Photo Credit: Associated Press
We are at that time, everyone! Postseason baseball! We kick off the postseason with an NLDS matchup between the Wild Card Champion Milwaukee Brewers and the NL East Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Here's what you need to know
WHERE: Citizen's Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA
TBS Television Announcers: Brian Anderson, Joe Simpson, and John Smoltz
ESPN Radio Announcers: Michael Kay and Steve Phillips
PREDICTION: Phillies should win game one. I don't like the Brew Crew with Gallardo on the mound, but that's what happens when you have to put your big name pitchers on the mound toward the end of the year to make sure you get in the playoffs first. But, looking at it right now, Yovani Gallardo vs. Cole Hamels? I don't know many people that would pick Gallardo here.
_________________________________________________________
PRE-GAME STUFFS:
In case you need a guide to help you cram for this NLDS Series between the Brew Crew and the Fightin' Phils, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt and Anthony Witrado did a position-by-position breakdown here, and not to my surprise, they aren't biased. If you check out the breakdowns, the Phillies should dominate the series against Milwaukee. But the big key will be pitching. Can anyone else step up besides CC for the Brewers?
BREWERS BATTING ORDER:
1. Mike Cameron, CF (0-3, 2 K's, BB)
2. Bill Hall, 3B (0-3, K)
-----Ray Durham, PH (1-1, 1B, R)
3. Ryan Braun, LF (1-3, 2B, K)
4. Prince Fielder, 1B (0-4, 3 K's)
5. J.J. Hardy, SS (0-3, BB)
6. Corey Hart, RF (1-4, 1B, K)
7. Ricky Weeks, 2B (0-2, 2 K's)
-----Carlos Villanueva, P
-----Tony Gwynn Jr., PH (0-1)
-----Manny Parra, P
8. Jason Kendall, C (0-3, 2 K's)
9. Yovani Gallardo, P (0-1)
-----Mitch Stetter, P
-----Craig Counsell, 2B (1-2, 1B)
BREWERS PITCHING:
Yovani Gallardo (R)- 4 IP, 3 R (0 ER), 3 Hits, 3 K's, 5 Walks
Mitch Stetter (L) - 0.2 IP, 1 Strikeout
Carlos Villanueva (R) - 2.1 IP, 3 Strikeouts
Manny Parra (L) - 0.2 IP, 1 Walk, 1 Hit
Guillermo Mota (R) -
PHILLIES BATTING ORDER:
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (1-4, 1B, K)
2. Jayson Werth, RF (0-4, 3 K's)
3. Chase Utley, 2B (1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R)
4. Ryan Howard, 1B (0-1, K, 3 BB)
5. Pat Burrell, LF (0-2, GIDP, BB)
-----Eric Bruntlett, LF (1-1, 1B)
6. Shane Victorino, CF (0-2, 2 BB, RBI, SB)
7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (0-3)
8. Carlos Ruiz, C (1-4, 1B, R)
9. Cole Hamels, P (0-2, Sacrifice Bunt, Reaches on E4, R, 2 K's)
PHILLIES PITCHING:
Cole Hamels (L) - 8 Innings, 2 Hits, 9 K's 1 Walk
Brad Lidge (R)
_____________________________________________________________
Last thing I wanted to hear from Michael Kay is that there's a chance that we could have some kind of weather problem that could affect this game. "Ugly clouds"...as opposed to nice clouds?
Good start for Cole Hamels as he gets the strikeout on Mike Cameron and Ryan Braun to help complete a 1-2-3 inning start the game.
Gallardo up in the Bottom of the inning. He's got a tough assignment with a lot of pressure on him. For a pitcher who hasn't thrown much coming in, this is as big as it is going to get.
And Gallardo responds with a strikeout of his own to help lead to a 1-2-3 inning to keep it nodded at nothing as we quickly move to the 2nd!
END OF FIRST: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 0
Cole Hamels is looking fantastic so far. Four strikeouts, including his latest to Prince Fielder. And, maybe more importantly, he is working very quickly. As has been mentioned by Michael Kay, and I'm sure by the TBS guys, 3:00 local time is looking more like it is 6 or 7 pm with the dark clouds and the threat of rain. So, it is very important for Cole to work as quickly as possible. Same for Yovani.
Another 1-2-3 inning for Cole Hamels. He's definitely dialed in with the crowd here in Game 1.
First little mistake made by Gallardo with the walk to Ryan Howard. Then again, that might not be that bad of a mistake, especially because Howard can knock one out if you leave him a mistake pitch.
And Yovani quickly helps erase that mistake as Burrell grouds into a 6-3 douple play. But, he quickly walks Shane Victorino on four pitches to put the base-stealing threat on the basepaths. You think watching Hamels dominate is psyching him out a little bit?
Yovani gets a hard ground out from Pedro Feliz to end the inning without any further trouble. 2 innings complete in 27 minutes. Maybe I might have time to do a quick show before the pre-game of the Dodgers game?
END OF SECOND: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 0
We're still looking for our first hit of the game, and it doesn't appear that we are going to get it anytime soon as K-ole Hamels picks up strikeout number 4 with Weeks. Struckout with a pitch out of the strike zone.
Watching TBS Hot Corner along with the radio broadcast (Hot Corner is way behind) and I can see how dark it is. It doesn't look like it is 3:40 pm Eastern Time. I really hope we don't get a rain delay, because my goal is that we get to hear the start of the Dodgers game.
Nearly our first run of the game as the pitcher Gallardo, yes, the pitcher, sends one to the warning track to Burrell before the wind keeps it in the ball park. I have a feeling that the first to two runs will win the game.
8-9-1 hitters up for the Fightin Phils here in the bottom of the third. 26 pitches for Gallardo thus far, and he gives up the first hit of the game to Carlos Ruiz. The great thing about NL baseball is that the strategy comes in with the pitchers spot.
We see the bunt, and we get our first error! Weeks can't hang on and Philly is charging with two on and nobody out. I think we've kinda forgotten how bad the infield has been this year for the Brewers here. Weeks covered first on the bunt defense and thats a tough error to have. Tough for a young pitcher on the mound to work with in a pressure spot.
Rollins up, and you would expect him to bunt, right? Nope...fly ball. Bad at-bat especially with the wind and the lack of offense so far. Just move em over, but he doesn't. Let's see if that comes back to bite Philadelphia.
BIG strikeout by Gallardo getting Werth to make this scoring threat look like less of an issue. Chase Utley is always a tough out, however, and he doesn't strikeout, so he will usually just put one in play.
Line drive to right-center and Mike Cameron can't hold on to the tough flyball. He falls, ball falls, Ruiz and Hamels comes in to score to make it 2-0. Ruled a double for Chase Utley. Intentional walk to Howard to make sure he doesn't extend this lead, and now comes Pat Burrell.
Burrell walks to load the bases and then Gallardo struggles to walk Victorino and walk in a run. The struggles of putting a young guy on the mound in a pressure game. Feliz flies out, nine men to the plate, and finally the inning is over.
END OF THIRD: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 3
Rough stretch for Gallardo in the 3rd. He's thrown 61 pitches through 3, 29 for strikes. Add in the 5 walks and the three runs allowed, and you have a recipe for a possible short night for Yovani. And let's also remember that the Brewer bullpen has been less than stellar this year. Uh-oh!
Meanwhile, Cole Hamels is just business as usual. Four perfect innings in 44 pitches, 30 of them for strikes. Pressure back on Gallardo as we head to the bottom of the inning.
BIG regroup inning for Gallardo, and Carlos Ruiz helps out by bunting it right to him. BUNT? The pitcher is on deck, you decide to do something that doesn't play to your strength! Very very questionable.
Gallardo gets the strikeout to his opposite number and now faces Rollins. Rollins can frustrate pitchers, and with Gallardo's expected pitch limit to 85, he might want to be aggressive to Rollins to end this inning quickly.
Rollins gets a single, pitch right over the upper part of the plate. Rollins knows how to handle those, and now we will see how Yovani handles it. Rollins has 47 stolen bases this year in 50 attempts. Pitch count now over 70 and climbing. I don't think he wants this inning to extend with Utley coming up, and he forces a pop up in foul ground.
END OF FOURTH: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 3
Cole Hamels continues the hot streak right now as he sets down Prince Fielder for the second time. Changeup right below the zone and a tad away. 5 Stikeouts for Hamels as he is still perfect.
Hamels had to work a little bit against JJ Hardy, but ended up inducing the ground ball to Jimmy Rollins, who is one of the best at the position.
First hit of the game for the Brewers as Corey Hart got a base knock to right field. On 7 days rest, 14 straight retired to start the game for Hamels before that hit. you know we shouldn't have uttered the word "Perfect"...I think that did it. You know my rule. No one should start on perfection until the 7th or 8th inning. But, he recovers with a strikeout and ends the inning.
Mitch Stetter is the new pitcher for the Brew Crew. You can see Gallardo's line in the constantly updated Box Score above. And Stetter gets the first out on Utley with a ground ball.
Watching Stetter's delivery, it's more of a side-arm than a submarine delivery. With Stetter's slider, left handers might be caught off guard. The slider might start out like it's going right at him, and then it will break toward the plate. Stetter's got more of a chance against Lefty hitters than most might think.
Told you the slider was effective. He got the big lefty on the slider, and now he is done. Double switch coming up.
Villanueva comes in and in two pitches, gets the out on Burrell to end the inning. By the way, on the double switch, Craig Counsell goes over to 2nd to replace Weeks.
AFTER FIVE INNINGS: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 3
Still working on a quick pace as we go to the sixth, and no better way to start the inning than strikeout number 7 on Jason Kendall on a pitch on the outer half of the plate, maybe a little bit outside.
Double switch is looking good as Counsell gets a base knock, only the second hit for Milwaukee in the game. Let's see if Counsell goes to put pressure on Hamels. Craig is 3-4 on stolen base attempts.
Uh-oh. Hamels is starting to fly open a little bit. Tough walk to Cameron, and now there is two on with one out for the streaky Bill Hall. Ball four to Cameron didn't miss by too much, but the Home plate umpire is holding a tight strike zone right now.
Hamels regroups well to get the strikeout on Hall, who is known to strike out a lot. A Ryan Braun pop-up follows, and Cole Hamels escapes possible trouble to strand the two runners on base.
***REMINDER: Game One of the ALDS is up at 3:35 pm between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Dan Shulman and Dave Campbell have the call. Our own Keith Vachon of KBIG FM is a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan. If you're bored, call up the KBIG request line when he is on the air to tell him the score!***
1-2-3 inning for Villanueva. Good solid inning and a third for Carlos to try to keep Milwaukee in this one with 4-5-6 in the order due up.
AFTER SIX INNINGS: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 3
As we start the 7th, and Hamels gets fielder on one pitch, let's see how much longer the Phils go with Hamels. Cole is due up first in the next inning. If Hamels continues his solid performance, I think he will be hitting after the 7th inning stretch.
Nice play by Feliz at 3B with the diving stab and the throw to keep this inning quick. And then Hardy in one pitch. If I'm not mistaken, this was a 4 or 5 pitch inning.
We apologize for the technical difficulties. I don't think it was an US thing. Satellites have issues every once in a while.
The Brewer bullpen has been criticized over the past couple of months, but they have been outstanding thus far. Stetter was good in his 2/3 of an inning, and Villanueva since has been fantastic including strikeouts of the last two hitters and a swinging strikeout to end the inning. 2 1/3 innings for Villanueva and outstanding results.
AFTER SEVEN INNINGS: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 3
To the eighth inning, and the Brewers hitters are giving this one away. Great stat by Michael Kay, as they committed four outs in six innings. When you're down by 3, the last thing you should be doing is chasing first pitches and getting desperate.
What's also important here is if the Brewers don't get someone on base, Fielder and Hardy may not get a chance to hit in the 9th.
Yet ANOTHER strikeout by Cole Hamels with a changeup knocking out Jason Kendall. 9 Strikeouts by Hamels to this point, and a groundout will end the inning. 8 in a row set down by Cole!
Back to the bullpen for the bottom of the 8th and the talented, yet sometimes intimidated lefty Manny Parra. The Brewers bullpen so far has worked 3 innings of perfect baseball, but tough time for Parra as he has to face the heart of the order.
Utley grounds out, and it reminds me that the Philly offense hasn't done much tonight outside of the three run third. The Fightin Phils only have three hits in the game and two of those hits came in that third inning.
Walk to Howard, and that's the first baserunner allowed by the bullpen. Meanwhile, an infield single by Eric Bruntlett puts a couple of runners on as the Phillies will try to extend this one.
With Victorino extending the game, the Brewers will go to the pen for their 5th pitcher, Guillermo Mota. If Howard scores, you could put this one in the books and re-focus to game two.
***PROGRAMMING NOTE*** The Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs follow this game on ESPN Radio. We won't be live blogging this one, but you can listen to the game as the middle part of our doubleheader.
Victorino gets the uncontested stolen base as this Feliz at-bat becomes more important. Two in scoring position so a base hit drives them both home. And Feliz pops up, great play by Counsell at 2B to snare it and end the inning. Crunch time coming up for the Brewers!
END OF EIGHTH: Milwaukee 0, Philadelphia 3
To the bullpen we go for the first time and the National League Comeback Player of the Year Brad Lidge. I personally don't think he deserves it, and I think it should go to Fernando Tatis, but that is just me. Lidge has been great, though. 41 for 41 in Save Opportunities this year.
Cameron caught looking at a fastball over the heart of the plate! What are you thinking! Phils' two outs away from taking Game 1.
Veteran Ray Durham pinch hits for Bill Hall and gets on base for Ryan Braun. Big at-bat's coming here because Bruan and Fielder both have power that could tie this game.
Ryan Braun comes through in the clutch with a double down the right field line. Utley has trouble with the throw, Durham scores, and now we have a ball game here at the Bank in Philly. Error charged to Utley, taking away the RBI
Why do you pitch to Prince Fielder? Fielder represents the tying run at the plate here. Who would you rather have beat you? Fielder or JJ Hardy? I would choose Hardy here.
WOW! Fielder strikes out for the third time tonight! So much for second guessing the decision to pitch to the big man. Phils one out away from the win.
Great job by JJ Hardy being patient and forcing the walk, which brings the go-ahead run to the plate in Corey Hart, who is hitless against Lidge.
Oh boy. Could the old Brad Lidge be breaking in to the playoffs? Wild pitch moves both runners into scoring position.
LIDGE RECOVERS! Strikeout on Hart ends the ball game. It was looking real tight for a moment, but the Phils win a playoff game for the first time since 1993!
FINAL SCORE: PHILADELPHIA 3, Milwaukee 1 (PHI leads 1-0)
Thanks for reading the live blog. We're back tomorrow for two here at ESPNHawaii.com!
No comments:
Post a Comment