I missed up and called it game 3 in the title of the game thread. To continue the topic of the Nation Anthem, Patti LaBelle screamed her way, slowly thru some vocal gymnastics. I kind of like Patti LaBelle, but she sings everything at the sort of intensity and, to me in this case, well I didn't like it. The National Anthem is something you are supposed to sing along to, no one could have sung along with that.
The game itself? It wasn't a battle. Of course a bad call by the third base umpire on a bad decission by pitcher Andy Sonnanstine. A ball he should have thrown to second to start a double play, that would have ended the inning, he ran at the runner moving off third, chased him back to third then made a far to soft a throw to Evan Longoria. Longoria made a good rushed tag on Jimmy Rollins but the umpire missed it. Sonnanstine walked the next batter, forcing in a run and then got a pop out to end the inning. Had he got the double play he would have been out of the inning with no runs scoring and having thrown only 16 pitches. If he had gotten the call at third then the walk wouldn't have scored the run and the popout would have ended the inning. Who knows if any of that would have changed the game.
Rays batters, especially the top 4 in the lineup; Iwamura, Upton, Pena and Longoria looked nervous and only managed 5 hits and 2 runs in the game. And those were on solo home runs by Carl Crawford and, making his first appearance in the playoffs, Eric Hinske. Hinske was put on the roster because of an injury to Cliff Floyd. I'd guess Hinske will get a start tomorrow.
The Phillies had 12 hits and 10 runs. Offensive stars were Rollins 3 for 5 with 3 runs, Jayson Werth 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI and a homer, Ryan Howard 3 for 5, 2 runs, 5 RBI with 2 home runs (about time he got things going) and, pitcher, Joe Blanton hit a home run.
Phillies of the Day: Howard (.298 WPA), Blanton (.113) and Rollins (.101). Suckage Philly: Shane Victorino (-.129), but he had the loudest "I got it" in the game. Ray of the Day: Crawford (.096). Suckage Rays: Sonnanstine (-.275) and Iwamura (-.101) who looked nervous at the plate and in the field.
Former Jays in the game, well we already mentioned Hinske and Werth. Trever Miller pitched for the Rays, giving up a homer and 2 runs while getting 2 outs. For the Phillies, Scott Eyre got an out and Matt Stairs struckout pinch hitting.
Tomorrow the Phillies have a chance to finish of the series behind Cole Hammel. Scott Kazmir goes for the Rays. Unfortunately I'm out tomorrow night and likely won't get to see the season come to an end.
