Phillies 3, Yankees 2: Hey, there were other pitchers too
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Phillies 3, Yankees 2: Hey, there were other pitchers too
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Editor's note: We will attempt to post a recap of every Grapefruit League game with some quick hits and tidbits for those of you who didn't follow (and actually did work during the day).
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Yes, all eyes were on Roy Halladay in his Phillies debut. He certainly didn't disappoint in the Phillies' 3-2 victory over New York. His complete line
2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (24 pitches, 21 strikes)
Yankees manager Joe Girardi may have summed it up best: "He hasn't changed much, that's for sure."
Halladay never threw more than one ball to a hitter. The only runner to reach base was via a Placido Polanco error in the first inning.
"He mixed them up pretty good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "His fastball hitting the outside corner, knee-high was pretty good."
-- But Halladay gave way to four other pitchers who also (mostly) looked decent in their first outings.
Kyle Kendrick, Jose Contreras and Andrew Carpenter each pitched two scoreless innings. Neither pitcher walked a batter. Each faced seven hitters in two innings. That's efficiency.
Pitching coach Rich Dubee said he was impressed with Kendrick's poise on the mound. Kendrick, who is competing for the fifth starter's job, said his confidence has never been better.
-- About Polanco: Yes, he made an error in the first inning. Yes, he botched a pop fly in foul territory during the fifth inning. But remember, it's spring training. And it was Polanco's first game at third base since 2005.
"It was very important to get the first one out of the way," Polanco said.
-- Leading 1-0 going into the ninth, Sergio Escalona allowed two Yankees runs. He was one out away from the save with the tying run on third base but couldn't close it. Three singles later, it was 2-1 Yankees.
The Phillies bailed Escalona out in the ninth when Paul Hoover doubled home Quintin Berry and Wilson Valdez later singled home the winning run.
Check out Friday's Inquirer for a full report on the game and Halladay.
KK keep it up. Win the 5 spot. Then when you pitch against the Stros plunk the red neck. Now that would be funny ! Enjoy the season homeboys and girls.— Reggie92- Polanco is already showing the error or Rube's ways....Don't get me wrong I am a big polanco fan but we gain nothing by adding polanco instead of beltre or keeping Feliz. Halladay throws ground balls and Hammels is working on the same, we needed a great defensive 3rd baseman more then we needed a great clutch hitter.— tsump
- And Philly NOT WIN the World Series this year!— Mister C
- Bankees. That's hilarious! Bottom Line: A wins a wins a win. And Halladay has us in for a GREAT year. I hate to say it, but anything short of a parade will be disappointing. With the team we have, from talent to intangibles, we are stacked. Go Phils!!!
- I hate the Bankees.— PhillyTru
- Nice to see Polanco, again.— Joe Gonnelli
- Really Bill R4? I didn't know that the first 40-50 games of the season counted less than any of the others. I guess the Phillies teams from the 1st half of the decade were following your philosophy. Players don't prepare the way they do and want to be on the field every second of the season because they like to relax in front of the fans - they do it because they want to win. Every game counts the same and every game is important.— SpeedDemon828
- GREAT POST PBINYC!!!...And your absolutely correct!...the moaners would have been out in full force had Halladay stumbled coming out the shoot for even a preseason game. Look at how they're going after Aumont? Anytime the Phils can beat the Evil Empire#2(cowgirls #1) it's a positive. And the fact that they came back late to do so after blowing the lead will only start to plant seeds in the minds of that crew from the Bronx...it won't be a romp in the park this season.— hope55
- Kendrick and Contreras are key guys. With them pitching well, we have a No. 5 starter and someone in the bullpen who can step in and start, should a guy on the rotation go down for a while. Without them, the rotation is thin.— eman
- They are going to dominate again. If they stay healthy, there is no reason this team can't go back again.— dr.elektrika
- Sometimes I just don't understand they way some of you think. A win in April is as important as a win in September. Wouldn't it be nice to have the NL East rapped up in August so that we could start bringing up minor leaguers and structure our line up for the post season.— Doubtful
- take that fifth spot, Special K! and get that work in at the hot corner, Polly!
- nice work by The Doc and Double K— furio
- Relax, baseball doesn't start until 40-50 games into the season. At least that's where the separation of contenders versus pretenders usually starts. Anything short of an appearance in the NLCS will be a disappointment. Getting past there takes luck and lack of injuries.— Bill R4
- and, they beat the college squad too.— thingfish
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- takes the sting out of the World Series, thats for sure...— fishthing
- Eight months too early.— th
let it go, our team won in 2008, WS in 2009, and will be back to compete in 2010. Negadelphia....
Five months too late.— burholme
