IS BUYING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIS
Photos: 2009 Phillies DENVER - It was one of the biggest moments of Ryan Howard's already-illustrious career. With two outs in the top of the ninth inning and the Phillies trailing, 4-2, the All-Star first baseman stepped to the plate against Rockies closer Huston Street with runners on first and second. At the time, he carried the hopes of the rest of his teammates, not to mention millions of hopefuls in Philadelphia. The Phillies were one out away from a Game 4 loss, one out away from a late-night flight back to Pennsylvania for a decisive Game 5.
You can imagine the thoughts that might have rattled around in his mind. But according to Howard, there was only one.
"Just go up there and try to get a good pitch to hit and don't miss it,'' he said.
He got one, a 2-1 fastball, and he did not miss it, rifling a double to the rightfield corner that sent Shane Victorino and Chase Utley scampering home.
Not only did Howard tie the game and, later, on a two-out single by Jayson Werth, score the winning run, he put an exclamation point on an MVP-caliber series. Howard finished the NLDS with six RBI, tying him with Alex Rodriguez for the most in the majors in the first round of the playoffs. He hit .375, scored three runs, and helped propel the Phillies to their second straight National League Championship Series. He also continued to establish himself as a dangerous postseason hitter.
In the Phillies' last two playoff series, he has driven in 12 runs, including six in last year's World Series. He has hit at least .286 in each of the last three postseason series. In the last two years, he has scored 12 postseason runs.
Last night's heroics were another step. "Basically, I just went up there and tried to be as relaxed as I possibly could,'' Howard said, "and just told myself to get a good pitch to hit. I hoped that he would make a mistake and leave something up over the middle and just try to drive it and get a double.''
That's exactly what happened. And, as a result, the Phillies are on to the next round.
When Scott Eyre crumpled to the infield with an ankle injury while trying to field a Dexter Fowler bunt in the seventh inning of Game 4 Sunday night, the situation looked like a potentially crippling blow to the Phillies' bullpen.
Less than 24 hours later, the veteran lefthander jogged in from the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth inning with the Phillies holding a one-run lead. Eyre went on to record two outs and allow two hits before turning the final out of the game over to closer Brad Lidge.
Eyre said the ankle did not bother him.
"I got some good tape on there,'' Eyre said. "And a lot of anti-inflammatories.''
Regardless of the result of Game 4, the Phillies had planned to fly back to Philadelphia. The team contemplated flying straight to Los Angeles, where they will hold a workout tomorrow. But they decided such a move would put too much strain on the traveling party, which already spent 1 more day in Denver than anticipated.
Righthander Chan Ho Park threw a bullpen session at the Phillies' spring-training complex in Clearwater, Fla., yesterday, keeping alive the possibility he could contribute in the NLCS.
Park, whose return would lessen the need to keep righthander Joe Blanton in the bullpen, has not pitched in a game since straining his hamstring against the Nationals on Sept. 16.
"He seems to be improving," said general manager Ruben Amaro, although he did not provide a timeline for Park's return.
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