Fans stood for much of the game. It was that kind of night. My view, a pretty good one, from left field.
One way or another, we all did a lot of standing during the game. This is a shot in the 9th from behind my season seats off the first base line.After all that the doomsayers, especially on the national level, had to say about Jamie Moyer getting last night's start, it was Moyer who shined and Garza who fumbled. Moyer, who according to Ken Rosenthal had spent the previous two days in bed or in the bathroom with a severe stomach virus, was outstanding. In six innings he gave up one run and three hits.
Jimmy Rollins led off the bottom of the 1st with a welcome-home single. A walk and a wild pitch later he was on third. Chase Utley grounded out to first and Rollins scored to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. The Rays tied it in the 2nd, but Carlos Ruiz untied in the bottom of the frame with solo homer to left, just one section over from me. And a great look it was. So was the ball hit by Evan Longoria in the 6th, which also looked destined for the left field seats but was caught by Pat Burrell up against the wall. Whew. Thank you, wind! Then in the bottom, Chase Utley led off with a solo blast to right and Ryan Howard followed with one of his own for some back-to-back action that gave the Phillies a 4-1 lead. Safe, huh? Well, no.
Things came unglued in the 7th thanks to 1st base ump Tom Hallion. Speedster Carl Crawford led off the inning with a bunt. Moyer sprinted off the mound, made a diving snare of the ball, and flipped it with his glove hand to 1st baseman Ryan Howard, who caught it barehanded. A spectacular play on both ends. And Crawford was out. But Hallion, not in position to see the play, called him safe. There have already been four egregiously bad calls in this series; three have been against the Phillies. Kerwin Danley, who was not at all on his game in Game 2, will not again be behind the plate. Hallion will be there tonight. What is with it with the ragged, bad umpiring?
In any case, the bungled call led to the Rays putting two on the board. Then in the 8th, B. J. Upton, who has some kind of speed, manufactured a run out of nothing to tie the game on an errant throw to third by catcher Carlos Ruiz. The Phillies had a chance to do something in the bottom there but Jayson Werth was picked off (ouch) on second. A usually savvy runner, Jayson has not had a good time on the base paths in the series.
J.C. Romero, who got the final out in the 8th, kept the Rays off the board in the 9th to set up the weird 9th inning. Eric Bruntlett, who had come in for Pat Burrell in the 7th, led off and was hit by a pitch. Shane Victorino was next, ready to bunt. Balfour, now pitching for the Rays, uncorked a wild pitch. Bruntlett went to second, then advanced to third when catcher Dioner Navarro threw the ball into the outfield. So man on 3rd, nobody out. And the fans were in full cry. Manager Joe Maddon elected to walk Victorino, then to walk Gregg Dobbs, in to pinch hit for Pedro Feliz. He then brought in an outfielder to have five infielders. Carlos Ruiz was at the plate and, wouldn't you know, he hits a roller to third base. Bruntlett took off for home, Longoria fielded the slow ball and threw it over the catcher Navarro. Roar of the crowd. Game over. Phils take a 2-1 lead in the series. And Carlos Ruiz went from hero to goat to hero again.
Game 4 tonight: Sonnanstine vs. Blanton. Pena and Longoria, the Rays 3 and 4 hitters, are 0 for 22 in the series. Will Blanton keep it that way? Will the Phillies continue to build their offense? They are now 2 for 33 with RISP. The Rays meanwhile have scored most of their runs without benefit of a hit.
