Skip to main content

Missed Opportunities Cost Phillies Their Season


Their phans had high hopes. And why wouldn't they? It's just about habit by now. Four straight division titles and what was supposed to be a third consecutive World Series berth are enough to spoil people and ensure that any result shy of another world title will be a disappointment.

In game 6 of the National League Championship Series the Phillies had loads of opportunities to take control of the game and put the San Francisco Giants away to force Philadelphia's very first postseason game 7. Unfortunately, the Phils blew those chances and lost to a team that was widely considered inferior.

In the 3rd inning, after the Giants had tied the game at 2, the Phillies' first two batters reached base when Placido Polanco walked and Chase Utley was hit by a pitch. On his way to first base, Utley tossed the ball back toward the pitchers mound, which resulted in some insults being fired from San Francisco starter Jonathan Sanchez. Tempers flaired, the benches cleared, but no punches were thrown. It seemed as though the encounter had a negative effect on the Phillies instead of firing them up. With manager Bruce Bochy's short leash, Sanchez was then relieved by Jeremy Affeldt who retired Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino in order on a strike out, a fly out and a ground out respectively.

In the 5th inning, Jim Rollins led off with a single. Following fly outs by Polanco and Utley, Ryan Howard doubled, but Rollins was held at 3rd base, despite running on contact with 2 outs. Werth was then intentionally walked before Victorino again made the 3rd out with runners in scoring position.

In the 6th inning, Raul Ibanez led off with a double and was promptly bunted over to 3rd base on a sacrifice bunt by Carlos Ruiz. Ben Francisco then struck out looking and Jimmy Rollins flied out.

In the 8th inning, following the Giants taking the lead on a solo homer by Juan Uribe, against Tim Lincecum in relief for just the 2nd time in his career, Victorino and Ibanez laced back-to-back one-out singles. But Brian Wilson then relieved Lincecum and got Carlos Ruiz to line out to first baseman Aubrey Huff who doubled Victorino off of second by firing the ball to shortstop Edgar Renteria.

In the 9th inning, Jimmy Rollins walked with 1 out but was erased on a fielders choice hit by Polanco. Utley then walked and Wilson Valdez ran for Polanco. With 2 down, 2 on and a full count, Howard looked at a called third strike and 8 months of high hopes were shot down.

The game 6 shortcomings were typical of the Phillies' overall offensive output during the NLCS, although the scoring totals for the series favored the Phillies by 1 (20-19) over the Giants.

Going forward, the Phillies will have until spring training 2011 to reflect on the ways their bats let them down in crucial postseason games and perhaps some adjustments to make to the team so these mishaps don't prevail in the future.

__________________________________________________________

For updates, facts and stats, follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Photo- AP

Comments

poker affiliate said…
http://www.pokeraffiliateresource.com
Anonymous said…
lol, suck it philly faggots

Popular posts from this blog

Diekman a Late Addition to Mesa AFL Roster

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

2022 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #24 RHP Cristian Hernandez

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

Who is Your Favorite Willie 'Mays' Hayes?

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