Gordon Gets Pounded, Phillies Lose Opener
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Temporary closer Tom Gordon entered the game in the 9th inning of a 6-6 game to hold in the hopes that the Phillies would pull some bottom of the 9th offensive heroics to win on opening night.
Bludgeoned Again!
Instead, Gordon got thumped, no bludgeoned in a “flash” by the Washington Nationals as the Phillies fell by an 11-6 tally in a tight game, suddenly turned ugly by Gordon who may have overstayed his welcome in Philly. Obviously, he has not recovered from the 6 run pounding he took 5 days ago in the 8th inning against Detroit.
Starter Brett Myers had things pretty much his own way for 4 innings, other than the bases loaded, two out jam he eased out of in the 2nd, as the Phils notched single runs off of Nationals’ lefthander Matt Chico in the 1st and 4th innings.
But in the 5th inning, the Nationals rung up Myers for 4 runs on 3 hits, batting around with rightfielder Austin Kearns getting the big hit, a 2 out, 2 run double.
In the 6th inning, reliever Ryan Madson replaced Myers. Madson retired his first 2 hitters before shortstop Cristian Guzman singled followed by centerfielder Lastings Milledge who went ballpark on Madson with a 2 run shot to increase the nationals’ lead to 6-2.
In the Phillies 6th inning, Chico was pulled after 2nd baseman Chase Utley’s leadoff solo blast and after he struck out 1st baseman Ryan Howard. Reliever Joel Hanrahan replaced Chico and set leftfielder Pat Burrell and 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz down on strikes to end the inning.
Chad Durbin replaced Madson and tossed an uneventful scoreless 7th inning. But Hanrahan was tagged in the Phillies 7th as catcher Carlos Ruiz doubled driving in a run and shortstop Jimmy Rollins followed keeping his MVP play going with a dramatic 2 run game-tying homer off of Hanrahan’s replacement, Ray King. The huge crowd of 44,553 chanted “MVP, MVP” on Rollins’ blast and demanded a curtain-call from him.
Nationals reliever Saul Rivera, the eventual game winner and Phillies reliever J.C. Romero traded goose-eggs and had 3 up, 3 downs in the 8th as the game looked tight and headed for 9th inning dramatics. Romero struck out 2 in the 8th and continues his excellent performance carrying over from last season and from the spring exhibitions.
It was not to be however, as Gordon surrendered the bulk of the damage, 4 runs with one out, and Clay Condrey finished up the inning surrendering the final Nationals’ run — it too charged to Gordon.
The boxscore and the play-by-play gives the full description of just a horrendous 9th inning display Gordon put on.
Meanwhile, bloggers Beerleaguer and Tim Malcolm of Phillies Nation deserve hat tips for this LA Times report which has the Phillies picking up what would be much-needed bullpen help in veteran 39 year old Rudy Seanez who was released by the Dodgers last week.
Seanez gives manager Manuel a number of bullpen options including both middle relief, a righthanded late inning set-up man alongside lefthander Romero or closing help, sorely needed in Monday’s game, until designated closer Brad Lidge returns to the active roster.
The Phillies have an off-day today and return to play the 2nd of a 3 game series with the Nationals on Wednesday as young star lefthander Cole Hamels is opposed by veteran Tim Redding for the Nationals.
For all of today’s and Wednesday’s boxscores and recaps; click here and here.
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