Actual game: Phillies 5 Dodgers 4
What a game.
Ryan Howard began the shenanigans taking Randy Wolf deep and extending his consecutive postseason RBI streak to eight. Mr. Red October has now tied Lou Gehrig and looks hot enough to break the record come Wednesday (hopefully.) Joe Blanton began the game magically, retiring the first ten he faced. He seemed poised to continue the run of flawless Phillies pitching that began with Pedro in Game Two and stretched through Cliff Lee’s dominating performance in Game Three.
And then, the wheels fell off and it all went to Hell. Blanton ended up with a light shellacking and the Dodgers ended up with the lead. As the game progressed and the Phillies were down to the Dodgers 4-2 an old Philadelphia fan feeling came gurgling back in my stomach like a Taco Bell burrito an hour after eating. With visions of Joe Carter dancing in my head, I was convinced that this was the end. The Dodgers were going to win the series. The Phillies were cooked.
I had become a Philadelphia Phillies fan again. I hadn’t been since Harry Kalas bellowed his sweet baritone into the October sky last year and Brad Lidge pressed his knees into the ground and raised his arms to God. I was just a fan, win or lose. Sure, I had been on the edge of my seat riding nausea throughout this postseason, but somewhere in the back of my mind I figured they were going to pull it out.
Last night, I sat and swore and yelled as if the whole thing last year never happened. I cursed the players, the manager, the fat guy with mustard on his shirt who managed to get some camera time. I cursed Citizens Bank Park, I cursed Broad Street, and I cursed the Phanatic’s ridiculous tongue. With two men on in the eighth and the bulky Broxton waiting in the wings I cursed Ryan Howard for striking out. As soon as the hefty Broxton stood atop the mound, it had to be over, the beginning of the end, the return to losing; the Philadelphia Phillies I grew up watching were returning. Somewhere, Joe Carter cracked a sly smile.
The funny thing about October baseball is that it really is genuinely unpredictable.
Brad Lidge holds the lead to one in the top of the ninth. Bottom of the ninth, Broxton whose ERA was suspiciously high on the road prepared to knock em down and tie this series up for the Dodgers. Pinch hitter Matt Stairs works a walk. Carlos Ruiz takes one for the team. Two Phillies on base, and Greg Dobbs at the plate. My thoughts at this moment were just pop out Greg, don’t ground into a double play for the love of God, just pop out and sure enough he did.
Jimmy Rollins walked to the plate. Broxton looks in.
( Picture From the Philadelphia Daily News)
Next thing I knew, I was holding my friend CJ off of the ground and screaming. A double into the gap in center field from Jimmy Rollins gave the Phillies a walk off Game Four win. What a game. What a team. One win away from the Pennant. Five wins from the World Series Championship. I was no longer a sullen Philadelphia Phillies fan. I was the new fan, emboldened and excited about the possibility of the next game. Unbelievable? Believe it!
Then again, Cole Hamels starts Game five. Aw crap.
Whatever, they’re going to do it. They’re going to win.
Game Five Prediction: Phillies 6 Dodgers 4
High Hopes!
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