Cardinals Muscle Another Win Over the Phillies

scorecard

Tonight was the first complete game of the season for me. After my travails the other day, it was exciting to sit and catch the Phils with my scorecard in my hand. I settled in and prepared for a good game from Bret Myers.

Unfortunately, #39 struggled with the strike zone. Myers never settled in and ended leaving after five innings because his pitch count was at 98. That is too high for five innings. Coupled with five walks and it was clear Myers was not in for the long haul tonight. Controlling the plate is the key to success for a pitcher and when pitch counts by inning are 23, 20, 17, 30 to start the game, longevity is a dream. His fifth was an eight-pitch inning that featured a blistering tomahawk dinger by the game’s best player, Albert Pujols. Down three to one, Myers was lifted for a pinch hitter.

The Phightins rallied in the seventh. After two quick outs on two pitches, the reigning ROY knocked a single back up the middle. Then Mr. Bad Back Bell stepped into the box. Bell had tapped weakly to third and to the pitcher in his first at-bats. His swing on the second pitch in his at-bat in the seventh caused me to write the following in my game notes:

Bell did not look good at the plate

The very next pitch, the “consumate pro” knocked the ball out of the park. All of a sudden, the Phillies were back in the game.

New Phillie Ryan Franklin held the powerful Cardinal line-up for two innings. The Phils produced nothing in the eighth so all was set up for an exciting ninth. The spectator was not disappointed.

The anchor of the bullpen this year is to be Tom Gordon. He came in the ninth at home to a tied game. He promptly walked Pujols. After striking out Edmonds, the Cards put on a hit and run. Rolen swung through the pitch and Lieberthal threw down to second to catch the running Pujols. But the throw was very high and sailed into the outfield. Number 5 easily advanced to third on the errant throw. Things looked bright four pitches later as Rolen’s fielder’s choice netted an out at the plate. But Gordon did not get the job done. He walked the rookie Shumaker. Rolen went to second and things were set up for St. Louis’ young catcher Molina. He belted the first pitch to left scoring Rolen from second.

Philadelphia did not go quietly. Burrell singled with one out. Shane Victorino pinch ran for hi,. He advanced on the second out of the inning. Ryan Howard walked as did David Bell. Jason Isringhausen was unravelling and the Phils were primed to make him pay for the mistakes. With two outs and the bases loaded, catcher Mike Lieberthal stepped in. But there would be no joy in Mudville, as the pretty boy (hey, Gert loves him) grounded meekly to first to end the game.

The Phils are now 0-2. The next game is tomorrow at 3:05 against these same Cardinals.

Broadcast Team
As wonderful as it was to see the Phils in action again, I am greatly disappointed in the moves the organization has made in the broadcast booth. The offseason was replete with talk of how the Phillies are trying to force out Hall of Famer Harry Kalas. To that end, they have shaken up the on-air line-up again. Kalas worked the first three innings with Larry Anderson as he has for the last several seasons. In the fourth, both Kalas and Anderson were off the television broadcast. Unfortunately, for the home viewer, Chris Wheeler is now paired with Scott Graham for the middle three. This is going to be a very long season if this continues.

During Pujols’ at-bat in the fifth we were greeted with Graham’s wonderful insight.

You wouldn’t want to face him in the playoffs.

Sure you would! Fortunately then for Mr. Graham, he had his wish as the Phillies didn’t face him in the playoffs. We are so much better off, eh? Arrrggghhhh! Then Mr. Obvious prattled on about how we would have faced the Cards last year if we had made the playoffs. Please, tell me this was a one-game test only.

Cardinals
One has to like the Cardinals line-up. The middle of their line-up is formidable. Molina and Miles at the bottom of the order I suspect make them among the better seven and eight hitters in anyone’s line-up. Eckstein and Encarnacion are not stand outs though.

Encarnacion was up five times. He walked the first time up. Each time after that, he had two men on base. All four times he made the final out of the inning.

Phillies Notes
I liked how the Phillies created their run in the first. Rollins doubled. Rowand bunted him over to third. Abreu brought him home with a sacrifice fly to left. Yes, two outs, but a run across. Small ball. Loved it!

Rollins’ double, the first of two, did extend his consecutive hit streak to 38.

I loved the way Utley waited on the 2-2 curve in the fourth. Patience at the plate pays off.

The Cards were sending Pujols on anything hit in the ninth. But it was good the Phils played in and better yet, that Rollins threw home. This is good, if not basic, defense. And it was executed properly.

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