Roy Halladay Wins Game, Watches Phillies Lose It 5-3

Roy Halladay was angry tonight.

Apr 24, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay (34) delivers to the plate during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

He was angry that he was called back to the dugout so Kevin Frandsen could hit for him in the sixth inning.  He’d given up one hit, one run, two walks, and eight strike outs.  He shouted at the umpire once which, combined with Matt Carpenter during his last start, brings the number of MLB employees who will have Doc-centric nightmares for the rest of their lives to two.

It was okay, though.  Frandsen stepped in and singled up the middle, knocking in Ben Revere who’d reached on an – you guessed it – infield single.  That brought the score to 3-1, a lead most Phillies starters only dream about, when they’re not having nightmares about Roy Halladay.

The other two runs came from Chase Utley, who socked a home run in the first, and Ryan Howard, who punched one in the fourth.  Charlie Manuel had split the two up in the batting order, knowing how doing things like facing a left-handed pitcher, as they were in Wandy Rogriguez, shatters their minds.

Doc was reminiscent of some other Doc who hadn’t filled us with dread to start the year.  Combined with his last start, he is slowly easing us back into a sense of security.  He had some help on defense from Chase Utley and Dom Brown – who made an insane diving catch in left – and both of whom robbed the Pirates’ John McDonald of a hit.

Apr 24, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker (18) tags out Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins (11) at second base after Rollins slid past the bag and tried to get back during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Bastardo came on to relieve him and gave up a solo home run to Pedro Alvarez, which was fairly annoying.  Mike Adams followed him and things got pretty stupid.  Walking Jose Tabata, he then gave up a single to Starling Marte.  Humberto Quintero almost picked Tabata off second, but didn’t, because why would that happen.  Travis Snider stepped in and single to right, scoring the tying run and putting runners at first and third with no outs.

So then Jeremy Horst came on and immediately gave up another run to Brendan Inge, but evoked a double play out of Neil Walker (orchestrated by Ryan Howard, 3-1-3).  Dom Brown got on base with a second hit in the eighth, and Ben Revere promptly got himself and Dom out with a double play ball that unearthed some boos at the park and via Twitter.

Then Chase Utley could *quite* make a basket catch that resulted in an RBI triple.  Utley would also be the one to strike out to end the game the following inning.

J-Roll was thrown out once trying to turn a single into a double and trying to score when he maybe shouldn’t have.

When it all went wrong

Bases loaded, no outs in the eighth, and the team batting wasn’t the Phillies, so it would have been hard not to score runs.  But Utley’s not-catch sealed the deal as the Pirates pulled ahead by two runs, instead of just one, so it was more.

Hero

Doc, giving us the illusion of peace.

Villain

TBOH’s thoughts