Philadelphia Phillies, Hamels Win NLDS Opener, Beating Milwaukee Brewers 3-1!

The Philadelphia Phillies took 14 years to win this division. They
finally won the division last year, behind the biggest collapse in MLB
history courtesy of the Mets, and a dramatic last day victory over the
Nationals. But they failed to muster much of anything against the only
team in baseball hotter than them last year, the Rockies. This year,
the Phillies clinched a game early, and while they were resting their
starters during Sunday’s 8-3 victory over the Nationals, the Brewers
were playing a must win game on the final game of the season, with
their ace CC Sabathia out on 3 days rest for the third straight time.
And it took a clutch Ryan Braun 2 run home run in the 8th inning to
beat a bunch of Cubs bench warmers. So with some role reversal in many
ways, the Brewers came out today against the Phillies kind of flat, the
same eerie way the Phillies played against the Rockies in Game 1 last
year…so to the game!

     The Phillies sent out their hardluck ace Cole Hamels who
despite his team leading 3.09 ERA had only 14 wins, and 10 losses,
mostly because of his inept offensive backing whenever he pitched. He
lost quite a few 1-0, 2-0, 3-2 kind of games. But he came out today
with a passion, a fury, and he pitched 8 pristine innings. He struck
out 3 of the first 4 batters he faced, wasn’t touched up with a hit
until the fifth inning, and only allowed one more hit the rest of the
way. His final line:

8 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, 9 K

Impressive. It really was all the Phillies needed to win, and they
scored enough runs to win in the third inning. Carlos Ruiz singled, and
Cole Hamels made a huge play with his bat, by bunting down the third
base line. At first, it seemed that the play was going to be made at
second, possibly becoming a double play, but instead the ball was
bobbled so the throw to second was out of the question, and on the
throw to first, Ricky Weeks could not make the clean catch, allowing
both runners to be safe. J-Roll and Werth could not get the runs in, so
with 2 outs, Utley hit one deep to center field…and Cameron could not
come down with the catch. This allowed the first two runs to score.
After intentionally walking Ryan Howard, and then giving up a walk to
Burrell to load the bases, another walk was issued to Victorino to
drive in the third and final run of the game for the Phillies. Turns
out it would be the only runs they would need.

When it came to the ninth inning, the score was still 3-0, and Cole
Hamels was on the line of about 100 pitches. Lidge was given the ball
in the ninth, not having pitched in 3 days, and well rested. Lidge came
out and struck out the side, but not until he allowed a run to score,
and the tying run to come up to the plate twice. But he got the job
done as he always has, and the Phillies held on for their first
postseason victory since Game 5 of the 1993 World Series against the
Toronto Blue Jays by a final score of 3-1.