Tuesday was the last day to bring the Phillies a double-header for the 2011 season. They made up a game that was postponed due to rain from August 14 and started a 3-game series at Citizen’s Bank Park. It will be the last time the Phillies face the Washington Nationals this year.
Bye, Werth. Hope you have fun watching the Phillies in the playoffs. You can use all that money to buy yourself a brand new TV to watch them win the World Series and Two Broke Girls on.
Game 1
This was Kyle Kendrick’s second start in a row that he’s been… well… kind of amazing. He didn’t allow a hit until the 3rd, and pitched through 6 scoreless innings.
In the top of the 7th, rookie Michael Schwimer allowed a 3- run homer by Roger Bernadina to right field, but as usual, the Phillies refuse to be outdone. In the bottom of the 7th, Raul Ibanez entered the game to try to make up some ground for the Phils. In true Raul fashion, he slammed a fly ball into the stands, scoring Pete Orr and Michael Martinez, tying the game up 3-3.
Ryan Zimmerman came off the bench for the Nats in the top of the 10th and singled for an RBI to center-field off of Michael Stutes, giving Washington the lead 4-3 for the win.
Game 2
Just a couple hours later, Cliff Lee took the mound for the start of, sorry to say, yet another disappointing game. Cliff got his 8th loss of the seasons and allowed 11 hits and 3 runs in 7 innings, a season high. Justin DeFratus and David Herndon pitched clean 8th and 9th innings in the 3-0 loss.
I know these losses don’t matter anymore. They’ve won the division and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. However it doesn’t make it any less frustrating watching them lose, and in a boring way no less. Aside from the St. Louis Cardinals, the teams the Fightins have played haven’t been as challenging, but the Phils make it seem like they have to climb mountains just to score a run.
The guys have not won a game since they have clinched their 5th NL East division title. Raul Ibanez has been a major contributor to the runs scored, and he’s been on a nice streak, considering. We know that when a couple of Phillies slump, they all slump. Maybe Raul’s big plays are a sign they could come out of it soon. Right now, they’re barely hitting, and when they do, they strand players.
NLCS 2010, anyone???
They’ve got about a week until they need to be back and ready to hit some pitches and score some runs. I still stand by my statement in that I think they are slumping at the right time. They have the freedom to lose some games before the playoffs. We’re lucky for that.
Hopefully tomorrow Vance Worley can get us the win. The Phillies Girl, out.
