Laynce Nix? Really?

Let’s deal in hypotheticals here.  If I were to tell you yesterday, that the deciding game in a baseball series would hinge directly upon a home run and a great defensive play by a National’s outfielder, who would you choose?  Perhaps, you say, former Phillie Jayson Werth?  Good guess!  I remember that one time that Jayson hit thirty six home runs in a season.  He is also a really good defensive outfielder.

Maybe Rick Ankiel?  No, he is fucking terrible.  Despite these very compelling reasons that Werth could conceivably beat his former team, he was not the perpetrator of today’s loss.  Would you have guessed Laynce Nix?  In my hypothetical world, you would have been correct in your assumption.

Nix hit a home run off of Oswalt deep to right center field in the bottom of the third, breaking a tie and proving to be the game winning run.  He also absolutely robbed Domonic Brown in the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded in what proved to be the biggest play in the game.  I stated earlier this week that Lanyce is a stupid way to spell Lance.  I am even more steadfast in the belief that he and his name are stupid.

The real crux of the game centered upon the Philadelphia offense’s inability to generate anything off of John Lannan.  Lannan has never beaten the Phils until today, carrying an 0-10 record and an ERA in the sixes.  They managed four hits in his five 1/3 innings this afternoon and only scratched one unearned run off of the oft-battered Washington starter.  Let’s step again into the exciting world of the hypothetical.  If I were to tell you that John Lannan was going to shut down the Phillies, I would expect you to kick me in the nuts or throw me down the stairs.  I mean, when someone says something silly like that, I would have had it coming.

Roy Oswalt looked passable again today.  He is not missing bats with the frequency that he has throughout his career, but if you allow two runs when facing John Lannan, there is pretty much no way that you should lose the game.  They managed to do so.

Ryan Howard went 2-4 with a run scored and if not for a ridiculous diving catch, Domonic Brown would have put the Phils ahead against a tough left handed pitcher.

Go screw Laynce Nix.  Phils lose 2-1.

The Phillies get their first day off in quite some time tomorrow and will travel to PNC park in Pittsburg with a complete line-up for the first time this season.  Cole Hamels with oppose Jeff Karstens.