Roy Halladay vs. Josh Johnson
This game has potential to be epic. Yeah I said it, epic.
The last two times these two faced each other Halladay pitched a perfect game and later in the season Johnson pitched a 2-0 shutout and this is the only loss
Halladay has against the East, (17-1).
This is gonna be fun.
Great first inning for both pitchers. Johnson mowed 'em down in under ten pitches and the Marlins half ended in a spectacular strike out throw'em out double play.
Sardinha, the phis catcher, pulled the pitch out of the dirt on a swinging strike out and the throw to second was a one hopper that Orr snagged while tagging out the runner, excellent.
Ryan Howard leads off the second with a long opposite field home run over the high part of the wall in left.
On the very next pitch Ibanez doubles off the same wall. Francisco gets smoked by Johnson right in the elbow, ouch, you could really hear the smack and it sounded like it hit a wooden bat.
That inning didn't turn out as good as it started. After Howard's homer they loaded them up with no outs but couldn't score a run. That was all Josh Johnson.
In the third after Victorino extended his hitting streak to 13, the Marlins manager called for a throw over to first but Shane was actually standing right on the bag and they got a good camera shot of everyone laughing.
They're getting their hits offJohnson, another two in the third and the Phils are making him throw pitches.
The trouble the Phils seem to have every year is not scoring runs with runners on scoring position.
They load the bases in the third and fourth and don't score. Typical.
The Marlins get second and third with one out and get a sacrifice fly and do score to tie the game.
The problem in the bottom of the third was, with one out Halladay walked the pitcher. That's cardinal sin in baseball because they always seem to score and he did score.
After a shaky first few innings for both pitchers including getting out of major jams, this has been as expected, a terrific pitching duel.
Top of the eighth still tied at 1, Johnson is finally out of the game and Halladay has retired the last 13 he's faced. Halladay comes up fifth in the eighth so I f the Phils need, they might pinch hit for him.
That just stinks, come on Rollins.
One walk to the pitcher and he scores. One lead off base runner in an inning and he scores.
This one wasn't Halladay's fault.
An easy bouncer to Rollins and he boots it, then a wild pitch gets the runner to second with no outs.
A grounder to the right side gets him to third then a single scores him.
Halladay doesn't deserve that. He has pitched great today, completely out pitched Johnson and then might lose the game on a easy ball that turns into an error.
Too bad loses can't be given to a fielder in stead of the pitcher.
Now Halladay has to pitch out of big jam because the defense stinks right in this inning.
Hanley Ramierez beats out another easy ground ball, this time to Polanco who took an extra little hop before throwing the ball and let's Ramierez get in base.
Finally Halladay takes it into his own hands and strikes out Sanchez.
Jeez, Phillies can score runs when someone besides Blanton is on the mound for a change.
Jimmy Rollins needs to make up for the error, nope he dribbles a grounder to second.
So they have two outs and a runner on second as Mayberry walked.
Will Victorino get a big hit and knock in the tying run?
NOPE another weak bouncer to first and the game is over.
Something odd happened after that last play. Victorino must have been talking to one of the Marlins, Tom McCarthy mentioned it but the camera stayed away from the play and continued to show the Marlins celebrating the win.
Then the camera showed the Phils dugout and the players who were still there looking onto the field.
All we got to see was Ryan Madson pulling Victorino off the field but both him and Victorino were both laughing and the Marlins manager Had pulled aside their catcher and appeared to be lecturing him. But since the camera never went to the incident we will never know what was going on.
Mood is ticked off because of the inability to take advantage of opportunities when they have them continues to plague this team. Two innings with the bases loaded and no outs and they get zip.
Florida has two chances to score runs and they capitalize on both of them.
Roy Halladay should be ticked at the team.
Score some runs already. He pitched close to his best game this season and nothing but a lose to show for it.
Halladay throws a complete game loss, walks two batters in one inning including the pitcher.
This was also the first time Halladay has ever walked the opposing pitcher according to Ricky Bottalico on the post game show.
So they are 2-3 in this stretch against the two teams right under them in the division. Halladay is now 17-2 vs. The East division and both loses to Josh Johnson.
Loss 2-1
Streak 1 lose
Record 23-12
2 games up on the Marlins
On a side note Chase Utley has started a 20 game rehab stint on the Clearwater minor league team.
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