Lesson from tonight's game: No-hitters should happen only in the pitcher's home ballpark. When the visiting pitcher is throwing one, he only annoys us. In the end we'd rather see a hit than history. So when Juan Castro broke up Daisuke Matsuzaka's no-hitter in the bottom of the eighth with a bloop single, we were happy. Not only was the no-hitter gone but also we could leave. I had been up since four a.m. and was ready to boogie on home. Thank you, Juan! Matsuzaka, who had his slider working and mixed pitches as the game went along, also had--for him--a relatively low pitch count. He reached 100 pitches only in the sixth inning. After Castro's bloop single just out of the reach of the shortstop Scutaro, DK retired pinch-hitter Ross Gload on a flyout and Matsuzaka's night was, surprisingly, done. So was mine.
Worst news of the day? Jimmy Rollins has again been put on the 15-day DL. Total bummer.
Best? Way to go, Flyers, with another shut-out victory over the Habs.
