Never in doubt, right?
It's not often you start a playoff series on the road, allow 14 hits while netting only 8 of your own, and still win, but the Phillies just did it.
Cole Hamels was once again victimized by that-one-bad-inning, charged with 3 ER in the fifth inning after giving up 1 in the first. More on that later. Fortunately, the fifth was also the inning the Phils also got to Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw, tuning him up for 5 ER. Kershaw had only let up one hit before the fifth, but as we all know, this lineup can really find the floodgates. Things quieted down again for a few innings, until the Phils took George Sherrill apart in the eighth for 3 ER. Sherrill was one of the big trades at the mid-summer deadline, with many thinking he'd be a strength against the Phillies in particular. Nnnope.
Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth both drew walks, and then it was Rauuuuuul time.
Ibanez's home run was the second of the game for the Phillies, after Señor Octubre went yard in the fifth. Raul hit the first homer by a lefty off of Sherrill since 200frickin7. Chooch is just a playoff beast. With this kind of production from the bottom half of the lineup, it's hard to see the Phillies lineup slowing down any time soon. Vicente Padilla? You're on notice.
But oh by the way, it wasn't just the bottom half. Shane Victorino was the only starting position player NOT to score for the Phils, and Howard knocked in two runs (Jimmy and Chase).
The bullpen held up well enough, although Ryan Madson just looked terrible. He was afraid of the plate and visibly uncomfortable to the tune of four hits for two earned runs. We could all barely stand the suspense when Brad Lidge finally got his turn in the ninth for a full-on save opp. Still, we have to trust Charlie's calls right now. He's given us no reason not to, with the results continuing to be in his favor. Lidge, true to form, gave up both a walk and a hit, but, aided by a double play, earned his first save of the NLCS. Thank you, Brad & Co., for the early birthday present. Really, it's all I wanted. Two years in a row, celebrating the stroke of midnight with a Phils NLCS win over the Dodgers.
One last thing—we can't get too down on Cole for this start, despite his being clearly rattled, something you never want to see from your ace. He had great control of the game, but a botched throw by Chase Utley negated a would-be double-play and allowed a run. On the next at bat, Manny Ramirez drove a 2-run homer to left center. If Chase turns that DP as routinely as we all expected, Cole's start looks dramatically different. Still, Hamels didn't have to throw a fit.
But it's all good news tonight. A huge win in game 1 of the NLCS, at their house.
In less than 24 hours, we'll get started on game 2...
Original Story:
http://www.the700level.com/2009/10/ph...
