Chris Duffy heads back to the dugout after scoring on an RBI single by catcher Paul Hoover for the only run of tonight's game.It was a good night to see the IronPigs, a most hapless team. Nelson Figueroa was making his debut and he pitched a good game, paired against Matt Zaleski of the Charlotte Knights. Hits were at a minimum and the pace was quick. The only run scored in the fifth. With two outs, Hoover singled to bring in Duffy, who had stolen second, then advanced to third on a throwing error. Both starters went six innings. The 'Pigs threatened a couple of times but were unable to tack on. Willy Taveras has definitely added some more speed to the line-up. He also made a spectacular full-out diving catch in center field.
Hard-throwing Scott Mathieson came in for the final out of the eighth, then pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the 1-0 win for Figueroa. Mathieson, a big kid, throws around 97 or 98. When I heard Jim Salisbury of CSN talking earlier today about a hard-throwing acquisition at the trade deadline, I thought for sure he meant Mathieson. But no, he was talking about the return of Ryan Madson. Oh, yes, Ryan Madson.
Which brings me to the Phillies. I heard the end of the game driving home. Cole Hamels had had a no-hitter going into the seventh, then gave up two solo homers. But what did it matter? The Phillies had stopped hitting in the third. They got a run off of Padres' closer Heath Bell in the 9th, courtesy of a Howard RBI, but Jayson Werth ended the game as he did yesterday, swinging at a high fastball, way out of the zone.
The best thing that happened on the way home? A fox ran across the street in front of me somewhere on the south side of town.
