Game Recap:
Joe Blanton only needed 74 pitches to throw seven innings of two run baseball, and the Phillies drove in just enough runs to win their 11th game in a row and move seven games up on the Braves with just eight games left to play.
What went right?
Shane Victorino was 2-4 with a leadoff home run and two RBI.
Placido Polanco went 2-4.
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 and scored a run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-3 with the game winning RBI.
Wilson freaking Valdez was 1-3 with a run scored.
Joe Blanton pitched well once again, allowing just two runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He walked one and struck out six.
Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge did their jobs in the eighth and ninth innings once again, shutting down the Mets for the last six outs of the game. Madson worked a perfect eighth inning, while Lidge ended up with runners on the corners before recording his 27th save of the season.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 0-3, and that's about it.
Game Analysis:
I've said it time and time again so far this month, but it's amazing to see how far the Phillies have come since they were swept at the hands of the Astros at the end of August. Coming into September, the Phils were three games back of the Braves, and their chances of making the playoffs weren't that good. Now, after a 19-3 run this month and an 11 game winning streak, the Phillies have the best record in baseball and their magic number to clinch the National League East is down to just two. That's after a great outing by Joe Blanton tonight, who continued the great pitching that's been carrying this team through much of this late season run.
For all the crap that I've given Joe Blanton this season, the fact of the matter is that he's been pitching very well since the All Star break. Since his last loss on July 21, Blanton has gone 5-0 with an ERA of 3.54, which is quite respectable for a fourth starter in this rotation. If the Phillies need someone to start a game or two during the playoffs, Blanton should be up to the task, and the Phils should look to him before Kendrick. Blanton has pitched better in the playoffs, and has looked better as the season has gone on. Tonight was no exception, as the big man held the Mets to just two runs in seven innings, and he did that on just 74 pitches. He avoided the big inning that was his biggest problem during the start of the season, and he looked confident out on the mound tonight.
If Blanton can keep this up, then there's nothing that can stop people from saying the Phillies have the best starting rotation heading into the playoffs. They already have Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, and the way that Blanton has been pitching of late, he's a great addition to this excellent pitching staff. Besides, if the Phils can keep winning, they'll end up with the best record in the National League, which will let them set a playoff schedule that can have Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt potentially start 17 of 19 games without needed to go on short rest. That's exactly what the Phillies want, and if they keep winning, it's going to happen. I'm not trying to sell Joe Blanton short right now, because the man has back to back years of playoff experience and has been good lately, but you can't go wrong with those three pitchers on the mound. It's just not possible.
As for the offense, it struggled again tonight, but the Phils have been relying on their pitching so much lately that it hasn't mattered. Tonight, Shane Victorino was the spark plug, starting the game with a home run and then driving in a run in the second inning with a double to do most of the damage. Carlos Ruiz finished things off with another clutch hit, driving in the game winning run with an RBI single in the fourth inning. From there, the offense couldn't do much, but they didn't have to with Blanton, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge pitching. It's not as pretty as it's been over the last few years, but the fact remains that this pitching staff is one of, if not the, best in baseball right now. As long as the bats can piece together a few runs per game, then they should be able to win. Add into that the idea that Jimmy Rollins might be back as soon as Sunday, and things are looking even better for the offense.
Any time you have Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez in the middle of your lineup, it's only going to be a matter of time before they break out and have a few big games. The offense did struggle against the Braves, and they only put up three runs tonight against the Mets, but they've struggled this season against R.A. Dickey, and the Braves did bring out Tommy Hanson and two rookies that the Phils hadn't seen yet. Those aren't the best scenarios for this offense, and that's not an excuse, those are facts. The Phillies struggle against pitchers that they haven't seen, and junk ballers like Dickey give them trouble, too. Remember, Dickey pitched a one hit shutout against the Phillies earlier this season, so he's been very good against this team.
None of those struggles matter right now, though. The Phils, thanks to Washington beating the Braves tonight, have their magic number for clinching the National League East for the fourth straight season down to just two. That means the Phillies, with six road games and two home games left, could still clinch the division at home, and keep the Braves from making the playoffs in Bobby Cox's last regular season games. That would be twice as sweet, but we'll see what happens during that last series. For now, Phils fans just need to sit back and enjoy this moment. Not many people thought it was going to happen this year, but this team has gotten hot at just the right time. Now, it's only a matter of time before they make the playoffs again.
Tomorrow, Kyle Kendrick (10-9, 4.78 ERA) looks like he's getting the start for the Phillies. He'll be facing Dillon Gee (1-1, 1.80 ERA). The Braves play during the afternoon, so the Phils will know what they have to do before their game even starts. This is when it gets fun, people.
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