The Phillies wrapped up their four-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night. The team was coming off of an exciting walk off win the night before. Perhaps more of the same would happen in this game. The Rockies sent out rookie Chad Bettis to the mound, making his fifth career major league appearance. Kyle Kendrick, who hasn’t had a good start in some time, started for the Phillies.
The bottom of the second inning was when the first run of the game was put on the board. Phillies third baseman Cody Asche drove in outfielder Dominic Brown with an RBI double off of Bettis. Kendrick cruised nicely through the next few innings until the top of the fifth. Outfielder Dexter Fowler tied the game with a sacrifice fly after Bettis put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third base.
The Rockies also did some damage in the top of the sixth inning. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Michael Cuddyer led off the inning with singles. Catcher Wilin Rosario then came to the plate and crushed a Kendrick pitch into the left-field stands for a three-run homer to put Colorado up 4-1. Rosario was a thorn in the side of the Phillies this whole series, hitting three home runs and driving in seven runs.
The Phillies would not give up in this game, though. In the bottom of the eighth inning, outfielder Darin Ruf hit a two-run homer to pull the Phils within one run of the lead. Going into the bottom of the ninth, Rafael Betancourt came in to close the game, as he did last night. But, would he blow another save or would he be successful?
Betancourt got the first two outs of the inning easily. But, shortstop Jimmy Rollins then came up to the plate and stroked a double down the right field line. First baseman Michael Young then hit an infield single to tie the game, 4-4. It was another blown save for Betancourt, who then left the game with a back problem after giving up the lead. A few batters later, with two men on base, Brown hit a single which drove Young in to win the game. The comeback was completed and the series was over, with the Phillies taking three out of four games from the Rockies. Even though their season is all but over, the Phillies and the home crowd celebrated the win as if they were still in contention and battling for a playoff spot. This win felt like a nostalgic Phillies win from a few years ago. They battle and battle to the end and eventually find a way to win. Man, I miss those days. Hopefully, there are more of these days to come. Thursday night’s win was also Ryne Sandberg’s fourth win as Phillies interim manager.
The Phils will finish out their 10-game home stand with a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks that begins on Friday. Wade Miley will start for the D’Backs on Friday, while Cole Hamels will take the hill for the home team.
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