Saturday’s game was a huge emotional roller coaster for the Phils. After blowing a huge lead, tying the game up with two outs, and then getting rocked again, the Phillies lost 13-10 in an 11-inning affair that should’ve ended in nine.
Danys Baez will lead the group of goats of the game. Though I don’t want him deported, I am not a fan of Baez at all this season, eating my words of favor for his signing in the off season. Baez allowed three runs in the top of the 11th to give Minnesota it’s victory.
Cole Hamels really settled in after his rough three-run first inning to pitch seven quality innings, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven. He left the game with an 8-4 lead.
The Phillies had a 9-4 lead going into the ninth. Jose Contreras will be the first goat. Jim Thome hit a two-run bomb to make it 9-6. Then Brad Lidge entered, allowing an RBI single tacked onto Contreras to make it 9-7. Then Joe Mauer hit a two-run homer to tie the game, making it 9-9.
After a scoreless bottom half, Chad Durbin allowed a solo homer to Drew Butera (who?) to make it 10-9. But with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, Ross Gload hit a solo homer to tie the game at 10, breathing life back into the Phillies faithful.
Then this is where Baez gets goat of the game. Baez was rocked for three runs in the top of the 11th and Ryan Howard struck out to end the game, capping off the come back for the Twins and the collapse of the Phillies.
The offense was awesome in the first three innings, scoring eight runs powered by a two-run triple by Chase Utley (3-for-5 with three RBIs), a Howard two-run blast (1-for-6), and a Raul Ibanez solo shot (2-for-3). Jayson Werth and Wilson Valdez also homered.
The one positive you can get out of this game is that Hamels was still very sharp and that the offense was scoring in bunches. The bull pen faltering was a bit disturbing and you can’t expect the offense to pick up on all of the pitching’s woes. Hopefully a tough loss like this won’t spin the Phillies into another funk.
Doubles: Ibanez (13), Polanco (14), Utley (13). Triples: Utley (2). HR: Valdez (1), Howard (14), Ibanez (5), Werth (12), Gload (3).
WP: Rauch (2-1). LP: Baez (2-4).
TTB 