I get really excited every time that Roy Oswalt looks like Roy Oswalt. Â Fastball velocity, check. Â Change-up command, check. Â Swings and misses on his fastball, check. Â If tonight is any indication, Oswalt will be the number four starter in the playoff rotation. Â Lets just sit back and think about that. Â Oswalt has a career record of 157-92, has won an ERA title, led the league in wins and has won twenty games twice. Â He is the fucking number four starter.
Oswalt threw seven innings of shutout baseball tonight while striking out seven and walking no one. Â He has looked injury free for his last few starts. Â In 2008, the Phillies won the world series with Cole Hamels and a cobbled together rotation of slightly above average veterans. Â Again, this year, Oswalt is the number four starter.
The offense had a bunch of opportunities to knock Cardinal starter Jake Westbrook out of this game early. Â Westbrook escaped from major damage in the third inning leaving the bases loaded and seemed to be pitching with runners on base throughout his three and 1/3 innings of work. Â He exited the game with the bases loaded with one out in the fourth. Â Arthur Rhodes stranded the bases loaded as the Phillies missed out on an opportunity to blow the game open early.
The score was 3-0 when Michael Stutes relieved Roy Oswalt. Â Stutes is another young arm that Phillies would love to get turned around before the playoffs. Â He was tagged for two two out runs and gave way to Brad Lidge with two runners on base. Â Lidge got out of the jam with one pitch.
In a 3-2 game one misplaced pitch can delay a division crown for another day. Â The Phillies added six runs on aided by a hustle infield single from Hunter Pence and a grand slam from Raul Ibanez. Â Ibanez is closing in on twenty home runs and eighty RBI. Â How the hell this guy is anywhere near those numbers with the start that he had is beyond me. Â Six runs proved an insurmountable lead as Ryan Madson shut down the Cardinals in the top of the ninth.
This is simply the best baseball team that I have ever seem in this town. Â Fifth straight division title.
Rollins 4-5, Victorino 2-3 with a homer and Pence 2-3 as the top of the line-up woke up to smash the Cardinals and Tony LaRussa 9-2.
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