Time to Panic?
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by Behbigben15
The Phillies are just one loss away from going back home without a single win in the 2007 playoffs, after making a fantastic second-half run to top the Mets for the NL East Division crown. The Phillies are down 2 games to 0 to the Colorado Rockies who, before the series, had just one playoff win (not a series, just a single game). The Rockies have been in the majors since 1993, so that's got to be pretty embarrassing to be losing 2 games to none to a team that has won just one playoff game in 15 years. And, haven't made the playoffs since '95. But, really the Rockies are playing great baseball, but the Phils lineup is helping them out, as well.
The Phillies hitters really struggled in Wednesday's game 1 loss (4-2) to the Rockies. The team went 4 for 29, two of the hits were solo shots by Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell. The other two hits were singles by the number eight and nine hitters, Carlos Ruiz (catcher), and Cole Hamels (the SP). The Phillies top hitters were absolutely horrific, the top four hitters in the lineup (Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard) went 0 for 15, with 9 K's, 1 BB, and 6 LOB. There is no excuse for that. The Rockies only had 6 hits themselves, but their pitching was a hell of alot better, the Phils starter, Cole Hamels only gave up 3 hits in 6 2/3 innings, but he walked four and gave up 3 ER. RP Tom Gordon pitched for 0.2 innings, and gave up 1 ER, 1 H, and 1 HR. But, the Phils pitching is certainly not to blame for this one, all the blame should fall on the hitters. There is NO excuse for the first four hitters in the lineup to go hitless, if only Hamels had a little more run support.....
Things went a little better for the Phillies in game 2, hitting-wise anyway. In the top of the first, Philly pitcher Kyle Kendrick (age 23) gave up back-to-back homers to Tulowitzki, and Holliday. Lucky for Philly fans, though, SS Jimmy Rollins stepped his game up, and led off the bottom half of the inning with a solo HR. Rollins stepped up to the plate, again in the second and delivered a 2-RBI triple. The Rockies had trouble with their pitching as well, as their starter, Franklin Morales (age 21) went just 3 innings, and gave up 3 ER, with 2 BB, 3 K's, and 1 HR on just 3 hits. That is certainly not the kind of outing you want in the postseason. But, lucky for Colorado, the Phillies pitching struggled as well, and this became a game of offense.
Before the game, I knew that it was going to be a big game for all hitters, with a 21-year old facing off against a 23-year old. I am not too sure why either teams would have gone with such a young guy in the playoffs, but I guess its better to pitch them now, then when it matters most (game 4 or 5, or the NLCS). Philadelphia relievers went 5.1 innings, giving up 5 ER, 1 HR, while striking 4 out, and walking 2, on 7 hits. The Rockies bullpen had to go 6 innings, but did much better, just 1 ER on 6 hit, while striking out 5 guys, and walking 2, and only gave up 1 HR. Philly hitters went 9 for 35, for 2 HR's, and walked 4 times. But, the first 4 hitters in the lineup did much better than game 1, as they went 7 for 18, for 2 R, 5 RBI's, 4 K's, and 2 HR's. Give Rollins credit for that, as he motivated, and led the Phils hitting after his solo shot to lead of the bottom of the first. That definitely got the Phils motivated, it looked as if they had their head downs already, after being down 2-0 in the first, but Rollins got them going. Unfortunately, for them, it just wasn't enough to top the Rockies, as they were still on a roll, continued from game 1. The COL hitters went 12 for 38 (.315 BA), as they racked up 10 runs to top the shocked Phillies of Philadelphia.
All you Rockies fans can thank Colorado second baseman, Kazuo Matsui, for the win game 2 win. Matsui (who i'm sure is glad to be on the Rockies, instead of his former team, the NYM) was just a single shy of becoming the first EVER player to hit for the cycle in a MLB postseason game. I was a little disappointed when he didn't, but i'm sure he was just happy for the win. Kaz (no relation to Hideki), went 3 for 5, for a GS, 2B, 3B, 5 RBI's, and scored 2 runs. Matsui's grand slam came in the 4th inning, when his Colorado club was down by one run (2-3), and after the jack, his team never looked back. I believe it may be time for the Phillies to push the panic button, as they head west, to Colorado for game 3, it's never good when you lose 2 games on the road, and now the Phils will really have to play hard, to force another game. GAME 3: Saturday (10/6)- 9:30 P.M. ET.
STATS ( in first 2 games)
COL
Hitting
Helton- 1 for 9, 1 R, 2 K's
Torrealba- 3 for 7, 3 R, 3 RBI's,
Atkins- 2 for 9, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Matsui- 3 for 9, 2 R, 5 RBI's, 1 HR (GS), 2 K's
Holliday- 2 for 8, 2 R, 2 HR's, 3 RBI's, 2 K's
Hawpe- 1 for 7, 1 R, 4 K's
Tulowitzki- 2 for 8, 1 R, 2 HR's, 2 RBI's, 4 K's
Spilborghs- 1 for 5, 2 R, 2 K's
Pitching
Francis (SP)- 1 W: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K's, 2 HR's (1 start)
Morales (SP)- 3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K's, 1 HR (1 start)
Hawkins- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K's (1 appearance)
Fuentes- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K's (2 appearances)
Corpas- 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's 2 saves (2 appearances)
Fogg- 1 W: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (1 appearance)
Affeldt- 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's, 1 HR (1 appearance)
Speier- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K's (1 appearance)
PHIL
Hitting
Rowand- 1 for 8, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 K's
Utley- 2 for 9, 5 K's
Victorino- 1 for 5, 1 R, 1 K
Howard- 2 for 8, 1 R, 1 HR 1 RBI, 5 K's
Burrell- 2 for 7, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K
Rollins- 2 for 8, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI's, 1 K
Ruiz- 2 for 7, 1 R, 1 K
Helms- 0 for 2, 1 R
Pitching
Hamels (SP)- 1 L: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K's (1 start)
Kendrick (SP)- 1 L: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's, 2 HR (1 start)
Gordon- 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 K's, 1 HR (1 appearance)
Romero- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 0 HR (2 appearances)
Myers- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K's, 0 HR (1 appearance)
Lohse- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR (1 appearance)
Mesa- 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 0 HR (1 appearance)
Condrey- 1.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K's, 0 HR (1 appearance)
Alfonseca- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR (1 appearance)
