Dramatic Comeback Stuns Mets

Thank you, Jerry Manuel.  Thank you for lifting your $20 million ace from a game he was dominating even though your closer is on the shelf.  Thank you very much.  The Phillies looked dead in the water last night.  Johan Santana kept them off balance, allowing just two runs on eight hits in eight innings of work.  Even though he had thrown just 105 pitches, Jerry Manuel decided to lift him for reliever, Duaner Sanchez.  That’s when the fun began.

The Phillies, down to their final three outs, came to life.  They strung together three-straight singles off Sanchez, to load the bases with no outs.  Sanchez was lifted for Joe Smith, who induced a Carlos Ruiz grounder to short.  Jose Reyes committed a mental error on the play, failing to touch second base, and everyone was safe.  The play left the Phillies down 5-3 with the bases loaded, no outs, and So Taguchi at the plate to face Pedro Feliciano.  Taguchi fought off several tough pitches — it was an incredible at-bat by Taguchi — before lacing a double to right field, tying the game at 5-5.  Jimmy Rollins followed with an two-run double of his own.  After adding another insurance run, the Phils turned to closer, Brad Lidge to end the game.  Though he allowed a run, Lidge slammed the door shut for his 22nd save in as many chances.

Joe Blanton made his first start as a Phillie, allowing five earned runs on eight hits in six innings of work.  Two of those hits were homers.  Though it wasn’t a solid start by any stretch of the imagination, I’m going to hold off judgement on Blanton until he makes another start or two.  He made some costly mistakes — especially with his breaking ball — but to be fair, he hadn’t pitched in nearly two weeks.

It was good to see the Phils come to life late in the game.  Better late than never, I suppose.  I realize that the offense was facing one of the best pitchers in the league, but it would be nice to see them put together at-bats like those they had in the ninth for an entire game.  Let’s see if the Phils can build on the momentum they started to gain last night.