LIVEBLOGGING: New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies. 9-7-08
Game 3 of the final series between the Mets and Phillies during the regular season all comes down to this.
The Phillies won the first two games of the series and have shrunk the Mets NL East-division lead to 1 game. If the Phillies complete the sweep at Shea, they will be tied for first place as the two teams go their separate ways. The Mets have a 2-game series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Phillies return home to face the Marlins in a 3-game set Monday through Wednesday.
A lot is going to be made of this series, but even if the Mets lose this game, there are still 19 games remaining for both teams, and it's very likely going to be a race that goes down to the final week, or even day unless one team... ahem... collapses.
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(All times Pacific)
Top of 1st Inning:
5:11pm: Jimmy Rollins grounds sharply to SS Jose Reyes. 6-3. 1 out.
5:12pm: ESPN's Jon Miller reads off a bunch of stats as to how many times Santana has pitched well only to have the Mets' bullpen blow it for him. *sigh*
5:13pm: Chase Utley lines a single into centerfield.
5:14pm: Jayson Werth is up, and he hits lefties VERY well this season, especially with the longball. He has 15 HRs in 2008 against lefty pitching, which leads the majors.
5:15pm: Johan Santana falls behind Jayson Werth going 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, and ends up walking him.
5:17pm: Ryan Howard singles to leftfield scoring Chase Utley from 2nd easily. Jayson Werth to 2nd. Phillies go up 1-0.
5:18pm: Met-killer Pat Burrell is up. Although he's slumping something fierce over the last month. Burrell has 42 HRs against the Mets, the most among all active players.
5:20pm: Johan Santana is having trouble throwing strikes. 20 pitches in the inning so far 11 of them are balls.
5:22pm: Pat Burrell thinks he just saw ball 4, but it was clearly strike 3 that went into Schneider's mitt. 2 out.
5:23pm: Shane Victorino flies out to deep centerfield. 3 out.
Bottom of 1st Inning:
5:28pm: Jose Reyes pops out to 2B Chase Utley. 1 out.
5:30pm: Ryan Church fights off a high fastball and hits it into LF for a single.
5:31pm: David Wright, swinging an 0-2 pitch, fouls it off but also hits catcher Chris Coste's glove on his swing, triggering a catcher's interference call from the home plate umpire. David Wright automatically gets 1st base, Ryan Church moves to 2nd.
5:33pm: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is out to argue and gets the toss for his argument. The fans pop huge and a "LETS GO METS" chant erupts.
5:34pm: Carlos Beltran lines a ball down the leftfield line. Ryan Church scores easily. David Wright beats the tag of Pedro Feliz at 3rd base, Carlos Beltran to 2nd on the throw. Tie game 1-1. Bench coach (acting manager) Jimmy Williams is out to argue the call at 3rd. Replays show Wright may have been out but it's tough to tell. No ejection this time.
5:37pm: Carlos Delgado grounds a ball up the middle for a single, driving in David Wright and Carlos Beltran. 3-1 Mets.
5:39pm: Fernando Tatis grounds a ball up the middle but SS Jimmy Rollins makes a nice play to field the ball, toss to Utley at 2nd for an out, but Tatis beats the throw to 1st. 2 out.
5:41pm: Cole Hamels strikes out Damion Easley. Pretty exciting inning to start this one. Mets up 3-1, a rare catcher's interference call, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel ejected, and Cole Hamels looks very hittable. Hopefully moreso than Santana.
Top of 2nd Inning:
5:45pm: Pedro Feliz goes down swinging at a Johan Santana changeup. 1 out.
5:46pm: Chris Coste takes a trot down to 1st base.
5:47pm: Cole Hamels lays down a bunt in front of Johan Santana who fields it cleanly, fires to Reyes at 2B for the out. Reyes throws to Easley covering 1B, but Hamels beats the throw. 2 out.
5:49pm: Jimmy Rollins grounds to 3B David Wright. 5-3. 3 out.
Bottom of 2nd Inning:
5:52pm: Brian Schneider strikes out swinging. 1 out.
5:55pm: Johan Santana lines a 3-2 pitch down the leftfield line. If not for 3B Pedro Feliz knocking it down, it would have been a double for Santana. However, he'll settle for a single.
5:56pm: Jose Reyes is not looking good at the plate against Cole Hamels.
5:57pm: Jose Reyes hits a weak groundball to SS Jimmy Rollins who tosses the ball to Chase Utley at 2B, but Utley comes way off the bag and Santana is safe at 2nd. That should be ruled an error on Utley as there was no need for him to field the toss from Rollins that way.
5:58pm: Ryan Church hits a grounder back to pitcher Cole Hamels, but he can' t field it cleanly as it goes off his glove. Bases loaded for the Mets and that may end up rule being an infield single. David Wright to the plate with bases full and 1 out.
6:01pm: Miller and Morgan note David Wright's less-than-stellar numbers with bases loaded. And sure enough, Wright goes down swinging on a 3-2 fastball from Hamels. 2 out.
6:02pm; Carlos Beltran swings at the first pitch and fouls out to 1B Ryan Howard. Phillies escape the jam. 3 out.
Top of 3rd Inning:
6:06pm: Johan Santana strikes out Chase Utley. 1 out.
6:08pm: Johan Santana strikes out Jayson Werth on 3 pitches. 2 outs.
6:09pm: Ryan Howard crushes the first pitch he sees from Santana into the LF bleachers for his 40th HR of the season. Mets lead cut to 3-2.
6:10pm: Pat Burrell strikes out swinging. Santana ends up striking out the side but gives up the dinger to Howard. 3 out.
Bottom of 3rd Inning:
6:12pm: Carlos Delgado hits a scoreboard moonshot SLAMMA LAMMA DING DONG, which is all the more dramatic considering the piece ESPN just did on him, explaining how the Mets were trying to figure out what to do with Carlos after his subpar first half. Mets up 4-2.
6:15pm: Fernando Tatis hits a hard lineshot into the glove of CF Shane Victorino. 1 out.
6:16pm: Damion Easley breaks his bat with a bloop shot to shallow center which is tracked down and caught by SS Jimmy Rollins. 2 out.
6:18pm: Brian Schneider smokes a shot into centerfield which almost gets past CF Shane Victorino, but Schneider is limited to the single.
6:20pm: Johan Santana grounds out to 3B Pedro Feliz who throws to Utley for the forceout at 2nd. 3 out.
Top of 4th Inning:
6:24pm: Shane Victorino foul pops to 1B Carlos Delgado. 1 out.
6:25pm: Pedro Feliz pops out to 2B Damion Easley. 2 out.
6:26pm: Chris Coste grounds to 3B David Wright. 5-3. 3 out. A very economical 7-pitch inning for Johan Santana.
Bottom of 4th Inning:
6:28pm: Cole Hamels is going to be lucky to go 5 innings this game with his pitch count now above 80.
6:29pm: Jose Reyes continues to look horrible against Cole Hamels, swinging at a pitch in the dirt for strike 3. 1 out.
6:30pm: Ryan Church grounds out sharply to 1B Ryan Howard who runs to the bag for out 2.
6:31pm: David Wright flies out to 2B Chase Utley in shallow left-center. 3 out.
Top of 5th Inning:
6:34pm: Johan Santana strikes out Cole Hamels, which is now 6 K's through 5.1 IP. 1 out.
6:36pm: Jimmy Rollins grounds to SS Jose Reyes. 6-3. 2 out.
6:38pm: Chase Utley flies out to LF Fernando Tatis. 3 out.
Bottom of 5th Inning:
6:43pm: Carlos Beltran goes down swinging. 1 out.
6:45pm: Carlos Delgado crushes yet another moonshot off of Cole Hamels' first pitch. This time off a changeup instead of the curveball. Mets up 5-2.
6:46pm: Fernando Tatis grounds out to 3B Pedro Feliz. 5-3. 2 out.
6:47pm: Damion Easley hits a hard shot to LF that bounces up against the wall for a double.
6:48pm: With a base open, Cole Hamels gives the IBB to Brian Schneider so they can face Johan Santana.
6:49pm: ESPN's Jon Miller says Carlos Delgado's 2nd HR went an estimated 460 feet. Wow.
6:50pm: Johan Santana strikes out swinging on Cole Hamel's 109th pitch. 3 out.
Top of 6th Inning:
6:53pm: Jayson Werth grounds out to 3B David Wright who makes a very nice play and throw onto 1st for the out. 1 out.
6:55pm: Ryan Howard flies out to CF Carlos Beltran. 2 out.
6:58pm: Pat Burrell works out a walk.
6:59pm: Shane Victorino flies out to RF Ryan Church. 3 out.
Bottom of 6th Inning:
7:02pm: Now pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies is right-hander Clay Condrey. Maybe Jose Reyes can start hitting better now.
7:03pm: Or not. Reyes breaks his bat with a grounder to 2B Chase Utley. 4-3. 1 out.
7:05pm: Ryan Church strikes out swinging. 2 out.
7:06pm: David Wright grounds the first pitch he sees from Condrey right to SS Jimmy Rollins. 6-3. 3 out.
Top of 7th Inning:
7:08pm: Pedro Feliz grounds a ball past Carlos Delgado into RF for a single.
7:09pm: With Johan Santana nearing 100 pitches, this will surely be his final inning.
7:10pm: Chris Coste flies out to CF Carlos Beltran. 1 out.
7:11pm: Carlos Ruiz in to pinch-hit for Clay Condrey.
7:13pm: Ruiz grounds out to David Wright who makes a diving stop, gets up and throws to Easley for the out. Easley throws on to Delgado at first but Ruiz beats it easily. 2 out.
7:15pm: Jimmy Rollins lines a 3-2 pitch directly at David Wright for the third out. Santana throws 110 pitches for the night through 7, and he's done. Another very good outing from Johan.
Bottom of 7th Inning:
7:20pm: In relief for the Phillies is right-hander Rudy Seanez.
7:21pm: Carlos Beltran just misses a HR by a bit as he hits a long flyball to the warning track, but Jayson Werth catches it. 1 out.
7:22pm: The fans chant "MVP" at Carlos Delgado, which he may be for the Mets team, but certainly a joke if they think it's for the National League. Mind you, a good percentage of these "fans" are the same asshats who were busy booing Delgado in May, demanding his release, and parroting the words "Bring up Mike Carp!" until their empty heads exploded.
7:23pm: It is noted that no Met has ever hit 3 HR in one game at Shea Stadium.
7:24pm: Carlos Delgado strikes out swinging. 2 out.
7:26pm: Jon Miller notes that no one is pitching in the Mets bullpen, which indicates Santana is going another frame.
7:27pm: Fernando Tatis skies a shot into left-centerfield, but it's caught by Shane Victorino. 3 out.
Top of 8th Inning:
7:29pm: Johan Santana pitching another inning to the heart of the Phillies order. Utley, Werth and Howard. Endy Chavez is in LF as a defensive replacement for Fernando Tatis.
7:31pm: Chase Utley grounds out to 1B Carlos Delgado who jogs to the bag for the out.
7:32pm: Jayson Werth pounds a ball to deep CF for a double. Mets manager Jerry Manuel goes to the mound to get Johan Santana, who gets the standing ovation from the Shea fans. Santana even tips his cap to the 1st-base side fans. Sometimes lefty-specialist Pedro Feliciano is coming in from the bullpen to face lefty powerhouse Ryan Howard.
7:36pm: Ryan Howard grounds out to 1B Carlos Delgado who jogs to the bag for the out. Jayson Werth goes to 3rd on the play. That's all for Pedro Feliciano. Jerry Manuel to the mound for the pitching change as righty Brian Stokes is in to face righty Pat Burrell.
7:39pm: Pat Burrell breaks his bat on the first pitch he sees from Brian Stokes, grounding out to SS Jose Reyes. 6-3. 3 out.
Bottom of 8th Inning:
7:42pm: Luis Ayala is warming up in the bullpen for the 9th. Ayala may be the closer for the rest of the season if Wagner's setback today is as serious as is being reported.
7:43pm: Damion Easley hits a ball over CF Shane Victorino's head that goes just past his glove for a leadoff stand-up triple.
7:45pm: Brian Schneider hits a long fly ball into RF caught by Jayson Werth, but Damion Easley tags up easily to expand the Mets lead to 6-2. 1 out.
7:46pm: Marlon Anderson is in to pinch-hit for Brian Stokes.
7:47pm: Marlon Anderson fouls off two pitches before swinging through the third and striking out. 2 out.
7:48pm: Jose Reyes grounds out to 1B Ryan Howard who is a step away from the bag when he fields it. 3 out.
Top of 9th Inning:
7:51pm: Luis Ayala is on to pitch the 9th in a non-save situation.
7:52pm: Shane Victorino hits an excellent unintentional swinging bunt which deadens downs the 3rd-base line. Catcher Brian Schneider fields it and tries to throw out Victorino at 1st, but the throw sails over Delgado into RF and bounces into the stands. Victorino to 2nd on the error.
7:53pm: Greg Dobbs is in to pinch-hit for Pedro Feliz. Dobbs flies out to CF Carlos Beltran. 1 out.
7:54pm: Righty pitchers Al Reyes and Joe Smith are warming up in the Mets bullpen. Lefty Matt Stairs is on to pinch-hit for Chris Coste.
7:55pm: Matt Stairs basically does the same thing Shane Victorino did. A swinging bunt, except the ball goes further up the third-base line for an infield hit. David Wright knows he has no chance so he lets the ball go. Victorino to 3rd base on the play. The hide is torn off on this ball.
7:57pm: Tadahito Iguchi is in to pinch-run for Matt Stairs. Andy Tracy is in to pinch-hit for Rudy Seanez.
7:58pm: Andy Tracy hits a flyball to deep LF which Endy Chavez catches near the wall with a slight jump. Victorino tags up. Mets lead cut by one, but they're still up 6-3. 2 out.
7:59pm: Luis Ayala gets the dramatic strikeout game-ender with Rollins swinging and missing. 3 out. GAME OVER. Mets win 6-3.
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With the Mets victory, they lose the series but gain a division lead back on the Phillies to 2 games.
The two teams will not meet again this season, and with Milwaukee looking to be the NL Wildcard team at this point, they can't face each other in the postseason either.
More importantly, the Mets win the season series from Philadelphia 12-7, something they did not do in 2007 when they went 6-12 against the Phillies.
The next 19 games will be very important to both teams, which I believe will go down to the final week. The Mets have a 4-game series against the Chicago Cubs Sep 22-25 which the Mets are going to have to dominate if the Phillies are still in the race 2 weeks from now, and with their upcoming schedule, there's no reason to expect that they won't be.
