SCORES TWICE AFTER A PUCK TO THE FACE
I'm sure you all know the nuts and bolts, so I'll go over them quickly before getting into some meatier issues.
Jamie Moyer was knocked out of the game after allowing six runs and recording just four outs. The Phillies lost 7-2. The NLCS is now 2-1 in favor of the Phils.
On to the run down:
1) The biggest question posed to Charlie Manuel afterward is one that I'm sure that is on all of your minds. Where does this leave the Phillies for a potential Game 7? Moyer hasn't been sharp in either of his playoff starts. Take nothing away for what he did for this team during the regular season, but there is obviously some legitimate concern about sending him out to the mound for a potential Game 7 at Citizens Bank Park. Here is what Manuel had to say:
"We just have to wait. Rich Dubee and I will talk it over. . .Tonight it seemed like they kept adding on and they were really swinging on him good. But a lot of times he goes out and holds them."
A lot could depend on how Joe Blanton pitches Monday. He would be available to pitch on regular rest in Game 7, the way the rotation sets up. But nobody else would be available on longer than two days rest.
2) The melee: Shane Victorino declined to answer questions about the bench-clearing incident in the third inning. A couple Phillies said they thought they might see something from the Dodgers in retaliation for Brett Myers throwing behind Manny Ramirez in Game 2. Myers said last night that particular incident was unintentional.
"Were we expecting it? Not really," Manuel said. "But that's baseball. And you deal with that."
Manuel went on to say: "I have a problem any time you start throwing over somebody's head. There's a lot of problems. I was a player for 20 years. I got hit in the face real bad, as bad as you can get hit. And when you start to throw over people's ehad, there's a good chance people are goin to get hurt. That's not what these post-seasons are about and what baseball is about. Pitching and pitching inside and moving the ball around is all part of the game. But at the same time, you start throwing the ball up around people's head or like around their face, there's no place in baseball for that."
Manuel did say he thought the incident was over in his mind. J.C. Romero said he was trying to play peacemaker with Manny Ramirez, who had to be restrained by teammates during the incident.
3) One bright spot from tonight (there weren't many): The bullpen allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings. They've allowed just five runs all postseason.
4) Celebrity sightings: Tiger Woods, Jon Lovitz and Penny Marshall. So the A, B, and C lists were all represented. I think I also saw the guy who played the dad on the O.C. So I guess that would mean the D list was repped as well.
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