Utley on 1st, Victorino on 2nd, and Rollins on 3rd in the 7th. Then Howard, Werth, and Ibanez all made out.
Cliff Lee left the ball up all night and the Braves's batters sent it away, to the tune of three homers and 10 hits in a 9-1 loss. It was a rare clunker for Lee, who has been fab since the All-Star break.
The Phillies' only run came on a 1st-inning solo homer by Chase Utley, not that the team did not have their chances against Derek Lowe. They had lots, only to strand runners in scoring position again and again and again. The worst was the 7th, when Rollins, Victorino, and Utley all reached, only to languish as Howard, Werth, and Ibanez made out. Ibanez gave it a ride but in the end the ball was caught up against the left center wall.
We had great seats down along the 1st base line. The game started with a 24-minute rain delay and ended in the middle of the 8th, when out of nowhere a curtain of rain swept across the park from left field and sent everyone scurrying. It was an epic kind of rainfall; the raindrops were positively assaulting. By the time we got to the concourse, everyone was bedraggled. And the rain and wind just kept coming, blowing across even the concourse.
By the time it made sense to leave the park, with the heavens still raining down, it was almost midnight. Ushers were handing out leftover hot dogs and pretzels and in the end big blue baggies for people to wear out to the parking lots. Once we were on the way, I tuned into WRTI and lulled my three passengers with late night jazz.
