THINKS THE EAGLES STOLE ONE
Around 1 p.m., TVs in the Philadelphia area started going crazy. We hope your remote didn't run out of batteries. Here is a timeline of what we saw:
12:56: Amid the fog, the Eagles run onto the field.
12:59: TBS intro: "Milwaukee faces elimination for the second time. Only this time, momentum is on their side." The Brewers should thank the Phillies' cold bats for that.
1:01: Why is John Smoltz on TV?
1:04: Kickoff at the Linc.
1:06: Eagles avoid punting before the Phillies' first pitch. Impressive.
1:07: Shane Victorino is back at No. 2 in the lineup. Why was Jayson Werth in that spot Saturday?
1:08: First pitch is a strike for Brewers starter Jeff Suppan.
1:09: Leadoff home run for Jimmy Rollins. That didn't take long. TBS: "I think Suppan would've rather that been ball four instead of a home run." Really?
1:12: Touchdown! Brian Westbrook punches it in from 9 yards. How about some much-needed balance for the Eagles' offense: 12 plays, 6 rushing, 6 passing, 80 yards in 6:34. Good start for both teams.
1:14: Westbrook is getting worked on on the sideline. Just what we need after that drive.
1:20: DeSean Jackson returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. Flags on the play were negated. Upon further review, it looks like Tank Daniels did throw a block in the back to spring Jackson. First punt return for a TD for the Eagles since 2003.
1:29: Prince Fielder gives a Joe Blanton pitch a ride to leftfield, but Pat Burrell makes the grab. End of the first inning. At the Linc, Juqua Parker thumps Jason Campbell and the Redskins are forced to punt.
1:32: Burrell gets his first hit of the series, breaking an 0-for-8 slump.
1:39: David Akers misses a 50-yard field goal. What else is new?
1:44: With Burrell on third and Greg Dobbs on second and one out, Carlos Ruiz and Blanton strike out. Suppan is out of the jam and the inning.
1:47: The bank is open. Shaun Suisham (who?!) clanks in a 41-yard field goal off the left upright for the Redskins. Eagles still lead, 14-3.
1:50: Blanton throws a seven-pitch second inning.
1:57: What's up with Chase Utley? Utley grounds out, making him 2-for-14 in the series. But he does move Victorino to third.
2:02: Home run! Burrell launches a three-run blast. Continuing his success against Suppan, Burrell is now 11-for-23 against him. This is his fourth home run off Suppan and his ninth, 10th and 11th RBIs.
2:04: Werth follows up with a solo home run, a 400-foot blast. Big inning for the Fightin' Phils, who lead, 5-0.
2:09: Suisham is good. Real good. He knocks through a 48-yarder. Eagles still up by eight.
2:13: Pitching change for the Brewers. Suppan out. Yovani Gallardo in.
2:16: Yikes. Not very good clock management for the Eagles; their drive lasts a total of 52 seconds, giving the Redskins the final 55 seconds of the half to play with.
2:18: So, Clinton Portis and Campbell were born in the same hospital. Who cares? Thanks, Fox.
2:25: Blanton has been lights out. End of the fourth.
2:26: The Redskins, on the other hand, handle the clock perfectly. They put Suisham in position to nail another FG.
2:27: It's good. Suisham hits a 50 yarder, cutting the Eagles' lead to five. No Eagles points in more than an hour.
2:30: Halftime at the Linc. Great first quarter for the Birds, tough second quarter.
2:46: Looks like the 'Skins are putting together a scoring drive to start the third quarter before it stalls at the Eagles' 43-yard line. Eagles ball.
2:48: Wacky play at Miller Park: A Werth fly ball hits a wire near the roof, but Craig Counsell tracks it down.
2:56: Portis blasts through the d-line for 21 yards, the longest run against the Eagles this season.
2:58: Three plays later, Antwaan Randle El passes to Chris Cooley for an 18-yard touchdown. Two things: Why weren't the Eagles ready for a Randle El pass? He has thrown five touchdowns in his career. Whose idea is it to challenge the touchdown? It was clearly a forward pass in every angle of the replay. Waste of a timeout. That's 16 unanswered points for the 'Skins.
3:05: How do the Eagles respond? Three-and-out, of course, their fifth consecutive fruitless possession.
3:12: Look out. Fielder is alive. That's not good. Fielder smokes a ball to right for a solo home run. 5-1, Phillies.
3:13: Time to worry? Brewers follow with a single from J.J. Hardy. Not yet.
3:14: Right on cue: Charlie Manuel trots out to get Blanton. Great outing for Blanton, who never had multiple baserunners in any inning.
3:20: Another Eagles punt. Super. This time, Tank Daniels doesn't get away with a penalty on a punt return: Tack 15 more yards on for the 'Skins. And they don't need any help.
3:21: Phillies get out of a jam, courtesy of Ryan Madson. Brewers hang a man on third.
3:27: Touchdown, Redskins. Portis walks into the end zone untouched. It doesn't look good for the Birds.
3:32: Another home run for Burrell. That might just be the nail in the Brewers' coffin.
3:39: Deja vu. Eagles pathetically can't get a first down after having two cracks at 1 yard. Two yards for a TD or 1 yard for a first down, and they can't do either. Akers, chip-shot FG; 23-17 Redskins.
3:42: Ryan Braun brings home a run for the Brewers; 6-2 Phillies. Only 4 more outs.
4:01: Phillies win! Brad Lidge allows a single in an otherwise worry-free ninth, and the Phils earn their first NLCS berth in 15 years.
4:02: Eagles go down. Was anyone even watching?
4:05: Rollins is wearing goggles in the clubhouse, as he is getting sprayed with champagne.
4:13: "We're trying to turn the town red instead of green," Cole Hamels tells Comcast SportsNet.
The Phillies did a good job - changing the channel in the right direction. *
