RON CORTES / Staff Photographer
Paul Bako is greeted by Shane Victorino and Greg Dobbs (right) after his bases-loaded single won the game for the Phils in the bottom of the ninth.
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Joe Biden knew it would happen. When Ryan Howard stepped in last night with two on and one out in the ninth inning, representing the tying run, the vice president and his wife, Jill, were sitting behind home plate. As Phillies fans, the Bidens were well aware of the team's ability to come from behind, and they expected Howard to deliver.
The first baseman hit a long home run, and the Phillies went on to defeat Pittsburgh, 8-7, at Citizens Bank Park with a five-run ninth capped by Paul Bako's single. Manager Charlie Manuel called it "one of our best wins of the year."
After the game, standing next to Howard in the Phillies' clubhouse, Biden wore a Phillies hat and a broad smile.
"I said, 'Look, Jill, this is the time when he's going to hit a home run,' " Biden told Howard after shaking his hand and yelling, "Hey, man! How you doing, man? You're doing great, man!"
"The thing about the Phillies," Biden continued, "is you never give up. No one left. When they were down by five, by four, by three, they never gave up."
Biden was not the only fan thrilled to see an unlikely victory, after the team slumbered through eight innings.
The Phils were trailing by 7-3 to begin the ninth when Manuel sent pinch-hitter Matt Stairs to bat against Pittsburgh closer Matt Capps. Stairs is known for trying to mash a home run in every at-bat. Because his team trailed by four, did he change his approach and aim for a simple base hit?
"No," Stairs said, grinning.
Instead, he launched a drive to right field that made it 7-4. A resurgent Jimmy Rollins, who went 2 for 3 and tied a career high with three stolen bases, followed with a walk. After Shane Victorino flied out, Rollins stole second and went to third on Chase Utley's one-out single.
That brought up Howard, who, despite his flaws as a hitter, often shows an uncanny ability to create excitement. And he did, thrilling the vice president with the home run.
After that, the win seemed a mere formality. Raul Ibanez, in his first game back from the disabled list with a strained groin, hit a ground-rule double. After Capps intentionally walked Jayson Werth, Pedro Feliz hit an infield single to load the bases.
That brought up Bako, the 37-year-old veteran who just the day before was awarded the backup catcher's job when Chris Coste was waived. He fell behind in the count, 0-2.
"The approach goes into survival mode," Bako said. "Just trying to get the head of the bat on the ball and trying to get it through the infield."
He did exactly that on a 2-2 pitch, and experienced his first Phillies comeback. Bako said he was struck by the team's confidence that it could win. "Just the feeling in the dugout the whole inning before I got up there, the guys were in attack mode," he said.
Hamels also noted his teammates' confidence. He allowed seven hits, all of which were doubles or home runs (he cited location problems as the reason), but shut down the Pirates after the second inning.
"The guys in the dugout would say, 'Good job, we'll get them back,' " he said.
The offense fulfilled that promise. At this point in the season, it was hardly a surprise; as the vice president and almost everyone who follows the team knows, if the 2009 Phillies can do anything, they can overcome mediocre starting pitching.
Contact staff writer Andy Martino
at 215-854-4874 or amartino@phillynews.com.
