Phillyist Framed Returns!
Across the Ist-a-Verse
Yo, Philly in the News
Not that we needed it, but this weekend was yet more proof of how being a Phillies fan is by far the most aggravating occupation known to mankind. After interviewing Dawn Staley on Tuesday, Phillyist stuck around in D.C. for the Phils' four-game series against the Nationals. We now realize that, as usual, our optimism of Thursday afternoon was a big mistake.
Yes, the Nationals have some serious power in leftfielder Alfonso Soriano, and they also have a possible Rookie of the Year named Ryan -- Zimmerman, their third baseman who started last season in AA ball and ended it in the majors. But still...losing three out of four to a team that knows it has no legitimate shot at the playoffs? Okay, we hear you say that the Phillies don't either right now, but at least they don't know it yet.
It wasn't just the fact that the Phillies lost three of four to Washington, though, it was how they did it. On Thursday, they clawed back from 2-0 down to tie the game in the fourth, but Eude Brito gave up two run-scoring doubles in the fifth, and Soriano sealed it with a home run in the seventh. Oddly, Brito's four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings lowered his ERA from 13.50 at the start of the game to 10.38, which tells you everything you need to know.
That's just one game, right? Shouldn't be too much trouble after a big sweep of Arizona, right? Wrong, of course. After a nearly two-hour rain delay, the Phils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but gave up three each in the second and third. It was 7-3 Washington after four, and the Phillies just looked dead. But in typical Phillies fashion, they weren't, as Chase Utley and Pat Burrell homered in the seventh to take a stunning 8-7 lead.
And even more typically, Brendan Harris (who?) tied the game back up with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Thus did it stay until the 12th inning, when we were well into Saturday, and Robert Fick -- basically the last guy on Washington's bench -- got a base hit to score ex-Phillie Marlon Byrd and end the game. A great comeback, yes, but still...about the only printable word we can come up with is "argh."
Given the way postgame locker rooms work in baseball, we suspect the players left the stadium at around 2am. With Saturday's game scheduled for a 1:20pm start, that would allow for something like four and a half hours of sleep. Both teams played like it for the first few innings, as Cory Lidle and Livan Hernandez played out a relatively dull pitcher's duel early on. Both teams scored a run in the fifth, and when Washington took a 2-1 lead in the sixth, we were pretty much hopeless. Heck, we were close enough to that state when Chris Coste -- the backup catcher with the .000 batting average -- grounded into a bases-loaded double play on the top of the sixth.
But somehow, when we least expected it, Pat Burrell launched a two-run homer over the right field fence in the top of the eighth, and for just an instant the many Phillies fans in attendance turned old RFK Stadium into the Wachovia Center after a Flyers goal. The Phils scored three more times in the frame and ended up with a 6-2 win.
Cole Hamels pitched yesterday against Washington rookie Mike Shawn Hill, and with Hamels' recent good form we were...yep...optimistic. And mistaken again, as Hamels gave up four runs in five innings and the Phillies hitters did absolutely nothing whatsoever. Washington wins, 6-0, and takes the series three games to one.
Oh, and the Mets swept Arizona. So the 33-30 Phillies are now 6 1/2 games back of first, and only 3 1/2 ahead of both Washington and Atlanta. Blech. If there was one constant from this very inconsistent weekend, though, it was the thousands of Phillies fans who came to each game. You all did yourselves proud -- if only your team could say the same.
Photos taken by the author at Saturday's game.
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Just one note - that rookie pitcher for the Nationals was Shawn Hill, not Mike Hill :-)
Editor here! Thanks, misschatter. I've made the change.