In most situations, going .500 is bad. A .500 team never makes the playoffs in baseball, or football. Usually, a .500 team won't even make the playoffs in hockey (basketball is a different story, but that's a totally different subject). For a pitcher, going 10-10 won't win you a Cy Young, and saving 16 out of 32 attempts won't make you an all-star. However, today, all the Phillies needed was to go .500.
Game one pitted rookie starters Vance Worley, and Adalberto Mendez against each other. Both were trying to prove to their respective clubs that they could be useful in the bigs as time progressed. Well one of them did that, and let me give you a hint it wasn't Worley. The Marlins got to Vance early, scoring on just the 4th batter of the game, when Dan Uggla hit a single to open the scoring at 1-0. They would strike again in the 2nd on a Chad Tracy home run, giving the Marlins a 2-0 lead. Though those were the only runs Worley would allow, he would be pulled after the 5th inning, with 6 hits 5 K's a walk and 2 earned.
Though Worley would be unimpressive, his counterpart Adalberto Mendez would be near spectacular. He would allow only one hit through his six innings of work, striking out six and walking two. However he would be pulled in the 7th, due to a strained right quad muscle. His relief would do just fine though, allowing only two more hits, and one run in the 9th on a Jayson Werth single. The Phillies would have no such luck. They would hold the fish until the 8th, when a Mike Stanton home run would give the Marlins a 4-0 lead. They would strike back in the 9th on an Uggla double and a Stanton infield single, giving them seven runs total. The game would end 7-1.
The next game, the Phillies hoped to salvage, especially since the Braves had lost, giving the Phillies a chance to be a mere half game out of the NL East lead. The game started off looking as though the double-header may be a failure, as the Marlins jumped ahead early on another Stanton homer, however, the Marlins would dig themselves into a hole, allowing the tying run by walking Carlos Ruiz. The 2nd inning wouldn't end there though. First Shane Victorino hit a single scoring Raul Ibanez, though Dominic Brown would be thrown out at home. Next, Placido Polanco would hit a ball down the third base line ruled as a fan interference double, scoring Chooch and Victorino. Chase Utley would cap the scoring with a single scoring Placido Polanco.
The next half inning, Hanley Ramirez would get his team back in it with a two run shot making the score 5-3. Cameron Maybin would make it 5-4 in the 5th with a homer of his own, however the Phillies would respond. Chase Utley would single in the 5th, and Raul Ibanez would double, each scoring one run, and giving the Phillies a 7-4 lead, a lead that would not change as the game would end Phillies:7 Marlins:4.
A split tonight puts the Phillies only a half of a game out of first place in the National League East. Though it would be nice to be a half game up right now, the team isn't perfect, and the fans should be thankful both games were not lost. As for the Wild card the Giants won so they are now 1.5 games out. However, the Padres have lost 10 straight games, so it is possible that the Giants may pass them in the west, being only a half game out, and the Phillies (or Braves) would compete with them for the Wild Card spot. Either way, thing are looking up for the Phillies.
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Game one pitted rookie starters Vance Worley, and Adalberto Mendez against each other. Both were trying to prove to their respective clubs that they could be useful in the bigs as time progressed. Well one of them did that, and let me give you a hint it wasn't Worley. The Marlins got to Vance early, scoring on just the 4th batter of the game, when Dan Uggla hit a single to open the scoring at 1-0. They would strike again in the 2nd on a Chad Tracy home run, giving the Marlins a 2-0 lead. Though those were the only runs Worley would allow, he would be pulled after the 5th inning, with 6 hits 5 K's a walk and 2 earned.
Though Worley would be unimpressive, his counterpart Adalberto Mendez would be near spectacular. He would allow only one hit through his six innings of work, striking out six and walking two. However he would be pulled in the 7th, due to a strained right quad muscle. His relief would do just fine though, allowing only two more hits, and one run in the 9th on a Jayson Werth single. The Phillies would have no such luck. They would hold the fish until the 8th, when a Mike Stanton home run would give the Marlins a 4-0 lead. They would strike back in the 9th on an Uggla double and a Stanton infield single, giving them seven runs total. The game would end 7-1.
The next game, the Phillies hoped to salvage, especially since the Braves had lost, giving the Phillies a chance to be a mere half game out of the NL East lead. The game started off looking as though the double-header may be a failure, as the Marlins jumped ahead early on another Stanton homer, however, the Marlins would dig themselves into a hole, allowing the tying run by walking Carlos Ruiz. The 2nd inning wouldn't end there though. First Shane Victorino hit a single scoring Raul Ibanez, though Dominic Brown would be thrown out at home. Next, Placido Polanco would hit a ball down the third base line ruled as a fan interference double, scoring Chooch and Victorino. Chase Utley would cap the scoring with a single scoring Placido Polanco.
The next half inning, Hanley Ramirez would get his team back in it with a two run shot making the score 5-3. Cameron Maybin would make it 5-4 in the 5th with a homer of his own, however the Phillies would respond. Chase Utley would single in the 5th, and Raul Ibanez would double, each scoring one run, and giving the Phillies a 7-4 lead, a lead that would not change as the game would end Phillies:7 Marlins:4.
A split tonight puts the Phillies only a half of a game out of first place in the National League East. Though it would be nice to be a half game up right now, the team isn't perfect, and the fans should be thankful both games were not lost. As for the Wild card the Giants won so they are now 1.5 games out. However, the Padres have lost 10 straight games, so it is possible that the Giants may pass them in the west, being only a half game out, and the Phillies (or Braves) would compete with them for the Wild Card spot. Either way, thing are looking up for the Phillies.
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Original Story:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Phight...
