The pitching duel was indeed a duel, taut and tension-filled. In the end Josh Johnson got a no-decision and Roy Halladay a loss, just his second to an NL East opponent since coming to the Phillies. The other one? To Josh Johnson.
Last night the Phillies took the lead in the second on a Ryan Howard homer to left. They then stranded the bases full that inning and the next. They had their chances but did nothing. In the bottom of the third, Halladay was visibly disturbed after walking Johnson, the first time in his career that he has walked a pitcher. Sure enough, Johnson ended up scoring the tying run off a Bonifacio sac fly.
Johnson was gone after seven. Halladay, much more economical with his pitch count, went eight. A rare error by Jimmy Rollins, a wild pitch by Halladay, a slow throw by Polanco, a timely single by Chris Coghlan---all went into giving the Marlins the 2-1 lead that inning.
John Mayberry got on base in the ninth but the game was over. A taut game that definitely did not go the way the Phillies wanted it to go. A little offense from the bottom of the order would certainly help in games like these.
Word is that Carlos Ruiz is close to a return, that Roy Oswalt may pitch on Tuesday, and that (trumpets blare) Chase Utley is near.
