Game 5 Suspended
Game 5 of the World Series has been suspended.
Game 5 Suspended
Todd Zolecki
You'll have to wait, but for how long?
A day? Two days?
Longer?
Gulp.
Major League Baseball suspended Game 5 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park in the middle of the sixth inning ... just after the Tampa Bay Rays tied the game, 2-2. I can honestly say I've never seen players in the clubhouse so angry, almost to the point where I wonder if it will affect them whenever play resumes. Players are upset because game conditions were terrible in the fourth inning, ridiculous in the fifth inning and downright comical in the sixth inning. But only after the Rays tied the game did MLB suspend play.
Coincidence?
B.J. Upton scored the game-tying run in the sixth after he hit a two-out grounder up the middle. Jimmy Rollins moved to his left, caught the ball in the hole and turned to throw to first. But the ball slipped out of his hand and Upton reached first base safely. Could Rollins have made the play under normal conditions? Maybe. He is one of the best shortstops in baseball. Upton then stole second with Carlos Ruiz barely getting a throw to the bag. Could Ruiz have made a better throw under normal conditions? Definitely, although there's no knowing if he would have thrown him out Upton or not.
Upton scored from second on Carlos Pena's single to left. Pat Burrell's throw was on target but bounced in the pool (or a pond) in front of home plate. Would a bounce on a dry surface have allowed Ruiz to get the ball a split-second sooner? Maybe.
Regardless, it was a joke. And because of this joke, Game 5 is going to be stained forever.
The Phillies just hope it doesn't stain their season.
*
The game has tenatively been rescheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday, but that's not official. Both teams will go with their bullpens. Rays manager Joe Maddon said he expects Grant Balfour, who already was in the game, to continue to pitch. No word on who the Phillies might pitch.
*
Should Game 5 had continued and the Phillies had won, the championship parade would have been Wednesday. That won't happen now.
What a way to stop the momentum. Sad....— jowillia1- is that official Todd?— eagles11
Bud Selig is on live right now and sounding awfully defensive about the decision to play tonight. I don't know that you can blame anybody, but what a total bummer. What do they do about tickets? I guess just honor the ticket stubs from tonight?— bobby- see my comment two posts ago, but this was my fear going into game.— timm2
- timm2: I'm not sure if it was you who suggested starting Myers tonight instead of Hamels, but I still say if the game is on, Hamels starts. Now it will be up to Myers, and maybe that's the way it should be. He can hopefully get the win he wanted in Game 2. But this way he won't have to do it in Tampa.— bobby
- i love how they waited until the rays tied it up to call this one. it should have been called before it was....no doubt.
- I HATE MLB. They are idiots and fools. I bet they totally let Fox dictate to them. This game never should have started. The only good thing is that it is suspended and not a rain shortened win. Can you imagine if the Phils had won it that way? It would have been like having an astrisk next to our win for all times. I want them to win it for real. I hate MLB. Bud Selig should be shot. Another black eye, to go along with the All-Star game of a few years ago, for MLB. Way to go.— Deb in Dixie
- Todd, you state above that the forecast was bad at the start of the game. Selig is going to great lengths to make the case that "3 weather services" were optimistic about the outlook for the game time. I'd love to hear more about those details, how the decision was made, and whether we're getting the straight story.— bobby
- So, Myers gets the start, but its really a relief type appearance. That has goodness written all over it.— transit.linx
There is no way I would allow Brett Myers to start- he always manages to settle in, but only after giving up a few runs in the first three innings... go with Romero, Madson, Lidge in a 3 inning game...BTW, I call shenanigans! Never should have gone past the 5th inning-should have been suspended then. what a way to kill the buzz...— kjuggs77- Bobby, what do you expect them to say? They are just playing CYA. I saw Depay on the TV and he said "well, it looked worse for tomorrow". I only hope that they don't try and force a game in when they shouldn't. If it still sucks tomorrow, wait until Wednesday to finish the game!!! Again, how is it that the MLB can look like they are run by 3d graders time and time again?— Deb in Dixie
- This is typical. You had to know this was going to happen. We are Philly fans. Nothing comes easy. Now it's a 3.5 inning game and Hamels was wasted. More pressure on us now. I can just see it now. Pena and Longoria are coming out of their slumps, they are close to heading back to Tampa. We're doomed. It's just more Phutility. I can't take this anymore. Why are we always the ones who suffer? It's our time, not theirs. OK, I'm done whining now. See ya in Clearwater.— JrsyBoy
- The forecast is bad for the next two days- how about this for a silver lining if we don't win game five- if they don't finish game five until Thursday Hamels could pitch a game seven on Saturday on regular rest. Whatever they do, they need to finish this game in Philadelphia. I've waited 25 years, another day or two is fine. GO PHILS!!!— KMG
- Given that they were not going to call the game and end it at 2-1, they should have suspended it after the 5th inning. Period.— bobby
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