Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Myers Returns Against the Mets (Live)

Coming off an emotional win last night, the Phillies' most emotional player, Brett Myers, makes his return to the big leagues tonight, as the Phillies take on the Mets. We'll be providing live coverage.

7:09: SNY (yes, we're in New York) gives us the Phillies starting lineup. It's loaded with lefties, including Greg Dobbs at third. I know Pedro Feliz isn't hitting lately, but starting Dobbs at third seems like a bad idea considering how much the Mets like to bunt for base hits.
7:15: Burrell flies out to center, completing a 1-2-3 first inning for John Maine. Not a great start for the offense but they made Maine work a bit.
7:18: And here...we...go. Myers throws two straight balls before throwing a strike, then inducing a Jose Reyes routine grounder to second. So far so good.
7:20: So much for the perfect game. Myers walks Endy Chavez on four straight balls.
7:25: Ball eight. Ball twelve. Myers has now walked the bases loaded. He's had no luck locating his fastball. Now Carlos Beltran steps in with one out and the bases loaded.
7:30: Ball sixteen. Myers walks in a run. Pretty pathetic. He had a 3-2 count on Beltran and threw a low breaking ball. We all know Beltran doesn't swing on 3-2 counts, so why not throw a fastball? Maybe he's a little too self-conscious about his home run totals. Marlon Anderson follows with a grounder to first that is bobbled by Ryan Howard. Chase Utley wisely backs it up and throws to Myers for the force at first, but Wright scores on the play. Damion Easley then grounds to third to end the inning. Mets lead 2-0
7:35: We are graced with an interview with the Geico caveman. You can't make me hate baseball, SNY! Stop trying! Shane Victorino rekindles my love of baseball with a home run to right. That's more like it.
7:38: Another home run, this time from...Geoff Jenkins?! No, that's not a typo. So we've got Myers walking everyone and Maine serving up home run balls. Are we sure Myers and Maine didn't switch places? Remember that movie Face/Off, with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage? Something like that may be at work here.
7:40: Myers is down on strike to end the inning, but back-to-back home runs by Victorino and Jenkins (I can't believe it either) have tied the game at 2-2.
7:46: Maine rips a ball to the left side of the infield, but Rollins makes a great snare and a strong throw for the second out of the inning.
7:48: Reyes fakes a bunt down the third base line, then decides to swing instead, grounding out to Rollins a few pitches later. Should've stuck with the bunt idea. There's no way Dobbs throws Reyes out. Wait, did Myers just have a 1-2-3 inning? Granted, he faced the 8-9-1 hitters, but still.

Well, this was as far as I got before my internet went out. Suffice it to say, the Phillies lost. Myers didn't pitch well, but he wasn't a total disaster either. In the end, the bullpen blew it. Namely, Ryan Madson, who surrendered a three-run shot to Reyes in the sixth.

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