Phils Blow Another Lead At Wrigley

Posted by Tim Malcolm, Sat, August 30, 2008 09:18 AM

For the third game in a row, the Phillies blew a lead with a member of the bullpen on the hill. And for the third game in a row, the Phillies lost.

The 3-2 loss to the Cubs came with an Alfonso Soriano home run in the eighth inning. Before that homer, a controversial call denied what should’ve scored the Phils’ third run. But really, these little things aren’t the story. The story is a faulty bullpen — yet again — bad managerial decisions and an offense that can’t do a little more than expected.

To the Phils credit, they knocked Cubs starter Rich Harden out of the game after five innings. They were patient, walked, got runners on base. They scored in the first via a Pat Burrell RBI single. Then they scored in the fifth via a throwing error from a Ryan Howard single. Up 2-1, Joe Blanton couldn’t escape the sixth inning (walking five in the game), bringing on Scott Eyre. The usually reliable former Cub walked a runner with the bases loaded, tying the game.

From there, it just fell.

Though the Phils seventh-inning rally ended with the blown out call, Charlie Manuel decided to throw Clay Condrey in the late innings of a tie game in Wrigley Field. Were Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson really that spent (or injured)? Condrey immediately surrendered the Soriano homer. These are the things the Cubs do. The things winning ballclubs do.

The Phils couldn’t come back to at least tie the game. But why would they? Those are the things the Cubs do.

Associated Press photo

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14 Responses to “Phils Blow Another Lead At Wrigley”

  1. Fred Says:

    Granted the bullpen blew yesterday (again) but the real culprit all season has been the offense. Nineteen runners left on base?! That’s unexcuseable. Until the offense breaks out of this funk we will continue to fall farther behind. Right now we are consistently inconsistent.

  2. Georgie Says:

    Do you think these guys are really that bad, or are they and the management just too lazy to study pitchers that they will be facing? Why does almost every pitcher look like Cy Young against this team? Other teams figure out our pitchers, why can’t we do the same? Why do I keep beating my head against the wall? So many questions, no good answers.

  3. Phil Says:

    Not for nothing, but Rich Harden is a pitcher that mows every team down. Babe Ruth could be in the line up 9 times and he might not score more than 5 runs off of him. A sub 2.0 ERA says it all. The fact that we got 2 off of him in 5 innings and was patient and drew walks and got him out in the 5th says a lot. We shoulda beat up on their bullpen though. We beat up on Dempster too which is something no team was able to do at Wrigley field this year.

  4. Fred Says:

    Yea but the end result was still a loss. 19 LOB – that’s absolutely terrible. If the offense had done its job the bullpen meltdown wouldn’t matter.

  5. Phil Thadelphia Says:

    Putting aside the smack talk…

    The Mets & Phillies are in a dead heat coming to September. Everyone figured that would happen (except the seriously demented nitwits who picked the Braves). Everyone also figured they’d both be doing a lot better than this…

    I really didn’t agree with blaming the manager until around July. I liked Willie Randolph even if he wasn’t perfect. But to see the way the MEts have played since Jerry Manuel took over, you can’t help but realize there was a lot more wrong than we really could ever know. Granted, there are bullpen issues but who can figure those out? Let’s not forget that the bullpen was OUTSTANDING right before the All Star Game (other than the one game when they almost gave up a HUGE lead to your guys… but that was the start of the Mets tear, too).

    So, yeah… you should really be scrutinizing Charlie. I think that the dealine for firing the manager has long passed and you’ve got to hope for the best for 2008… but for 2009, the Phillies should look to see what their options are. I dunno what sort of contract Charlie has so those could be limited… I dunno.

    Now back to talking smack: Willie Randolph is available! :)

  6. LetsGoMets! Says:

    a dead heat is when you’re tied, you guys are two games back.

  7. Geoff Says:

    19 LOB = bad baseball team. thats what the phillies are. they need to disprove that this weekend. time to stop being a fraud guys.

  8. KM Says:

    This team is awful to watch sometimes. They can’t advance runners, they don’t have timely hitting, and without the longball, there is no offense. This team might make the playoffs, but it will only be if the Mets collapse again like last year – ain’t that right, scumbag mets fans.

    In the offseason the phillies need to be active in acquiring guys who can do the little things, like advance runners and who are willing to sacrifice their own personal stats to better the team.

    Trade Howard for pitching, resign burrell to play first, trade for a guy like a juan pierre – or someone similar, maybe get another bullpen arm.

  9. Phillies Suck Says:

    Hey, Chicago, what do you say
    The Cubs are gonna win today.

    They’re singing …
    Go, Cubs, go
    Go, Cubs, go

    Hey, Chicago, what do you say
    The Cubs are gonna win today.

    Go, Cubs, go
    Go, Cubs, go

    Hey, Chicago, what do you say
    The Cubs are gonna win today.

    They got the power, they got the speed
    To be the best in the National League
    Well this is the year and Cubs are real
    So come on down to Wrigley Field

    We’re singing now …

    Go, Cubs, go
    Go, Cubs, go
    Hey, Chicago, what do you say
    The Cubs are gonna win today.

    Go, Cubs, go
    Go, Cubs, go
    Hey, Chicago, what do you say
    The Cubs are gonna win today.

    Baseball time is here again
    You can catch it all on WGN
    So stamp you feet and clap your hands
    Chicago Cubs got the greatest fans.

    You’re singing now …

    Go, Cubs, go
    Go, Cubs, go
    Hey, Chicago, what do you say
    The Cubs are gonna win today.

    Go, Cubs, go
    Go, Cubs, go
    Hey, Chicago, what do you say
    The Cubs are gonna win today.

  10. David, the Mets fan from Queens Says:

    Whenever ANY team leaves runners in scoring position on a consistent basis, that team in question is NOT a very efficien ball club. Mind you, it is late August/early September so one should EXPECT most ball clubs to stumble offensively due to late-season fatigue. Regardless, those contenders that remain psychologically and physically strong throughout the season are those that win divisions, pennants and even the World Series; hence the cliche, are you a pretender or contender?

    With that said, are the Phillies and Mets pretenders or contenders?

    Opinions…

  11. R.Mac Says:

    @phillies suck

    get a life….

  12. TJ Says:

    Phillies are pretenders, offense has just straight up sucked since god knows when. Its bad because our pitchers have put us in a position to win games. Ask Hamels about that. Theres still hope for the playoffs but the bad losses we have had the last week or more, I just cant see it happening.

  13. Mark Says:

    Will someone throw ice on the sleeping Phillies offense. Better yet, snuff, some strong expletive-deleted snuff!!

  14. » Soriano’s Homer Powers Cubs Past Sleeping Phillies Offense | Blogging-Baseball.com Says:

    [...] Phillies Nation’s Tim Malcolm articulated the frustration which Phillies fans feel today with these comments; These are the things the Cubs do. The things winning ballclubs do. [...]

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