Dan Uggla scored all three runs for the Braves today. He was 2-3 with three runs scored and a game winning home run off of Roy Halladay in the eighth inning. He raised his average above .200 for the year and proved that even though he is not hitting like last year’s silver slugger second baseman, he can still be a giant pain in the ass.
Roy Halladay deserved better. I do not think I have ever seen a pitcher give up that many broken bat hits in one game. One of the bats attempted to avenge all of its bat friends by careening straight for Doc in an attempt to lodge itself into last year’s Cy Young award winner’s cranium. Luckily for all of us who don’t have to hit off of him, the rouge bat failed. Doc threw his second straight eight inning complete game, which is never a good sign as it means that he also took his second straight loss. His final line was eight innings, eight hits, two walks, seven strikeouts and three earned runs. It is really upsetting when Halladay pitches and the Phillies lose. I sort of feel bad for anyone that runs into Doc in the locker room. Doc is scary.
Tim Hudson walked a ton of people today. He gave out five free passes in his seven innings of work. Normally, if a guy walks a shit ton of batters, you would assume that one well timed hit would put said erratic pitcher on the ropes. The problem with today’s game centered upon the fact that the well timed hit never materialized. John Mayberry Jr.’s two run home run not with standing, the Phils offense only managed three hits off of a very hittable Hudson. Ryan Howard just missed a 3-0 meatball in the top of the sixth. It was another one of those days for the offense. One of those days that a certain dreamy second baseman may help to keep from happening.
The Phillies lost the game 3-2 and dropped their second straight series to the Braves. On a positive not John Mayberry Jr. got the start in right field today and had a great day. He was the only batter in the line-up to have a good approach to Hudson going 1-2 with two walks and a two run home run, accounting for all of the Phillies offense this afternoon.
This will probably not be the last time that I write these words: Go screw Dan Uggla. If you notice, there was not exclamation point at the end of that statement. Calm, serene, tranquil, composed. So composed in fact, that my wife asked me if I had money on the game based on my reaction when Uggla launched his homer to left center.
The Phillies attempt to repair their broken offense against Jake Westbrook and the St. Louis Cardinals in baseball heaven tomorrow night. The Phils send Cliff Lee to stop the two game losing streak.