PHILS WIN! Head to LA Up 2-0

Whew!

Brad Lidge does like to make it interesting, but in the end, he effectively closed yet another game. Still, Tim McCarver would like to point out that it's better to give up a 2-run homer than a walk with a man on. Um, what?

A few random notes, then I'll leave the podium to you for your highlights.

• Shane Vic is a beast. A triple, a single, 4 RBI, and a huge catch off the centerfield wall. This guy is a postseason hero. *Update, after the game, Shane found out his grandmother had passed away. Rough day for Phillies matriarchs.
• Chris Wheeler reported that Brett Myers is the first pitcher to ever notch three hits in an LCS game. Helped him overcome 5 ER to get the most important stat—a W. Brett now has as many hits (4) in the postseason as he had all year (and it's five if you count him hitting himself in the head with the bat on his third base knock today).
• Where has Chooch Ruiz, clutch hitter, been all season?

• I'll be damned if Manny isn't one of the best pure hitters of all time. But he reminds me of the jack in a deck of cards with those curled thick dreds. Also, please for the love of god will someone bean him for shit-talking after his homer. Has there ever been someone more deserving?
• Of course, Brett had thrown behind Manny earlier... He says the ball just slipped.
• I'm officially impressed with Ryan Madson, and I haven't always been a fan. The Bridge to Lidge is a major key to this team's postseason success. Bullpen strength is as important as it gets.
• Ryan Howard was silenced again.
• Chase Utley walked four times.
• Dobbers made up for an error at third with two hits and two runs scored.
• J-Roll had a hit and a run scored, but K'd four times.
• Rather than just being a one-big-inning team, the Phils did it in two four-run frames.
• Before the game, Brett Myers told Charlie Manuel that he was going to win this one for Charlie's mom. Nice.
• The crowd looked and sounded electric. BEAT LA!

Comments

[Benjamin]

awesome win!!

Mccarver and buck need to shut the fug up. Idiots. They were so disappointed that lidge saved the game, they didn't even call the final strike out.

Ruiz??!!! Really?? Really?!!

See you in LA!!

[slowski]

yes, ramirez needs to be plunked for the shit talking

[Paul]

Huge win...shane is a beast... and I don't mean to be a downer but is anybody else afraid that Lidge putting these runnners on is going to come back to bite him one of these games? Not to get ahead of myself but I'm really worried to see something like that happen in a game 6 or 7 of the world series (yes, i know we still have a hell of a lot of work to get there)

[David]

I might be going, assuming I can get some last minute tickets here for game 3. Who else is goin?!?

[MikeY]

Leslie Gudel just reported Victorino's grandmother died today as well...condolences to both Cholly and Shane-O.

[Collin from LA]

I don't mind Joe Buck, but please get McCarver outta here. He's a pompous jack-ass who sucks as an announcer.

I still like that idea (impossible is at may be) of Harry K and Vin Scully.

BEAT LA! SWEEP LA!

[BFisch]

CB Park looked insanely electric, and thats why Philly fans are awesome.
Nomar swinged at three nasty sliders, Lidge made him look like an 18 year old rookie.
Good to see Charlie and Victorino win this one for their family,

[Benjamin]

I love the play by play radio recap on 1210 AM. Relive the moment.

Poor Shane. My thoughts for him and Manuel. He had such a great game. I love the guy.

[Benjamin]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/dodgers/la-sp-simers10-2008oct10,0,7942657.column

Link to that boobs column from the LA Times. Not even clever. Just dribble. Apparently, no one wants to watch the Phillies play the World Series, but as far as I'm concerned, a Boston/Philadelphia matchup is definately worth watching. A lot of Americans like the Phillies team, in case L.A. stopped smelling their own farts.

And someone should tell this numbskull that it's the "WALT Whitman Bridge" not "Whitman Bridge". Show some respect to someone who can actually write!!

[Mike]

My heart goes out to Charlie and Vic for their losses. Gutsy outing today.

I'll be there on Sunday in the Loge level, respresenting hard with the Phils gear.

[HLH]

First let me say the Phillies put on a great show today. Alittle close at the end again, but still Lidge pull thru when it mattered. Some things I noticed during the game.
- I really can't say what I feel about joe *uck and mccarver. Or fox for playing I love l.a. going into commericals. Or cutting right out of the commerical straight to live action when we are up to
bat. I knew everyone was gonna be in love with l.a. but this is out of control.
- Manny reminds me of a troll with his hair braided up and his pointy troll/leprachaun nose. I hope someone does beam him but not Moyer. I want someone with alittle more speed lol. I think Romero would like to take a shot.
- I wish I didn't start reading that article someone posted because it almost got me angry.
- I'm glad for Charlie. He needed this win and I hope the fact we are winning brings alittle joy in his life right now.

[Reverend Paul Revere]

Acually, in the ninth, it is better to give up a home run that doesn't tie the game than bring up the tying run, but I understand what you're saying. McCarver is a goof. Someone get T.J. Simers on the phone.

[Titus Pullo]

Benjamin,

I lived in LA for five years, and EVERY ONE of TJ Simer's columns is exactly like that. He's like the West Coast version of Frank Fitzpatrick. Simers is a miserable pr@#k who doesn't seem to enjoy the sports he writes about.

[Sean]

Yeah, just read that LA Times article... "it's kind of the responsibility of the Phillies and Rays to step aside in the best interests of entertaining baseball." What kind of pompous bullcrap is that? I think lots of people would love to see the Phillies in the World Series; especially since we didn't buy a trip to the postseason like the Dodgers did.

[Matt P]

@Rev, sure, if all you give up is the HR. Who's to say it ends there though? By the same logic, if all you give up is the walk (which Brad did), I'll take the BB.

With a strikeout pitcher on the mound, and a guy whose prior career has been largely defined by a major postseason HR, I'll take anything but.

[KDawg2600]

"Still, Tim McCarver would like to point out that it's better to give up a 2-run homer than a walk with a man on."

As long as it's not the tying run in the 9th, giving up a homerun is the same as a walk. All they're trying to do is get enough runners to bring the tying run to the plate. At least you force them to hit their way on if you just serve up grapefruits instead of a walk. An easy pitch to hit doesn't always get the batter safe, but a walk does.

[stvdog]

McCarver is simply awful. Was he this bad when he called games for the Phillies?

[Ben]

Actually Myers is the eighth pitcher ever:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3636245&name=mlb_playoffs

By the numbers: Brett Myers, Part II (6:49 p.m. ET)
And the Brett Myers reign-of-offensive-terror notes just keep on coming. That infield hit was (gulp) his third hit of the game. So that makes him the eighth pitcher in history to get three hits in a postseason game -- but only the third since 1924. The others, according to baseball-reference.com's Play Index:

Dontrelle Willis in Game 4 of the 2003 NLDS and Orel Hershiser in Game 2 of the 1988 World Series.

--Jayson Stark

[Ben]

Nvrmind. I see you said LCS>

[theKrisheim]

we need tonight's ump to be there on sunday

moyer would have a field day

[Ryan]

I emailed that douche-hat Simers. I don't even care that I'm just feeding his ego, every insult I spewed gave me a small hope that he'll consider jumping off whatever passes for a landmark building in LA tomorrow morning.

[Mike H.]

What an awesome game. How phriggin awesome is it that the best win of the season us now, not on June Whatevereth?

Condolences to both families.

We've got to try to take over Dodger Stadium. Can The700Level lead the charge?

[PP90]

Never lost the Phaith!! L.A. won't know what hit 'em on Sunday. And either will T.J. Simers. Can't wait for his article tomorrow. He'll probably find some way to wave off our win as lucky. 8 runs with no HRs... yeah, lucky.

[MPR529]

@David: you know I'll be there!

I just checked and the AL YOU CAN EAT PAVILION is officially sold out. but "best available' gets you a $300 club seat with a buffet. classy!

i'll be in Right Field hoping we don't have another kirk gibson moment.

[MPR529]

@Mike H: are you going?! i'd love to have more of us going, make me feel, ummm, safer :)

[Dan]

TJ Simers' latest article:
You see the problem: The Phillies have already beaten Lowe, hammered Billingsley, and would you want the whole season riding on Kuroda?

now he's turning on his own LA Dodgers...haha.

don't worry..he still takes shots at Philly.

In fact, if the Phillies win the World Series, it will be interesting to see if the locals burn the place down. And if anyone really tries to stop them.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-sp-simers11-2008oct11,0,4412943.column

[85]

I've never had more fun at the ballpark. I think the high fives I gave after the game number in the hundreds.

Being too young to have been around for the first time it was happening, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, cooler than 45,000 chanting "BEAT L.A.!"

[85]

And wow, I just read Simers' new column. Calling him a jackass is an insult to true jackasses.

[Brett]

God Bless Shane-O and Charlie for their respective losses.

Lets see Moyer get the black on the plate and see if Blanton can keep the game going.
BTW if the Dodgers DO win Sunday Simers is wrong again, even Buck and McCarver were speculating Kershaw (not likely ) or Maddux for the game

[Brett]

Uh, I mean God Bless them in their time of loss, not that it was good they lost them. Phew didn't want to get confused on that one

[Not a fan of five]

I managed to watch that one. I was working and had gameday up, then left work and listened on the radio with the windows down, clapping and cheering on City Line when I heard Myers get a hit with bases loaded or something ridiculous, then watched the last few innings at home. And afterwards Myers was like "I sucked at pitching" but we can forgive him. He's been brilliant at the plate throughout the playoffs so far, with his 19 pitches in two at bats last time. Crazy.

[David]

I just got my tickets! Top Deck 12...anyone else up there?!?

[Kunk]

All the people arguing that McCarver's point about walks vs. home runs is somewhat justified need to have their baseball heads readjusted. The point of baseball is to score runs. A 2-run homer scores 2 runs. A walk in that situation scores none. If either of the two happened, the tying run would still be coming to the plate.

A home run is MUCH more meaningful in that situation.

[BigMike]

Did the phillies play that song "3-Strikes you're out" http://www.viddler.com/explore/TheFightins/videos/22/105.045/ by Sunny Forrester Jr. before the game?

[Jay]

PHILLIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! I gotta admit, I really thought the Philles were gonna drop this series in 4 or 5 games. I guess it was just negativity built into me from years of losing. Also, I have a feeling Ryan Howard is going to awaken just when we need him most.

[MPR529]

StubHub has TONS of tix for very reasonable prices. I think the dodger fans are giving up. I IMPLORE (oooh, big word, i think i used it right here) ANYONE in the LA area to buy tickets and paint LA red!

I'll be driving from Phoenix to LA tomorrow morning. I'm bringing one 700Level'er with me and got room for 2 more if you live on the way, let me know.

In fact, my "all you can eat pavilion" ticket that I got a few days ago is up on craigslist for sale in the LA area, but if ANY Phillies fans want it, just email me and it's yours..free. I have it in a PDF from ticketbastard so I'll just email it to you. First come, first served.

mpr529
at
gmail.com

i want dodger stadium turned red. i am so ridiculously pumped for this - im way too giddy today than a regular 29 year old should be. more than '93. i was only 13 back then so i knew what i was doing, but not fully aware of it all if that makes sense.

LETS DO THIS!!!!!!