Skip to main content

Phillies Lead NLCS After Game 1 Victory

By
Raul A-Bomb?-Yes!


The Phillies won the 2009 NLCS opener on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the final four round to determine the contestants for the World Series. The Phillies were led by two key three-run homeruns by Carlos Ruiz and Raul Ibanez and got solid relief pitching from Chan Ho Park and Brad Lidge.

Ruiz is making a bid to add to his own nickname collection. The man already known as "Chooch", who TBS renamed "Cooch" by accident last year, has made a bid for a brand new name, "Senor Octubre". I'll simply go with my adjusted alias, THE Chooch. Ruiz in 6 career NLCS games has a .368 batting avg. THE Chooch's 3 run homer in the 5th inning gave the Phillies a lead they would not relinquish.

In the bottom of the 7th inning, lefty Antonio Bastardo entered the game to face left handed batting Andre Ethier, who smashed a lead off double. Chan Ho Park then entered the game and tossed a sparkling inning, retiring Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp and Casey Blake in succession, without allowing any damage.

Raul's 8th inning HR off of lefty reliever George Sherrill gave the Phillies a cushion to work with. It was the first homerun Sherrill allowed to a lefty batter since June 14, 2008. The insurance runs would prove necessary as Ryan Madson gave up two runs to LA in the bottom half of the inning, making the score 8-6.

In the 9th inning, Lidge successfully converted another save to open the NLCS. Lidge's current 7 game scoreless appearance streak is his longest of the season. Lidge's post season ERA as a Phillie, in 12 games, is 0.77.

Game 2 will be played today, starting at 4:07 EST. Former Dodger Pedro Martinez takes the hill for the Phils.

Speaking of former Dodgers, a tip of my PhoulBallz goes out to Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes who refused an opportunity to celebrate a Dodgers team of the past by rejecting an offer to toss out a ceremonial first pitch prior to NLCS game 1. Lopez turned down the offer, stating that he is a Phillie and didn't wish to participate in anything celebrating their opponent, the Dodgers. As Lopes explained to Martin Frank of The News Journal, he has no ties to the Dodgers any longer, "There's nobody left from when I played. I don't know the players. I don't know the coaching staff. I don't know the owners."
--------------------------

You should follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE!

BallHype: hype it up!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Diekman a Late Addition to Mesa AFL Roster

By
On Wednesday, Phillies lefty pitching prospect Jacob Diekman made his Arizona Fall League debut. Diekman, who was drafted in the 30th round of the 2007 amateur draft, was assigned to Mesa late, in order to increase his 2010 innings total, according to Mesa hitting coach Mark Parent, who managed Diekman in Lakewood this past season. Diekman, 23, posted a 2-0 record with 1.90 ERA in 21 games with Class A Lakewood before being promoted to High-A Clearwater on June 24th. In 24 games with the Threshers, Diekman went 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA. Combined, Diekman tossed 55 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .187 batting average against at two levels in 2010. However, after not pitching in an official game since he threw a shutout inning to wrap up the Clearwater season on September 5th, Diekman was unable to record an out as all seven batters he faced reached base, six with hits, one on an error. Diekman was charged with 5 earned runs in the outing. Diekman had spent time at instructional ball from
Post a Comment
Read more

2022 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #24 RHP Cristian Hernandez

By
Venezuelan born right-hander Cristian Hernandez has begun to earn recognition as one of the Phillies most promising pitching prospects. Signed as a 16-year-old in 2017 for a reported $120,000, Hernandez got his professional career started the following summer as a starter for the Phillies' Red Dominican Summer League club.  There, in 13 starts, Hernandez tallied a 2-3 record with 2.57 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP as well as a 7.0 K/9 mark. An injury sidelined Hernandez in 2019 and the 2020 season was cancelled due to the global pandemic. In 2021, Hernandez saw his first regular season action in the United States, starting his season in Florida Complex League.  After two appearances there, the six-foot-three 185-pounder was promoted to the Class A Clearwater Threshers.  In 20 combined outings (17 starts), Hernandez notched a 2-7 record with a 3.57 ERA, a .228 batting average against and an 11.2 K/9 mark. Projectability is something that baseball folks like about Hernandez.  His size, consistent
Post a Comment
Read more

Who is Your Favorite Willie 'Mays' Hayes?

By
PhoulBallz.com is wondering which individual who has portrayed Willie "Mays" Hayes is the favorite of the public. Hayes, of course, is the character made famous in the Major League motion picture series. In Major League , Willie "Mays" Hayes was portrayed by budding Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes, who would go on to action movie superstardom. Snipes has starred in major motion pictures like the Blade trilogy, Passenger 57 , Undisputed and many more. Snipes remains an impact Hollywood actor, despite legal troubles related to income tax evasion. Snipes was replaced for the sequel, Major League II when his busy career, and possibly the film's budget, would not allow him to return, by Omar Epps. Another budding actor, Epps had previously worked with director David S. Ward, on the film The Program , and landed the role of Hayes, who had become a Hollywood action star over the off-season that occured between the two films. Epps' career portraying athletes rolle
1 comment
Read more