What happened?
Cole Hamels allowed four runs in five innings as the Rockies held off a late Phillies rally to take game two of the series. The series is tied at a game apiece.
Who did what?
Cole Hamels (L, 0-1) allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out five.
Shane Victorino went 3 for 5 with a run.
Chase Utley went 1 for 4 with a run.
Ryan Howard went 2 for 4 with a double (2) and an RBI.
Jayson Werth went 1 for 4 with a homer (1) and an RBI.
Raul Ibanez went 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
Aaron Cook (W, 1-0) allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out four.
Carlos Gonzalez went 3 for 5 with a run.
Todd Helton went 1 for 5 with an RBI.
Yorvit Torrealba went 2 for 3 with a homer (1) and two RBIs.
Huston Street (S, 1) walked one and allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth.
What does this mean?
When you think about it, it all came down to one pitch.
It was the top of the fourth, and the Phillies were trailing 1-0. Cole Hamels, despite allowing a first inning run, was looking every bit like the MVP of last October. With a man on first and two outs, the lefty was looking for this third straight scoreless inning, and Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba was all that stood in the way.
On a 1-1 count, Hamels went to his curve ball, his third best pitch. Torrealba promptly deposited the offering into the left field seats to give the Rockies a 3-0 lead, and essentially, the game.
Hamels, who had been cruising through the lineup, wouldn’t get back into a rythm. After getting the lead off hitter in the fifth, he gave up a single to the pitcher on a 1-2 count, followed by a double to Carlos Gonzalez to put men on second and third. Carlos Gonzalez drove home a run on a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-0 affair. The inning would end on a Todd Helton popup, but the damage had been done to Cole. His day was done, and his line was far from respectable.
And it all goes back to that curveball.
Before Torrealba gave the Rockies a three run lead, Hamels was in control. He was spotting his fastball on the corners, which he used to set up his bread and butter pitch, the changeup. It was that same formula that made him so successful in 2008; the same formula that he used through the first four innings of today’s game.
But the curve that he never quite could figure out reared its ugly head, and at the worst possible time. Maybe it’s irrelevant, because the Rockies could have jumped on his fastball or caught a high changeup and they could have wont he game anyway. But maybe not.
Whatever the case may be, the Phillies are now even with the Rockies as the series shifts to Colorado, where literally tens of Rockies fans will be waiting to greet their hometown heroes, awash in a sea Denny Neagle and Dante Bichette jerseys, recently sprung from their musty, moth infested asylum.
Although the Phillies have lost home field advantage, they can take solace in the fact that their rotation is much deeper than that of Colorado’s. With Pedro, Joe Blanton and Jay Happ all on standby, the Rockies have only Jason Marquis or Jason Hammel to turn to for the final games of the series. Advantage: Philadephia.
It was a tough game to lose, especially having won eight straight postseason games at The Bank. No matter, the Phillies are still the game’s best road team – something that we can all expect them to carry into Colorado.
What’s next for our 2009 National League East Division Champion Heroes?
The Phillies head to Colorado for game three of the series. Pitchers have not been announced, but you can be sure a pitcher from the Phillies will toe the rubber and face off against a pitcher from the Rockies. (This is hard hitting journalism, folks.)
38 Comments on “NLDS Game 2: Rockies 5, Phillies 4”
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General
October 8th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
First.
/Frowny Face
October 8th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
I honestly don’t think this was the worst loss in the world. The Phillies don’t play that well against sinker ball pitchers, and Cole wasn’t on his best game today. All things considered, it could be worse, though Charlie’s bullpen use angered me.
October 8th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
@dave – agreed. i’m not sure what compelled cholly to use 3 starters in a row like that. i guess our bull pen has come to that?
also – what’s the verdict on JAHapp’s leg?
October 8th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
@jupiter-during the game they said xrays came back negative, so id assume witha days rest he’ll be fine
yeah charlie using three starters angered me so much, and this game made me wanna throw up, it was so nerve wracking
i have a feeling that the phillies were looking ahead to the nlcs and forgot that we have to beat the rockies first
also i fucking hate the dodgers
October 8th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
He has a bruise, but X-rays were negative.
October 8th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Another way to say 3rd best is worst. Its similar to the Ricky Bobby rule.
October 8th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
I also hate the Dodgers, but watching them win on a Matt Holliday 2-base error and Ryan Franklin blowing the save was a little sweet. Plus, does anyone seriously want any possiblity of a scenario wherein Brad Lidge pitches to Albert Pujols (should the Phillies advance, of course)?
October 8th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Also, I agree with Dave. Cook was the pitcher who scared me most. As for using the starters out of the pen, I believe the plan could be using Lee on short rest Sunday (one reason for starting game 1) and Hamels in game 5 on normal rest. I did want Happ for game 3, and if his contusion is fine then his arm definitely will be after 4 official pitches, but I dont mind giving Pedro the ball in a big game. Hes well rested at least
October 8th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Jason Giambi looks like Raz Al Goul
October 8th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
“Also, I agree with Dave. Cook was the pitcher who scared me most. ”
Why? Career-wise, a number of Phillies hitters have had success against Cook, including Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Jayson Werth. Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs is a perfect 3-for-3 against Cook in his career, including a homer. (fangraphs.com)
“All things considered, it could be worse, though Charlie’s bullpen use angered me.”
They lost the game, what could be worse?
October 8th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
fuck me straight in the balls, this game blew. they sucked us in around the bottom of the 6th and again in the 9th.. fuck me straight in the balls.
now thats off my chest, fuck me straight in the BALLS AGAIN
October 8th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
@Harry-The loss sucked, yes, but it wasn’t that bad of a loss, if that makes sense. Every playoff team will lose a tough game every now and again, so to drop one against the Rockies isn’t the worst thing in the world. I still think the Phillies win in four.
The worst part about the game today was the Happ injury. While none of us know exactly what’s wrong with him, I doubt he’s going to be able to pitch in Game 3, with it being very unlikely in Game 4 that he shows up. That takes a major weapon for us against the Rockies away. The main thing now is to hope that Pedro shows up in Game 3 and pitches like we’ve seen him do in pressure situations. A game like this is why the Phillies brought him in.
October 8th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
i have no reservations about putting my trust in pedro. he strikes me as the kind of guy that only performs when his back is against the wall. snow isnt exactly dominican weather so im not sure how he’ll react.. but when have the playoffs ever been predictable?
October 8th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Well at least we know Cole can go home and call his grandma using his Comcast triple play to tell her how much he sucked today.
October 8th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I was down there at the game today. That was definitely one of the best losses I’ve ever been to, if there is such a thing? I’m glad they didn’t just mail it in. The team definitely fought damn fucking hard to tie that game up and come up about 5 feet-to-the-left short. That’s baseball.
The story 100% is that shitty curveball. I blame Cole for throwing it and I blame Carlos for calling it.. ever. It’s tougher to hit during the day with the shadows. The curveball/fastball combo is hard enough to hit at night. Cole has a track record for working with two pitches anyway. He’s done this shit all year. He seems to have this “I’m an ace, I can fuck around mentality.” He doesn’t understand that he makes himself significantly worse when he tries to sneak lousy hooks by people.
I headed over to the Flyers game, too. How the fuck did I see two 5-4 losses today? Christ.
October 8th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
despite the subpar performance from cole, congrats to him and heidi on the birth of their kid, assuming shes already delivered.
October 9th, 2009 at 12:40 am
Seems to me the reason there was a whole bunch of weird decisions being made with the pitching staff is because its such a short series and a 2-0 lead would be nice. I doubt Charlie would do this in any subsequent 7-game series.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:10 am
“What happened?”
I’ll tell you what happened. (1) Hollywood sold us out. He’s been doing it all year. First, he himself admitted that he didn’t work as hard as he should have in the off season. Second, the rubber chicken/Hollywood commercial circuit didn’t help. Third, he’s started the crying again. He should have kept his mouth shut about the start times and what he thinks is a lack of respect. When you go 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA you should just shut it. I know I’m being hard on the guy but that’s what happens when your an “ace”. (2) J-roll reverted to his old antics. Unless there is a scouting report I’m not aware of that said swing at the 1st pitch, there is no excuse.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:23 am
DP – try watching the game. First and second at-bats: took the first pitch and swung at the second pitch. He was down 0-1 both times and Cook was throwing strikes. Third ab, he swung at the first pitch. Fourth ab is the only one I cannot remember, but he got the hell on base so it’s irrelevant. The point being – Jimmy is never going to be much of a pitch-taker, but he tried and was buried in the count all day. He’s not Abreu who can take pitches to go down 0-2 and still come out on top.. that’s not just his game.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I wonder when we can stop treating Hamels like the ace, both Happ and Blanton had a better season.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:40 am
i thought his second AB with men on base was a 1st pitch lineout to tulowitzki.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Revealing myself to be the total and complete geek I am:
1st AB: 0-1 count, grounded to second
2nd AB: 0-1 count, grounded to first
3rd AB: first pitch swinging, lined to short
4th AB: struck out swinging on a 1-2 pitch
5th AB: 1-2 count, single
The only AB all day that was not a first pitch strike was the 5th where he got on base.
October 9th, 2009 at 9:47 am
meh 3 ab, i blame whiskey
October 9th, 2009 at 9:52 am
If it was Scotch, it’s totally understandable. If it was Irish, or heaven forbid, American, there is no excuse.
I wouldn’t remember something like that, either, whisky, whiskey, or none. Like I said, I’m a geek, and I occasionally keep score.
October 9th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Number of pitchers Cholly uses Saturday: over or under number of fingers in his pants?
October 9th, 2009 at 10:07 am
well he has 12 pitchers on the roster and only 10 fingers. i say over.
american. i remain excuseless
October 9th, 2009 at 10:10 am
We knew we weren’t going to sweep and it is pretty obvious Cole’s head was somewhere else yesterday. Let’s just go out to Colorado and do what we do. They don’t have any other pitchers in their rotation that really worry me now that De La Rosa went down for the year, so i am not too worried.
October 9th, 2009 at 10:18 am
@lynnie…you are the first person to mention the lidge to pujols thing…I said that to my dad at the first game…how crazy of a situation would that be? Especially with the year lidge is having…
I am very concerned about the game tomorrow. This whole coldest game ever in the playoffs thing really does not bode well for us. Who would our best cold weather pitcher be? Pedro probably because of the whole past Boston thing, but Blanton might have been perfect for this game…
I am sorta thinking this might be a Pedro/Kendrick kinda game knowing pedro is not going 9 in the freezing cold….
October 9th, 2009 at 10:21 am
charlie might still use those guys jsut to protect the staff. throwing in 30 degrees or lower is bad for a pitcher in general, but its esepcially bad for a pitcher that throws for 6 innings. maybe hes thinking about spotting several different pitchers already. Pedro for a few, Kendrick for a few, Blanton for a few..
October 9th, 2009 at 11:47 am
still don’t understand the double-switch with blanton when you’re down 4 runs.
October 9th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
@Harry
Simple: Cook has a really good sinker. I know this team can hit a heater.
@jessum
When his changeup stops being dominant.
@Paul
Do you not understand the double switch, or just bringing in Blanton? The pitchers spot was due up next, Pedro was due up 8th, you cant switch out Ruiz, and with the way Cairo had been hitting recently Manuel doesnt see a huge falloff from Feliz to him.
In that situation youre bringing in whoevers in the long relief role. Youre down 4 with 4 to play, thats not much especially for this team, so you ideally want the pen to be shutdown for the rest of the game. So he brought in Blanton. Would you rather have Kendrick? Or Happ, who wouldve ideally been saved for game 3?
October 9th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
To me Cole complaining about the start time of the game sent a message right away that his head was directly up his rear. Who cares what time the game is at? The more you’re in demand, the more you have to be able to adjust. Get used to it Hollywood. Add into it that his wife was about to burst with a child and you can tell he wasn’t focused. And maybe Colorado just has his number. They beat him in Game 1 of the NLDS in ‘07 and he got his ass hammered by them (Matt Stairs-like) in his first start of the season this year in which he went 3.2 IP, gave up 11 H, and 7 ER.
Saturday night is a must win in my opinion. Have to put the pressure back on Colorado. Facing elimination on the road is not the position to be in.
October 9th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I agree with Ozzie Virgil’s Beard and DP.
Stop bitching Hamels. NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE PERFECT WHEN YOU ARE ON THE MOUND.
MAN UP AND ADJUST.
Also, is there any truth the rumor that Ryan Franklin slept with Matt Holliday’s wife? Because Holliday totally Roger Dorn’d that ball.
October 9th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Franklin: “What I was concerned with was why you didn’t come up with that flyball that Belliard hit in the 9th.”
Holliday: “It was an in-between fly-ball, what do you want me to do dive for it?”
Franklin: “Matt, it meant the game!”
Holliday: “Oh come on cut the rah rah shit Franklin! Year after this I go free agent. Plus me and my agent got a couple of plans for life after baseball. So I am not about to risk major injury or displace this property for a collection of stiffs!”
October 9th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
“That ball got lost in 50,000 white towels shaking in front of Matt’s face,” Wainwright said. “It doesn’t really seem fair that an opposing team should be able to allow their fans to shake white towels when there’s a white baseball flying through the air. How about Dodger Blue towels?”
What a bunch of fucking babies. Guess what Adam? Life isn’t fair. It’s not fair that hundreds of thousands of people are losing jobs all over this country while you get paid millions to play a kid’s game either. Play the game, make the catch, shut the fuck up. Get real.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
maybe they should wave tampons
October 9th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
+1, will.H.
And hey, Wainwright? It was more like a couple hundred towels. Dodger fans don’t know how to rock a rally towel (I actually saw a kid in the upper deck READING A BOOK).
October 9th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Franklin should shave some V cuts in the back of his head and rock the hanging tusk earring as a statement to Holliday.