GaryMrMets
07-06-2004, 01:30 AM
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/9072049.htm
Posted on Sat, Jul. 03, 2004
This was hardly worth the wait
6-plus hours, 16 innings, and disappointment
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
THE PHILLIES' fireworks shows around Independence Day might be the best in the area.
No greater endorsement was needed than the 30,000 or so who stayed until the resolution of last night's 7-6 Phillies loss in the 16 innings.
The game lasted 6 hours, 15 minutes, the longest of the season and the most innings they've played this season.
"The bullpen did a great job," manager Larry Bowa said. "The best thing you can say is that everybody played."
The Orioles won it by doing what the Phillies didn't do.
David Newhan led off the 15th with an infield single off Brian Powell, the Phils' eighth and final pitcher. Tim Raines Jr. sacrificed him to second and, with first base open, Miguel Tejada singled to center to score him.
The Phillies had the same scenario in the 13th, when leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins walked, moved to second on a sacrifice, then watched Jim Thome and Pat Burrell leave him there.
That pair of bashers went hitless in 11 at-bats after the second inning last night. They finished with a combined nine strikeouts; Thome's five was a season high and, after a scorching June, helped drop him to 3-for-26 in his last six games.
The Phillies struck out 19 times, tying a club record.
While Burrell and Thome have been relatively consistent, the Phillies' starting pitching is especially worrisome, since it's a trend. The starters have failed loudly in at least one inning in five of their last eight games, surrendering three runs or more.
Last night, Brett Myers lasted only three innings in his shortest non-rain-shortened outing of the season. His five earned runs off six hits, two hit batters and one walk increased his earned run average to 5.28. After a shaky, tinkering April, he surged through June 11 because he went back to using the delivery he used in 2003. Since then he has given up given up 25 earned runs in five starts, lasting only 29 innings.
"I'm just going to keep running him out there," Bowa said.
Burrell saved Myers when he tied things at 5-5 in the second with a two-run double. The Phils took a 6-5 lead in the third, but gave it up when Tejada homered off Tim Worrell to start the seventh, Worrell's fourth blown save. Geoff Geary escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 12th and Powell got a wonderful throw from rightfielder Bobby Abreu to nail Tejada at the plate in the 14th.
The Phillies supplied similar drama in their half of the 14th. David Bell's leadoff walk and Powell's first hit since Aug. 8, 2000, when he played for the Astros led to loaded bases with two out for Placido Polanco, who had singled twice and scored in his first two at bats.
But that was yesterday.
This morning, at about 12:30, Polanco grounded to Tejada in the hole at short and got nipped at first. Sigh.
None of what followed solves the Phillies' lingering problems with their starters. Fortunately for Myers, the Phillies are essentially out of starter options, with Vicente Padilla possibly lost for the season with elbow tendinitis and a resultant bone bruise that has benched him since May 30. With scheduled backup starter Ryan Madson shining in the bullpen, the Phillies eschewed veteran journeyman Powell to sign starter Paul Abbott, a Devil Rays castoff last month.
Myers' quick hook forced manager Larry Bowa to cobble together 13 innings from his bullpen - 13 innings in the middle of a stretch of 20 consecutive games (Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli was no better off, since last night was the O's 10th of 16 straight). Madson left with two on and an out in the sixth in favor of Rheal Cormier, who gave up a single to load the bases but got a Melvin Mora to sharply hit into a sweet doubleplay by Rollins and Polanco.
But the 'pen couldn't be blamed for this one. Not with the starter going three and the sluggers going missing.
Phillers
With the late finish, Larry Bowa said the players don't have to report until 5 p.m. today...Jimmy Rollins saved a run when he recovered, dived and snagged a hit-and-run infield single that would have put runners at first and third with one out in the sixth inning. The next batter, David Newhan, singled and, but for Rollins, would have had an RBI, but no one scored in the inning...Jim Thome is 3-for-24 in his last six games.
Posted on Sat, Jul. 03, 2004
This was hardly worth the wait
6-plus hours, 16 innings, and disappointment
By MARCUS HAYES
hayesm@phillynews.com
THE PHILLIES' fireworks shows around Independence Day might be the best in the area.
No greater endorsement was needed than the 30,000 or so who stayed until the resolution of last night's 7-6 Phillies loss in the 16 innings.
The game lasted 6 hours, 15 minutes, the longest of the season and the most innings they've played this season.
"The bullpen did a great job," manager Larry Bowa said. "The best thing you can say is that everybody played."
The Orioles won it by doing what the Phillies didn't do.
David Newhan led off the 15th with an infield single off Brian Powell, the Phils' eighth and final pitcher. Tim Raines Jr. sacrificed him to second and, with first base open, Miguel Tejada singled to center to score him.
The Phillies had the same scenario in the 13th, when leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins walked, moved to second on a sacrifice, then watched Jim Thome and Pat Burrell leave him there.
That pair of bashers went hitless in 11 at-bats after the second inning last night. They finished with a combined nine strikeouts; Thome's five was a season high and, after a scorching June, helped drop him to 3-for-26 in his last six games.
The Phillies struck out 19 times, tying a club record.
While Burrell and Thome have been relatively consistent, the Phillies' starting pitching is especially worrisome, since it's a trend. The starters have failed loudly in at least one inning in five of their last eight games, surrendering three runs or more.
Last night, Brett Myers lasted only three innings in his shortest non-rain-shortened outing of the season. His five earned runs off six hits, two hit batters and one walk increased his earned run average to 5.28. After a shaky, tinkering April, he surged through June 11 because he went back to using the delivery he used in 2003. Since then he has given up given up 25 earned runs in five starts, lasting only 29 innings.
"I'm just going to keep running him out there," Bowa said.
Burrell saved Myers when he tied things at 5-5 in the second with a two-run double. The Phils took a 6-5 lead in the third, but gave it up when Tejada homered off Tim Worrell to start the seventh, Worrell's fourth blown save. Geoff Geary escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 12th and Powell got a wonderful throw from rightfielder Bobby Abreu to nail Tejada at the plate in the 14th.
The Phillies supplied similar drama in their half of the 14th. David Bell's leadoff walk and Powell's first hit since Aug. 8, 2000, when he played for the Astros led to loaded bases with two out for Placido Polanco, who had singled twice and scored in his first two at bats.
But that was yesterday.
This morning, at about 12:30, Polanco grounded to Tejada in the hole at short and got nipped at first. Sigh.
None of what followed solves the Phillies' lingering problems with their starters. Fortunately for Myers, the Phillies are essentially out of starter options, with Vicente Padilla possibly lost for the season with elbow tendinitis and a resultant bone bruise that has benched him since May 30. With scheduled backup starter Ryan Madson shining in the bullpen, the Phillies eschewed veteran journeyman Powell to sign starter Paul Abbott, a Devil Rays castoff last month.
Myers' quick hook forced manager Larry Bowa to cobble together 13 innings from his bullpen - 13 innings in the middle of a stretch of 20 consecutive games (Orioles manager Lee Mazzilli was no better off, since last night was the O's 10th of 16 straight). Madson left with two on and an out in the sixth in favor of Rheal Cormier, who gave up a single to load the bases but got a Melvin Mora to sharply hit into a sweet doubleplay by Rollins and Polanco.
But the 'pen couldn't be blamed for this one. Not with the starter going three and the sluggers going missing.
Phillers
With the late finish, Larry Bowa said the players don't have to report until 5 p.m. today...Jimmy Rollins saved a run when he recovered, dived and snagged a hit-and-run infield single that would have put runners at first and third with one out in the sixth inning. The next batter, David Newhan, singled and, but for Rollins, would have had an RBI, but no one scored in the inning...Jim Thome is 3-for-24 in his last six games.