Phillies Take 2-1 Lead Over Colorado

NFL News - October 12th, 2009 - Written by John

Chase Utley went 3-for-4 with a homer and the Philadelphia Phillies took Game Three in the NLDS against Colorado in a game with three lead changes and four ties. Ryan Howard had the game-winning hit in the top of the ninth, a long sacrifice fly to score Jimmy Rollins, to win a game that took over four hours to complete. Brad Lidge did a lot to silence his critics, slamming the door in a somewhat stressful ninth for his first save this postseason. He stranded runners on first and second with one out, popping up both Jason Giambi and Colorado's RBI leader Troy Tulowitzki.

“When the postseason starts, it’s a completely clean slate,” Lidge said. “It’s definitely a treat to be able to play here right now, get a chance to pitch in front of family and friends.”

A year after breezing to a National League-leading perfect save conversion, going 48 for 48 in 2008, Lidge was booed off the stage several times this year. He blew a league-leading 11 games and had a season ERA well north of seven. His struggles caused manager Charlie Manuel to start looking elsewhere for saves, but regained the job late in September.

“He’s had ups and downs,” Howard said. “Right now he’s here to finish games. That’s what matters. I was glad to see him out there.”

Utley opened the game with a solo homer in the top of the first to warm his team to the sub-30 degree temperatures. He was also key to setting up Howard's deciding pop out. Rollins led off the inning with a singled and moved to second on a bunt. Utley then followed with a pathetic dribbler in front of the plate, which replays showed hit his leg before he left the box. The ball should've been called dead, but it was too discreet to be seen in real-time and Utley was safe on a late throw to first, pushing Rollins to third.

“It looked like it hit him,” Helton said. “That was my first reaction that the ball hit him. Then I thought he was out (on the throw to first).”

Credit Utley, however, for giving umpire Jerry Meals no reason to stop the play.

“Chase Utley took off like it was nothing,” Meals said. “He gave no indication to us that it hit him. Whatever percent of the time, you’re going to get a guy that’s going to stop if it hits him."

Instead, the Phillies have are one game away from closing out the final division series. The Dodgers are already in the NLCS for the second-straight year after sweeping the Cardinals. In fact, the Phillies-Rockies' series is the only one in the preliminary round to not end in a sweep. It is the second year in a row that three of the four opening series' were sweeps.

Chad Durbin got the win in relief, part of a stuffling bullpen that only allowed two runs over six innings. They bailed out starter J.A. Happ, who coughed up the early 1-0 by allowing two runs in the bottom of the first. Happ was awarded the start after it was announced that the game time temperature would be around 35. Pedro Martinez was supposed to get the ball, but Manuel felt a younger, brisker Happ would be better suited for the weather. But he was harrassed by the Colorado Rockies in his three innings on the mound, primarily by Garrett Atkins, who had an RBI in his first two at-bats.

Carlos Gonzalez had a great night as well to pace the Rockies. He was 3-for-4 and is hitting .615 overall. He had a game-tying homer in the bottom of the fourth to make it 4-4 after Philadelphia exploded for four runs in the top of the frame.

Phillies' catcher Carlos Ruiz then broke the tie in the sixth inning with an RBI single to make it 5-4 before Tulowitzki knotted it once again with a sac fly.

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