On the day that Carlos Ruiz came off the DL, the Phillies played as if they had taken a night bus from Florida to georgia instead of flying in two nights before.It all started well, with a three-run homer to dead center by Ryan Howard in the first off Braves' starter Brandon Beachy. But a Hamels' throwing error in the first gave the Braves a run back. (The Phillies would later add another error and a wild pitch and passed ball.) The Braves tied the game in the fifth and went ahead 4-3 in the sixth. Hamels left after that.
In the seventh, the Phillies tied it 4-4 but only after a controversial call by home plate umpire David Rackley. O'Flaherty, in for relief, clearly had Shane Victorino struck out and catcher Brian McCann was halfway to the dugout before he realized that Victorino was still at the plate. The ump had not called the strike. That allowed the Phillies to capitalize and they did, tying the game to the displeasure of all Braves' fans.
More drama ensued. J.C. Romero loaded the bases, with one out, in the bottom of the inning. Charlie Manuel, in an unusual move, called on rookie Michael Stutes, who got Uggla out but only after a moonshot foul ball. Antonio Bastardo then came in, threw three straight balls, before recovering to get the strike-out. Whew.
The Phillies went ahead in the eighth, on an Ibanez single that scored Ryan Howard from second. Vance Worley, another surprise move, allowed a lead-off single to Alex Gonzalez in the bottom of the inning, then set down three in a row. Ryan Madison came in for the save and the Phillies won it 5-4. Bastardo got the win, O'Flaherty the loss.
If the rest of the games in the series follow this pattern, it will be the usual wild weekend in Atlanta. It is also Civil Rights Weekend and lots is going on. The Civil Rights Game will be played on Sunday.
