Hamels versus Strasburg. If Citizens Bank Park had a marquee, those three words would suffice.
The crafty lefty against the fire-balling righty. Both hurlers were at the top of their game on a warm, humid evening in South Philadelphia. For baseball aficionados who revel in old fashioned pitchers’ duels, this was the place to be. The Phillies defeated the Nationals, 3-2. Neither starter was around to figure in the decision. But, they were the main attraction.
Hamels carved up the Nationals’ lineup as if he had early dinner reservations on Rittenhouse Square. The only blemish on his line was an 0-2 fastball that bisected home plate and ended up in the left-center field bleachers courtesy of Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. This was Hamels’ most efficient outing of the season, throwing only 87 pitches in seven innings – 69 of those were strikes. Zimmerman’s home run was one of only two hits that Hamels allowed during the game. He struck out eight while not walking a single batter. But, as is the case whenever Hamels toes the rubber in 2013, he has to beg for run support. Hamels came into the game with the fourth worst run support in Major League Baseball. His opponent on the mound had the worst.
The Phillies finally scratched out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins led of the inning with a walk. As Chase Utley stepped into the batters’ box for his at-bat, 30,248 paying customers were about to witness a play that they most certainly have never seen before, and may never see again. As Utley swung and missed at a Strasburg fastball, Nationals’ catcher Wilson Ramos leapt out of his crouch to throw a laser to first base in an attempt to catch Rollins napping. The throw hit Utley’s bat on his back swing – sending the ball rolling behind home plate. The error allowed Rollins to advance to second base. After Utley struck out, catcher Carlos Ruiz stepped to the plate and promptly lined a broken bat single to left field, tying the game.
Hamels and Strasburg remained dead-locked in a 1-1 game until the Nationals were able to score against the Phillies’ bullpen in the top of the eighth inning. Second baseman Anthony Rendon lined a one-out single off of reliever Justin DeFratus. Pinch hitter Chad Tracy followed with a walk. Ryne Sandberg had seen enough and summoned left-hander Cesar Jimenez from the bullpen. Jimenez quickly walked Bryce Harper to load the bases with one out. Sandberg elected to leave Jimenez in the game to pitch to right-hand hitting Scott Hairston. He lofted a fly ball to shallow, left-center field. Center fielder Cesar Hernandez made the catch, but his subsequent throw to home plate ran out of steam, allowing Rendon to score easily.
As the Nationals took a 2-1 lead, silence fell over the Dollar Dog Night crowd. A one-run, eighth inning deficit is a steep hill to climb for an anemic offense. But, things were about to become interesting.
As the bottom of the eighth inning progressed, the Phillies had two outs and nobody on base against Nationals’ set-up man/workhorse Tyler Clippard. In an impressive show of plate discipline, rookie Hernandez worked a walk. Rollins followed with a ringing double off the top of the fence in right-center field, scoring Hernandez – just missing a home run. Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson decided to intentionally walk Utley and pitch to Ruiz. Ruiz smashed a single to left field that reached Harper in two blinks. Rollins steamed towards home plate with the go-ahead run. Harper unleashed a clothesline toward home plate. For a split-second it looked like Ramos would catch Rollins and the ball simultaneously. The throw drifted toward the foul side of the third base line. Rollins slid away from the catcher and reached home plate just ahead of the tag. Safe!
Closer Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 24th save of the season in typical, heart-stopping fashion. One-out singles by Ian Desmond and Adam LaRoche put runners on first and third. Papelbon recovered by striking out Ramos and Rendon to seal the win.
Hamels must be wondering what he has to do to get a win around here. If this was 1993, a few cases of beer would be all the enticement the offense would need to put a few extra runs on the board. This however, is not 1993.
NOTES: Monday’s attendance of 30,248 was the smallest crowd at Citizens Bank Park since April 3, 2008…With the win, the Phillies improved to 10-8 under interim manager Ryne Sandberg…Tuesday’s pitching matchup is RHP Ethan Martin, 2-3, 6.39 ERA versus LHP Gio Gonzalez, 8-6, 3.56 ERA.
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