PM
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