With one out in the ninth and two runners on base, Brad Lidge uncorked a 3-2 slider. It was picture perfect — Willy Taveras had to swing. He did, and he missed, and after a Jerry Hairston Jr. fly out a few pitches later, the Phillies had won a game they have not won all season.
The Phillies beat the Reds, 4-3. Pitching was good, hitting was clutch, relief was huge. At least for a night, the 2008 Phils came to visit, and boy did it look good.
Cole Hamels labored with 117 pitches through six innings, despite the pretty strong numbers (5 H, 3 ER, 7 K, 2 BB). He allowed two home runs, which isn’t recommended, but he battled through and was solid enough. Backing him up, clutching that one-run lead, were Clay Condrey, Ryan Madson and Lidge, whose save came after a hit and a walk. Tense moments, indeed, but huge moments.
Jimmy Rollins provided the big offensive moment with an RBI double. Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez singled and sacrificed, respectively, to add runs in the fifth inning. Ryan Howard homered in the second off Johnny Cueto.
Tim MalcolmTim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.
