So Close: Astros Edge Phils, 2-1

It’s difficult to begin writing this post because there are so many emotions that this game has caused in us. So, let’s pick one and get started. The saddest thing about this game is that the Phillies have screwed Jon Lieber again. It’s the second in a row of Lieber’s starts where the he had pitched an excellent game and the team could not score a few runs to get him the win. In his last start before last night, the Phillies lost 1-0 to the Dodgers; last night, they lost 2-1 to the Astros. Just score some freaking runs and give this guy a break! Phillies, you have no excuse for last night: you had all of your starters playing (except for Lieberthal, but that’s a good thing), you had an excellent game from Lieber, and you even had that ridiculously shallow 315-ft left-field wall.

As was the case with the first game of this series, you can chalk this loss up to stranding runners on base. Take a look at the box score. The Phillies had 8 hits and 1 run. That kind of disparity is what frequently costs them games. The Phils’ only run came from a Chase Utley RBI – that was also a double-play. The Astros had the same kind of hit-to-run disparity but they were able to pull this one out. Houston’s runs came from a first-inning Craig Biggio – isn’t he like 90 years old by now? – homer and from a bottom-of-the-ninth game-winning homer from Mike Lamb off of Ryan Madson.

Roy Oswalt was able to boast a complete game with only 1 earned-run for Houston. On a side note: does it seem strange to any old-school baseball fans that it’s considered something special to pitch a complete game? Correct me if I’m wrong (*begin “when I was a young’n story”*), but when I was kid I think I remember most pitchers pitching complete or almost complete games consistently. Is that correct? I think it is, but enlighten me if I’m wrong about that (*end “when I was a young’n story”*).

Tonight, Vicente Padilla will go up against the Rocket, Roger Clemens in the final game of the series. (Has anyone else noticed that Padilla always gets the hardest competition – John Smoltz, Dontrelle Willis, Roger Clemens?) Charlie Manuel will be returning to manage the Phils after missing 2 games due to the death of his sister – our condolences go to Charlie and his family.

Photo credit: AP Photo/Pat Sullivan