NLCS Game Two Notes

Remember Prediction: 10-7 Phillies

Actual Game: 2-1 Dodgers

In what was the most unlikely pitching duel in baseball history, Pedro Martinez and Vincente Padilla marched their teams into the eight inning nearly perfectly. The one mistake that had been allowed to that point was a Ryan Howard bomb off of Padilla.

The Phillies led 1-0 going into the bottom of the eight.

Manuel pulls Pedro after 87 pitches. (dumb)

5 Philadelphia pitchers appeared in the single inning once Pedro was pulled. (Really?)

2 Dodgers runs scored. (damnit)

Chase Utley pulled a Knoblauch and threw a routine double play ball past Ryan Howard at first and into the dugout mistaking Charlie Manuel, or the bench in there, as first base. (You cannot be serious.)

Following the shitting the bed that occurred in that inning, there we went, bottom of the ninth, two outs, Broxton the bear (as we was referred to by Chip Caray) on the mound and Utley strolls to the plate.

At this moment, the magical book of baseball legend slowly opens in the halls of Cooperstown without anyone noticing. A golden ink appears from nowhere and magically writes the following statement: “Seeking redemption Philly second baseman Chase Utley faces down the Dodgers closer and waits for the pitch to send out of Dodger Stadium and tie the game.”

While the book of legend is preparing to account this next epic event, I am sitting on my couch with visions of Robert Redford and Kirk Gibson dancing in my head.

Alas, in Cooperstown the book of legend and lore slammed shut so quickly it nearly broke its binding. Utley failed. No lights were broken in Dodger Stadium. Chase Utley lost to the Dodgers yesterday and whether he acknowledges it publicly, with the kind of player he is, he knows it. Chase has sucked for awhile now and my guess is he isn’t getting it together anytime soon.

I’m still shocked Pedro pitched all those shutout innings and had the command he had. Dude looked unbelievable last night. I still don’t like him but I’ll take him. After all, when Cole “I was once an ace” Hamels is going to starting another game, we will probably need Pedro before all is said and done.

Man, that straight up blew yesterday. Way to go Chase.

Next up is Cliff Lee against whoever is going to take the loss on the Dodgers.

3-0 Phillies. Well see.