The first home series had deja-vu all over it. It also had all the markings of a textbook lesson in excruciating losses. Game one it was the pitching that failed. Game two it was the hitting. Cole Hamels threw an 8-inning gem and made just one mistake, a solo homer to Ryan Zimmerman, in a 1-0 loss to the Nats. His mates meanwhile were being one-hit by journeyman Tim Redding. The last time the Phillies were one-hit, by the bye: 2003.
When I tuned into the game yesterday, I was just in time to hear Chris Coste smack a homer to put the Phillies on the board in the 3rd. By then, though, they were down 5-1, thanks to a first, I learned, marked by four! errors. OK, you just don't deserve to win with play like that.
By the time I reached home, it was the 6th, they were trailing 6-1, and Shane Victorino, still looking for his first hit, had just made out. Then the rally started. The Phillies batted around, hitting 8 singles and taking a 7-6 lead. The Nats tied it in the 7th but there it stayed till the 10th. Rollins got on by legging out an infield hit. Victorino then laid down a bunt and Rollins, who saw that the Nats catcher was not going to cover 3rd, sped around 2nd and slid into 3rd. A gutsy heads-up play that showed true instinct. The Nats predictably then walked both Utley and Howard to load the bases. Up stepped Jayson Werth. Four balls later, Rollins trotted home and the Phils had won 8-7.
Rudy Seanez was good in his Philadelphia debut. Tom Gordon pitched a scoreless 9th and lowered his ERA by mabye 100.
Yesterday was the debut of the day-game retro unis. I'm not a fan of multiple uniforms but gotta admit these are cool. Cream with red and blue trim, they mimic ones from the late 1940's.
