Running Stop Signs, Winning Games
Geoff Jenkins capped a dramatic ninth-inning comeback last night against the Houston Astros.
Running Stop Signs, Winning Games
Todd Zolecki
Jose Valverde's first pitch last night landed in the right-field stands at Citizens Bank Park.
His second pitch hit Chase Utley.
I had a feeling then that something crazy could happen last night in that ninth inning. Sure enough, two batters later Pat Burrell hit a two-run opposite field home run to tie the game, 3-3. Geoff Jenkins followed and struck out, but Brad Ausmus' passed ball allowed him to reach first base. Pedro Feliz then ripped a ball down the left-field line and into the corner, putting Jenkins in position to score the winning run in a 4-3 victory over the Astros.
That last play couldn't have been crazier.
Jenkins hauled himself from first to third. Third base coach Steve Smith initially waved him home, but threw up the stop sign once he saw Carlos Lee field the ball cleanly and get the ball to shortstop Miguel Tejada. But Jenkins never saw the stop sign, kept running and scored on a bang-bang play at the plate.
"I tried to get in front of him and he ran by," Smith said. "Thank goodness it worked out. You always wave him early, and then when they got [the ball] clean, you have to stop him with one out. If it's two outs, I would have sent him."
"You go hard, hard, hard," Jenkins said. "When you supposedly pick up the third-base coach and he throws the stop sign up, you stop. I just was in that tweener part where I had the head down, hit third and go. I didn't see it."
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In the Phillies Notebook, Jimmy Rollins thinks he's closer to returning to the lineup. But he's still not there yet. Tonight? Maybe, but I would doubt it.
Comment removed.
Actually, he made the right call. One out. Clean pick-up of the ball. Game already tied.— John in LA- ^ Smith is a little too stop happy, but last night it really looked like Jenkins was actually out. Which is incredible, nice to see a botched call go the Phillies way for once....— Reggie
- Quit complaining for God's sake...they won the game. This time, he did the right thing and tried to hold Jenkins up. It was late, but all 3rd base coaches do that so the runner is going hard. There has been and will be plenty of instances where you can rip Steve Smith, but today isn't one of them. BTW, they won the game...just to let you know.— Billy The Kid
- Comment removed.
- Had he been thrown out, we would be bashing Jenkins for running thru the stop sign. He still looks like he was out. I thought he was going to be out. Everyone sitting around me said either "oh shXX" or "oh no" in unison on the play. Smith was right to hold him up.— jimmymack
- Dobbs has looked awful at the plate striking out 6 of 14 times so far this year. Wonder if he will be sent to the Valley to get his stoke back. This Snelling is some kind of pinch hitter. In his ML career as a PH he has now hit for the cycle going 5 for 14.— Dull
- Maybe Snelling can play first for a few days...or a week. Or a month.— John in LA
- reggies, you're completely wrong and obviously dont watch the phillies enough. he got pat burrell and ryan howard thrown out at the plate several times last year. smith is terrible and sends too many guys, but actually made the right decision last night.— mikeb
- This is why I wasn't as worried after the Mets got Santana. The Phils can bring in backups who can get the job done. They actually have depth that can contribute. The Mets traded all theirs away and will have some rough streches when injuries hit. I know Pagan is playing well now but he isn't that good and the league will catch up to him.— bball
- How many days until the Philly press - rightly - starts ripping guys for not contributing? We're through 10% of the season. One in particular looks totally clueless.— John in LA
- Cupcake in LA can bash and post negativity with impunity. The rest of us get censored, punished and experience delayed posting if we get posted at all. This is the most undemocratic and unconstitutional blog run by a newspaper in America!— Truth
- I hope Kendrick doesn't spend the night nibbling around the plate like he has so far this year. And I keep JRoll out until Friday. Tempting to sit Ryan down for a day or two to clear his head and take extra BP, he looks totally lost up there, swinging at really lousy pitches. Speaking of the 10 million dollar man, watch him hold runners on base, a perfect throw would be wasted, he is in no position to apply a tag. Not sure if we have anyone to make THAT throw, just saying...— jimmymack
- "Cupcake" here. Somebody's feeling defensive. We watching the same games, Truth?— John in LA
- Cupcake's right....btw, anyone else annoyed at watching Howard shake his head back and forth as he's walking away from homeplate after striking out yet again? It is the most annoying habit he has,......aside from striking out, that is.— Mark1npt
