Game Recap:
Despite six strong innings from J.A. Happ and a three run home run by John Mayberry, Brad Lidge was unable to hold the lead as the Phillies lost to the Yankees.
What went right?
Raul Ibanez went 1-4 with his 17th home run of the season.
John Mayberry went 2-3 and nailed a three home run for his first major league hit. Welcome to the big leagues, enjoy the next day before you get sent back to AAA.
J.A. Happ was not like Chan Ho Park, going six innings and allowing just two runs on four hits. He struck out four and walked one.
What went wrong?
Jimmy Rollins was 0-4.
Ryan Howard was 0-4.
Jayson Werth was 0-4.
Brad Lidge blew his third save of the season, getting only one out before allowing an Alex Rodriguez home run, a Robinson Cano single and stolen base, and a Melky Cabrera game winning single.
Game Analysis:
I don't know what the hell is wrong with Brad Lidge, but I'm sure as hell sick of it. I knew he wouldn't be perfect again this season; the law of averages just spells that out. But for him to have a 9.16 ERA in May with three blown saves is pathetic. There has to still be something wrong with his knee or something, because this is not the same guy that went 48-48 in saves last season. He just doesn't have that same look to him this season, and when your closer is the weak spot in your bullpen, there's going to be trouble, and right now, there's trouble. There has to be a way or a reason to send Lidge to the DL just to get him to work this out. Ryan Madson can close until Lidge is ready to come back, and maybe then he'll have everything ready to go. The Mets had problems at the back end of their bullpen each of the last two years, and I don't want to be like the Mets this year.
If not for Lidge, I'd be talking about how awesome J.A. Happ was today. For a kid to make his first start of the season, at Yankee Stadium, against that lineup...just amazing. He had the Yankees looking silly the entire time he was in there, and if it weren't for the fact that he was on a pitch count today, he could have gone into the seventh or even the eighth inning. Chan Ho Park he was not, and that is a very, very good thing. If he can keep this up along with Brett Myers and Cole Hamels, all of a sudden the Phillies have a decent looking rotation again.
Of course, the offense didn't exactly do their part to help Happ along, save for one of the usual suspects and the new guy. Raul Ibanez is still playing out of this world, and he leads baseball in home runs. For those of you that would question his playing at Citizen's Bank Park for his increase in homers, he actually has one more home run on the road than he does at home. Thanks for playing, though. The second best story of the day, aside from Happ, was the first major league hit of John Mayberry. His fifth inning home run gave the Phils a 4-1 lead, and it would have stood as the game winning hit had the bullpen been able to keep the lead. That being said, it's nice to see the new kid getting his moment this weekend. It's pretty obvious that unless he sets the world on fire he's going back down to AAA after Sunday's game, so for him to get a homer for his first big league hit is a thrill and something he can tell his grandkids about.
This game left a bad taste in my mouth, but hopefully things will get better tomorrow, as the heavyweights of the pitching staffs clash. Cole Hamels (2-2, 4.95 ERA) will go against CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.43 ERA). I can't wait to see how this one plays out, and hopefully the Phils come out on top to close out their road trip.
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