Phils Come Back To Even Series

Starting pitcher Cole Hamels was out after 5 innings. The Mets pitcher drove in a run for the second straight game. The Phillies night could not have been much worse, up until the four run rally that they have become famous for.

This was the first time Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels had pitched at the new Citi Field. Based in his whole career, it was a major disappointment. Hamels gave up 4 earned runs in only 5 innings, and he tied his career high with 11 hits given up.

Early on, it was looking like Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey was going to outduel Hamels. In the first 6 innings, Pelfrey had only given up 3 hits and 1 earned run.

Suddenly, the wheels came off for Pelfrey. With the Mets leading 4-1 after a 4th inning outbreak, Pelfrey found himself facing a bases loaded situation. To get there, he gave up back-to-back-to-back singles to Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth. That was all for Pelfrey, as Mets skipper Jerry Manuel took out Pelfrey in favor of reliever Sean Green.

Green then proceeded to give up a single to Pedro Feliz that plated Howard, and then gave up another run when Carlos Ruiz grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Ibanez. The fielder’s choice came when Ruiz grounded a ball to Mets third baseman David Wright. Wright then went on to bobble the ball, and was charged for an error. The bases were now loaded with the score now 4-3 with recent call-up Paul Bako pinch hitting for the pitcher, Jack Taschner.

Bako struck out for the first out, but that was hardly the end to the rally. With shortstop Jimmy Rollins up to bat, Rollins grounded into a near double play, but instead of the Mets turning two, they only got one, and in the process, let Werth score to tie the game. Shane Victorino grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.

There was no more drama until the bottom of the 10th inning. With speedy Fernando Martinez on first base, and Wright up at the plate, Wright smoked a liner to right field that Werth dove for to record the out. The amazing catch by Werth might have been his only play on the ball. The problem with the dive was that there was no one behind Werth to back him up in the case that he misplayed the ball. Fortunately for the Phillies, Werth made the right read on the ball, and caught it to save the game for the Phils. Jayson Werth’s Game Saving Catch

The catch would do more than just retire the Mets for the inning. It would also spark the Phils offensively, at least as far as second baseman Chase Utley goes. Utley, to lead off the inning, bombed his second homerun of the night to almost the exact same spot in the stands, out into the right field seats.

The homerun would prove to be the final blow of the game, as Ryan Madson, the Phillies new closer, shut the down the Mets in the 11th inning one-two-three, to end the game. The finals score was 6-5 in favor of your Phightins’.

This game was a typical Phillies-Mets game. It just would not be the same without the Phils coming from behind to take the lead in extras to ultimately overtake the Mets. It also would not be the same without the Mets bullpen giving up a lead, and losing the game after a solid start from the starter. One can only wonder what the series would be like without all of these factors that have come to be known as some sort of tradition.

One thing is for sure, as long as the Phillies stay in first, historically, the record between the two does not matter, as the past two years when the Mets have taken the regular season series, the Mets have been left out of the post-season, and the Phils have gone on to the play-offs, and last year, win the World Series.