After dominating the Cincinnati Reds in a 4-0 win in game one behind Roy Halladay’s no-hitter (only the second in MLB post-season history) the Philadelphia Phillies sent Roy Oswalt to the mound on Friday night to face Bronson Arroyo in game two of the best of five series.
Roy OswaltRoy Oswalt Composing Himself
Independent Philly was at Citizen’s Bank Park to catch the action first hand.
While Halladay faced 28 batters without allowing a single hit or run, Oswalt surrendered a lead-off home run to Brandon Phillips quickly erasing any (unreasonable) hopes for a repeat performance of Halladay’s gem.
I Wish Harry Were Here
From that point on, things just got plain old weird.
Chase Utley, usually a stellar fielder, committed two errors.
Chase Utley Recording an OutRyan Howard at Bat
The Phillies stranded several runners and Oswalt allowed a single run (not all earned) in four of the first five innings giving the Reds a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Jayson Werth at BatJayson Werth and Ryan Howard Preparing to Bat
That’s when the winds of change blew through Citizen’s Bank Park. Over the next four innings the Phillies scored seven runs without an extra-base hit (they are yet to hit a home run this post-season). Thanks to four errors by Reds position players, and three hit batters by Reds pitchers, the Phillies were gifted several of these unearned runs.
Scott Rolen at Bat (Yes, He Got the "Boooos") Citizen's Bank Park Way
At one point Chase Utley appeared to be hit by a 101 MPH pitch (he later said he wasn’t sure if it hit him). He then appeared out at second on a fielder’s choice but was called safe. Jimmy Rollins next hit a pitch that Jay Bruce lost in the lights and Utley looked like he missed third base on his way home. His run (which tied the game at 4-4) still counted.
Ryan Madsen and Carlos Ruiz on the Mound
The Phillies bullpen came in and shut down the Reds. J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras, and Ryan Madsen combined for three innings of work, allowing only one hit.
Brad Lidge came in to pitch the top of the ninth and preserved the 7-4 lead to record his first save of the 2010 playoffs. Contreras, who pitched a one-two-three seventh inning, got the win.
Lights Out up in Lights
The series now heads to Cincinnati where the Reds haven’t hosted a playoff game in fifteen years. Cole Hamels will take the mound for the Phillies on Sunday night. He will be opposed by Reds starter Johnny Cueto. If the Reds manage to win game three, game four would be played on Monday.
Ring My BellPhillies Savoring the Win
To see our expanded photo gallery from Game 2, please click on the link below:
2010: One of The Phillies League Best 95 WinsRoy Halladay Delivers the First Official Pitch of 2010 Season
The Philadelphia Phillies finished the 2010 Major League season with a 97-65 record, the best in all of baseball. After winning the World Series over the Rays in 2008 and losing last year’s World Series to the Yankees, the Phillies seem poised to make another run into late October/early November.
Phillies Win Fourth Straight NL East Title
Up first for the Fightins is the Cincinnati Reds who made the playoffs for the first time since 1995 after winning the NL Central with 91 wins.
Ryan Howard
The Phillies closed out August and September in post season form going 41-18 in late summer. There are also many additions to this 2010 Phillies that make them more dangerous than the 2009 or 2008 clubs.
Cliff Lee in 2009 NLDS
The first, and most obvious, is the starting pitching. Gone is Cliff Lee, the best pitcher the Phillies had last post-season. Instead the Phillies will turn to Roy Halladay (who will take the mound in game 1). Halladay is the front-runner for the NL Cy Young Award. In 2010 he became the first Phillies pitcher since Steve Carlton to record 20+ wins (finishing with 21). He finished the season as the team leader in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.
Phillies Ace: Roy Halladay
Roy Oswalt has been nothing short of spectacular since joining the Phillies. In his 12 starts since he joined the team Oswalt has a 7-1 record with a 1.74 ERA. His only loss came in his first game with Philadelphia just one day after being traded from Houston.
Finally, but no less important, is 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamel’s return to dominant form. Hamels posted a career best 3.06 ERA this season while also setting a career best in strikeouts with 211.
Cole Hamels Returned to Form in 2010
With three legitimate number one pitchers, and no need to use a fourth starter in the NLDS, the Phillies are in very good shape.
Then there is the return of Brad Lidge to the Lights Out closer the Phillies can rely on in the 9th inning. Lidge finished the season with 27 saves in 32 chances and down the stretch he really looked like the guy that helped the Phillies win it all in 2008 (instead of the guy that made Phillies fans all hold their breath with nervousness last year).
Lidge is a Big Piece of the 2010 Phillies Playoff Puzzle
The pitching alone would give Phillies fans more than enough to be hopeful about this post-season, but wait, there’s more.
Placido Polanco
The Phillies added third baseman Placido Polanco before the start of the 2010 season and Polanco ended the regular season as the club leader in batting average (.298) and had a .988 fielding average committing just five errors.
Wilson Valdez
Last season the Phillies didn’t have a bench that was up to the task. In 2010 they head into the post-season with a much improved bench that boasts new faces like Ross Gload, Mike Sweeney, Domonic Brown, Wilson Valdez, and Brian Schneider. The only hold-over from last year appears to be Ben Francisco who ended the final few games of the season as hot as anyone on the team.
Raul Ibanez at Bat Against the Reds
Phillies Catcher Carlos "Chooch" Ruiz
Underneath all of the new editions and reasons for Phillies fans to get excited this post-season, is the best top to bottom line-up in baseball: Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, and Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz, batting out of the eight hole, never ceases to amaze in October.
Ryan Howard: Big Man, Big Swing
Phillies 2nd Baseman Chase Utley
What does Cincinnati bring to the table?
The Big Red Machine: Joey Votto
The Reds were the only team in the National League to score more runs than the Phillies this season. First baseman Joey Votto is the front-runner to win the league’s 2010 MVP award (finishing with 37 home runs, 113 RBI, and a .324 batting average). They also have ex-Phillie Scott Rolen at third base who, along with outfielder Jay Bruce, chipped in another 45 long balls for the Reds (Brandon Phillips and Drew Stubbs contributed another 40 home runs).
Likely 2010 NL MVP Joey Votto at Bat
Brandon Phillips Batting Against the Phillies
The big question for the Reds is their pitching.
Cincinnati Long Ball
Bronson Arroyo led the team in wins with 17, Johnny Cueto was first in both ERA (3.64) and strikeouts (138), and game one starter Edinson Volquez finished the season on a high note (31 K’s, 8 BB, and 17 hits in over 27 innings of work).
The Reds Led the NL in Runs Scored in 2010
In the end, with their dangerous line-up and above average pitching, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Reds win a game in this short series but the Phillies are the more talented team and know what it takes to win in the post-season. The Phillies went 5-2 against the Reds in the regular season. Our prediction is Phillies win in 4.
Ryan Howard at Bat vs. The Reds
Make sure to check back as Independent Philly will be at Citizen’s Bank Park to capture the action this week and will also be making in-depth predictions for each round of the post-season as the Phillies attempt to capture their second World Series title in three years.
**UPDATE: Placido Polanco was forced to sit out game one with a back injury and Wilson Valdez got the start at 3rd base. In his first post-season appearance ever, Roy Halladay threw only the second no-hitter (first since the 1950’s) in MLB playoff history. The Phillies won the game 4-0 over the Reds**
Independent Philly 
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