Pre-game:
The Phillies enter Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphin/Land Shark/Sun Life Stadium knowing that the Alanta Braves have lost - at home - to the Washigton Nationals for the second straight day.
All the Phils need to extend their NL East lead to 3 games is for Roy Halladay (18-10: 2.44 ERA) to outpitch Jorge Sosa (2-2: 5.82) and the current occupants of the Marlins bullpen - many of whom appeared on the NBC series Geeks and Freaks back in 1999.
Top 1st:
Sosa retires Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco to start the game, then issues walks to Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.
Mired in a 1-for-43 slump with RISP and two outs, Jayson Werth walks toward the batter's box as he recalls a conversation with Cole Hamels at lunch on the way to the Stadium.
Hamels: "Check it, Jayson . . .your problem is that you're trying too hard. A wise friend once told me . . ."Do or do not; there is no try!"
Werth (conversing with the Hooters waitress): "Actually Melody, I use Herbal Essence on both my hair and my beard - now you're sure you're 18? I don't want to have another misunderstanding like back at Spring Training."
Hamels: "FOCUS, Jayson! We need you to produce in the clutch if we want to hear Chase Utley swear at the victory parade in November. Stop trying and just hit the baseball!"
Werth: "OK . . .just as long as the pitcher doesn't stick his tounge out at me - I forget where I am when pitchers do that!"
As Werth grips his bat and stares down Jorge Sosa, a distant voice echoes in his head
"Do or do not; there is no try!"
With the count 2-2, Werth sees Sosa release a tailing sinker off the outside corner. Years of experience tell Werth to take the pitch and force the count full.
But the distant voice returns . . .
"You must unlearn what you have learned . . Swing now!"
With more of a poke than a swing, Werth connects with the outside sinker and slaps an opposite-field single to right. Utley scores on the play and the epic streak of futility is broken.
Raul Ibanez hears no voices tonight, but he sees a hanging change-up and slams a two-run double to the track in left-center.
Bottom 1st: PHI 3 - FLA 0
Roy Halladay has heard the murmers of reporters who feel that fatigue is taking it's toll on the Phils ace. After Emilio Bonafacio legs out an infield single, Logan Morrison steps in to face Halladay.
GOING PIGEON PRESENTS: CLASH OF THE TITANS PART I
Traffic snarls around greater Miami as the Worlds Greatest Hitter in the World faces the Worlds Greatest Pitcher in the World.
That's not true - there is no traffic snarl because nobody in Miami gives a crap about the Florida Marlins.
But on Mount Olympus, the Gods are gathered around the flatscreen watching MLB Extra Innings
Change-up: fouled
Fastball: called strike inside corner
Change-up: swing and miss - strikeout
Bonafacio eventually moves to second on a Hanley Ramirez groundout and scores on a Dan Uggla single, but Halladay doesn't care because he took round one against Morrison.
Top 3rd: PHI 3 - FLA 1
Jorge Sosa is pissed as the third inning begins. He was led to believe by manager Edwin Rodriguez that he would have to pitch two innings at most; maybe only one if he ran into trouble.
But Sosa has thrown 49 pitches over his first two innings. With his right arm burning, the journeyman hurler begins the third inning with a belt-high Napalm fastball to Chase Utley.
The ball streaks well above the fence just inside the right field foul pole.
A walk to Howard and a one-out single by Ibanez bring up Carlos Ruiz. The catcher sends a hard, but routine grounder to Chad Tracy: who forgets to field the baseball while deciding what base to throw to.
With the bases loaded and one out,Wilson Valdez draws a 2-2 count as Sosa seethes visibly. Sosa shatters Valdez's bat with a change-up, but the ball floats over short for an RBI single.
Following the hit, which came on Sosa's 69th pitch of the night, Rodriguez pulls his beleaguered starter from the game.
GOING PIGEON PRESENTS: BETWEEN THE LINES
As Sosa and Rodriguez re-enter the dugout, the pitcher can't resist the temptation to tap his manager on the shoulder.
Rodriguez instinctively turns and is met a fist across his left cheek. Minutes later, as his throbbing jaw rouses him back to conciousness, the manager thinks to himself: "Yeah . . . I deserved that."
Bottom 3rd: PHI 6 - FLA 1
GOING PIGEON PRESENTS: CLASH OF THE TITANS PART II
After striking out Jose Seda and Emilio Bonafacio to start the 3rd, Halladay sets to battle Logan Morrison once more.
Round two goes to Morrison quickly, as TWGHIW smacks a single past Halladay's ankles.
The clash is now even at one round apiece.
Morrison has now reached base in 35 straight games.
Back on Mount Olympus, Zeus quietly mutters under his breath: "Well done, my son."
Bottom 5th: PHI 9 - FLA 2
GOING PIGEON PRESENTS: CLASH OF THE TITANS PART III
Roy Halladay has labored through the first 4 innings against the Marlins, but with a huge lead the righthander only cares about one opposing hitter.
Logan Morrison steps in for the third time, and Halladay fires a first pitch strike before fooling the Marlins rookeie with a filthy change up.
Halladay ends the clash by fooling Morrison with a sinker that is grounded weakly to Utley at second.
HALLADAY 2 ROUNDS - MORRISON 1
As a dejected Zeus walks out of the Olympian Sports Bar, a pale fellow with red tatoos slams him against the parking garage wall.
Kratos, the newly crowned God of War, adresses Zeus in a low growl.
"I believe you owe me $500"
Bottom 9th: PHI 10 - FLA 4.
After pulling his struggling strater after six innings, Charlie Manuel nurses the game into the final frame with Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson.
With a six-run lead, Manuel assigns Brad Lidge the task of clinching the crucial victory for the Phils.
But Lidge is unable to locate his fastball, walking Morrison, Dan Uggla and Gaby Sanchez to force in Bonafacio (leadoff single).
Jose Contreras puts out the fire without further damage, and the Phils enjoy a happy flight to Washington D.C. But with Lidge ineffective in his first back-to-back appearance since his 'hyperextended elbow' last weekend, there seems to be new reason for Phillie fans to be concerned in 2010.
Final Score: Phillies 10 - Marlins 5
Final Score from Atlanta: Nationals 4 - Braves 2
I am Don Pigeon and I am OUT!!!
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