Phightin' Phils Phorum

Phillies Return To The World Series

Phillies win!!!  And for the second consecutive year, they will return to the World Series!

The chance to pull off the most amazing feat in baseball is upon us:  The repeat!  Can the Phillies become the new Big Red Machine?  We will see.

The 10-4 win over the Dodgers tonight had a multitude of highlights.  Here are just a few:

- Jayson Werth smashed not one, but two home runs!  Those homers accounted for 4 RBI.  Oh, and he hit a single too, just for good measure.

- Shane Victorino, who has been sick with a nasty cold all week, had 3 RBI in the game including a 2-run homer and a double.

- The Phillies bullpen which has been through the ringer this year, came through again this post-season with 4 2/3 innings of 1-run ball.  Chad Durbin was spectacular!  Chan Ho Park had 1 good inning but got into trouble in the next inning; Ryan Madson bailed him out.  And Brad Lidge pitched the 9th; it was a non-save situation but he got the job done.

- The Phillies batters finally figured out Vincente Padilla; 6 runs were charged to Padilla on 4 hits and 2 walks.

- With this win, the Phillies have scored 55 runs in 9 post-season games.  Nice.

- Even better, the Phillies are now the first National League team ever to record 16 wins in 20 post-season games.  The only AL team to do it is the Yankees and it is likely that the Phils will face the Yankees in the World Series; they are up 3 games to 1 over the Angels so far.

The not so great news from this clinching game was Cole Hamels, who still cannot seem to remember how to pitch.  Hamels lasted only 4 1/3 innings, allowing 3 solo home runs to the Dodgers.  Two of those homers came after Hamels had 2 strikes on the batter which is the really disturbing part.  With 2 strikes, why is tossing cookies right down the middle of the plate?  Hamels clearly cannot be counted on this year; it will be very interesting to see what Charlie Manuel does with the rotation for the World Series.

But I do not feel like thinking about that right now…it is time to celebrate!  Put on your party hat and have a drink!  The Phillies are going back to the World Series!!!

Phillies Repeat as National League Pennant Winners!!!

For the first time in their history, the Philadelphia Phillies have won the National League pennant in two consecutive seasons! The Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 game to 1 for the second straight season for the series win. The Phillies are now 3-2 in the NLCS against the Dodgers and memories of Black Friday are but a distant memory.

The Phillies will now wait for the outcome of the Yankees Angels series to see who they will face in the World Series. With the Yankees up 3 games to 1, it looks like a real possibility for a rematch with the Bronx Bombers as the Phillies will look to avenge the sweep of the Whiz Kids in 1950.

The series win gives the Phillies a chance to become only the fourth National League team in history to repeat as World Series Champions. They are now tied for sixth place in the National League in World Series appearances with 7. They are the first team to repeat as N.L. pennant winners since the 1995 and 1996 Atlanta Braves.

The Phillies win the pennant! The Phillies win the pennant! We Win the Pennant!!! Go Phillies!!!

Phillies First Pitch: NLCS Game 5 Phillies vs. Dodgers 10/21/09 Lineups and Game Chat

Cole Hamels looks to return to form and lead the Philadelphia Phillies to their second National League pennant in as many seasons and the seventh in franchise history. Former Phillies pitcher Vicente Padilla and the Los Angeles Dodgers stand in his way. Look for the Padilla Floatilla, or at least a group mocking the enigmatic right hander.

While the Phillies have been hot, Manny Ramirez is warmed up from his hot shower! The Phillies really want to clinch at home which would save them a cross country flight and allow them to celebrate in front of the home fans.

Game Time: 8:07pm

Broadcasts: Television TBS, Radio Big Talker 1210 Phillies Radio Network and XM Sirius Radio

Lineups are below. Game chat is in the comments section. Get the champagne on ice!!!

Lineups 10/21/2009:

Dodgers:

1. Furcall SS
2. Belliard 2B
3. Ethier RF
4. Ramirez LF
5. Kemp CF
6. Loney 1B
7. Martin C
8. Blake 3B
9. Padilla P

Phillies:

1. Rollins SS
2. Victorino CF
3. Utley 2B
4. Howard 1B
5. Werth RF
6. Ibanez LF
7. Feliz 3B
8. Ruiz C
9. Hamels P

Phillies vs. Dodgers Keys To The Game

A little humor for an off day! Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers keys to the game! I just need the Sarge to announce them!

Unbelievable 9th Inning Comeback

Down 4-5 in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, the Phillies were down to their last out and their last 2 strikes when Jimmy Rollins stepped to the plate with 2 runners on.  Win, and the Phillies would have a huge 3-1 games advantage.  Lose, and the series would be tied 2-2.  What took place next was not only improbable, but it absolutely stunned the Dodgers.

Things looked good when the game started and Ryan Howard nailed a 2-run shot in the 1st inning.  But the bats went quiet as ex-Phillies Randy Wolf bore down and kept the Dodgers in the game.  Joe Blanton started for the Phillies and got roughed up a bit in the middle innings.  By the end of the 6th, Blanton had allowed the 2-run lead slip away into a 2-4 deficit.

The bullpen took over in the 7th and held the Dodgers to those four runs.  Chan Ho Park, Ryan Madson, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge got the job done.  However, the offense still seemed sleepy after that 11-0 rout the previous day, so a comeback was looking unlikely.

But then Matt Stairs stepped the plate with one out in the 9th and everyone began hoping for the same miracle that occurred in Game 4 of the 2008 NLCS: Stairs nailed a 2-run homer in the 8th inning of that 2008 game to give the Phillies the lead.  Could this be a repeat performance?

Well, not quite.  Facing the very same pitcher he got that hit off in 2008, Jonathan Broxton, Stairs felt confident.  Broxton may not have felt quite as confident as he threw Stairs four straight balls.  Eric Bruntlett was put in as a pinch runner.  Broxton then proceeded to hit Carlos Ruiz with a pitch.
 

Greg Dobbs lined out for the 2nd out and things were looking good for the Dodgers.  J-Roll stepped to the plate with one final out remaining and 2 runners on base.  With a 1-1 count, Rollins whacked a line drive into the hole in right-center field.  Bruntlett and Ruiz tore up the base path, scoring 2 runs to win the game for the Phillies.  Phillies fans screamed in celebration while Dodgers fans squirmed in agony.

As amazing and uplifting as this win was for the Phillies, on the other side of the spectrum it was equally as painful and gut-wrenching for the Dodgers.  This was a killer blow, putting the Phillies at a 3-1 advantage; they now need only one more win in 3 possible tries to lock up a second consecutive trip to the World Series with a chance to repeat.

This win also shows why the Phillies are the defending World Champions.  They believe they will win, they support one another and they never give up until the final out is recorded.  To be able to witness this is the greatest joy of any fans life.  Repeat or no repeat, Phillies fans should be proud of their team!  What a year this has been…and it is not over yet.

Here is the Photo Album from the game…Go Phillies!!!

Photos by Jenn

The Team That Wouldn't Die!

"The Team That Wouldn't Die" was the title of the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies highlights film. The 2009 team may have to use the same title. With the Los Angeles Dodgers in seemingly complete control, the Fightin' Phils put a rally together against closer Jonathon Broxton and with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Jimmy Rollins hit a game winner to the right center field wall knocking in pinch runner Eric Bruntlett and Carlos Ruiz! Brad Lidge looked like the pitcher of old and earned his first win of the season. It was the team's second bottom of the ninth inning win with two outs in the post season this year. What a comeback!

In a a twist of fate that only baseball can provide, Jimmy Rollins hit was the first two out game winning hit in in the playoffs since Kirk Gibson for the Dodgers in 1988. I guess Scott Franske should have said, I can't believe what I just saw!"

The Phillies go up 3 games to 1 and are now 1 win away from another trip to the World Series! What a game! What a team! Enjoy this victory Phillies fans! This Phillies team is the one we have been dreaming about our whole lives.

Be sure to check back later for Jenn's pictures from the game.

Commanding Lead or Series Tie: Game 4 Could Define Series

After a huge win in game 3, the Philadelphia Phillies look to take control of the 2009 NLCS in game 4. While fans are euphoric after last night's win, the Phillies just need to remain steady and do what they have done so well which is only worry about today's game. A win tonight would give the Phillies a commanding 3-1 lead and a chance to clinch at home. A loss makes the series even and would give the Dodgers the confidence of knowing they get to return to Dodgers Stadium.

You always hear how important it is to win a particular game in the playoffs and once again the importance of winning tonight comes to the forefront. The truth is every playoff game is an important game to win. While tonight's game is not a must win, a win would certainly put the Phillies in a much better position then a loss. The Phillies turned the momentum in their favor last night and it is important to feed off of it and put the Dodgers on the defensive with another win.

The key for tonight will be getting to Randy Wolf early. Showing the Dodgers that they can not contain the Phillies offense will cause them to go to their bullpen early and press when they are at the plate.Joe Blanton needs to be steady, keep his pitch count down, and stay away from the big inning. If the Phillies can win tonight, they will be in good shape to win the series Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. A loss could make this a 7 game series.

Dodgers Freeze In Chilly Philly

 

The Phillies bats came alive tonight early in Game 3 of the NLCS against the Dodgers in an 11-0 win.   In the first inning, it appeared the Phils were taking batting practice off a rusty Hiroki Kuroda, who had not pitched in a while due to injury.  Ryan Howard drove in 2 runs with a triple and Jayson Werth followed with a 2-run homer to center.  That hit by Howard broke yet another record for the slugger; Howard became the 1st player ever to drive in runs in 7 straight post-season games within the same year.

The Phils tacked on 2 more runs in the 2nd with doubles from Carlos Ruiz and Jimmy Rollins plus an RBI ground out from Howard.  Ruiz has been the unsung hero this post-season.  Hitting in the 8-hole, Ruiz has come up with clutch hits in nearly every game.  Ruiz is 9 for 21 so far with 7 RBI; 2 of those hits and 1 RBI came in tonight’s game.  This team has been riding the Chooch Train all October.

The overall offensive highlights included 2 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs.  11 hits and 7 walks combined for 11 runs.  Every Phillie in the line-up except Raul Ibanez, who was struggling a bit, had at least one hit.  It was a total team effort.

Chase Utley bounced back after a shaky defensive performance in the first 2 games.  He appeared to be back to normal in the field and continued to produce at the plate.  Utley’s 1st inning single helped kick off a big inning for the team; he had another hit and a walk as well.

The impressive offensive output tonight was matched by superb pitching from Cliff Lee.  Lee tossed an 8 inning, 3 hit shut-out and even had a single at the plate.  This man could do no wrong and the excited crowd cheered him on all night long.  Hate to repeat myself but, thank-you Cleveland!  Chad Durbin pitched the 9th despite the opportunity for a Lee complete game as it was more important to preserve Lee’s arm for future games.  Durbin sent the Dodgers down in order.

With the 11-0 win tonight, the Phillies go up 2 games to 1 in the series.  Joe Blanton will pitch tomorrow at 8:07pm in chilly Philly against a familiar face, Randy Wolf.  I will be there in full winter gear and, assuming my hands do not freeze and fall off, I should be back with photos!  Go Phillies!

Ruiz photo by Jenn

Phillies First Pitch: NLCS Game 3 Phillies vs. Dodgers 10/18/09 Lineups and Game Chat

The weather is cold and rainy in Philadelphia but Citizens Bank Park is electric as the Phillies get ready for game 3 on the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cliff Lee will pitch for the Phillies while the Dodgers counter with Huroki Kuroda. Game time temperatures are expected to be in the low 40's, much like the weather the Phillies battled in Colorado minus the snow.

In other news, Jamie Moyer is out of the hospital and has rejoined the team. It will be good to have him there not only as a teammate but as a second pitching coach.

Game Time: 8:07pm

Television Broadcast: TBS

Radio Broadcast: 1210 Big Talker and the Phillies Radio Network, XM Sirius

Lineups are below. Game chat is in the comments section.

Lineups 10/18/09:

Dodgers:

1. Furcal SS
2. Belliard 2B
3. Ethier RF
4. Ramirez LF
5. Kemp CF
6. Loney 1B
7. Blake 3B
8. Martin C
9. Kuroda P

Phillies:

1. Rollins SS
2. Victorino CF
3. Utley 2B
4. Howard 1B
5. Werth RF
6. Ibanez LF
7. Feliz 3B
8. Ruiz C
9. Lee P

Pregame Festivities at Citizens Bank Park

Heading to the ballpark tonight? The party begins at 5:00pm at Citizens Bank Park with Mr. Greenjeans on Citizens Bank Way. There will be food, drinks, and postseason memorabilia. Get there early!

The National Anthem for game 3 will be sung by the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Chorale. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Phillies legend Darren Daulton.