A very tough loss tonight in Game 1. A battle of two of the league's best pitchers ended in a 4-3 Giants victory. Roy Halladay didn't pitch poorly, but was unfortunately punished for a few mistakes over the middle of the plate --- twice to Cody Ross and once to our old pal Pat Burrell, who hit a big double in the 6th to give the Giants a 3-1 lead. In the end, however, the story of the game is an offense that failed to get (enough) big hits. Too many strikeouts. Too many guys LOB. You know, basically the same troubles that always define the Phils' offensive slumps. Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and Shane Victorino looked particularly over-matched at times.
For those who have been watching closely, this isn't a new development. The Phils haven't been hot at the plate for a while. The Reds actually handled them pretty well. Thankfully, they also committed a number of untimely errors. For the Phillies to win this series, their run-producers must have more productive ABs.
Things will not get any easier tomorrow. The Giants will send lefty Jonathan Sanchez to the hill against Roy Oswalt. Sanchez is a sometimes-dominating lefty that is well-suited to handle the Phillies. Howard, Utley, and Ibanez will most certainly have their hands full. Howard, in particular, will need to stay aggressive early in the count. Down two strikes to Sanchez, he's almost certain to whiff...several times.
Let's hope for a better tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment