Dontrelle Willis watches his 22nd win of the season flushed down the toilet as the Phillies not only rally but humiliate the Marlins in the 9th.
Wow. In their 123-year history the Phillies have never scored as many runs in the ninth inning as they did in Saturday's game.
With the glorious D Train set to earn his 22nd win of the season after taking a three hitter and a 2-0 lead going into the 9th, the Phillies suddenly exploded for 10 runs in the 9th and the Marlins choked down four errors in that same inning as the Phillies stayed to within a half game of the Astros with a 10-2 victory. If this doesn't punch the Marlins ticket, they've got more staying power than I imagined.
The Marlins lost their fourth game in a row (of course, just last week it was the Phillies on the ropes having been swept at home by the Astros.)
Marlins closer Todd Jones blew his first save since June 10th, ending his NL-record 23 outings in a row with a save.
In the wake of the Phillies' latest victory, Marlins manager Jack McKeon in what is likely to be his swan song, said they reminded him of the 2003 World Series champion Marlins.
Phillies, World Champions? Well, they'll have to knock out the Astros from the NL Wildcard lead first.
"The tide has turned, and I think the players have turned it," said manager Charlie Manuel. "We have the right attitude."
In addition to other heroics, Jimmy Rollins singled in the 9th to extend his hitting streak to 23 games.
Today, Eudo Brito (1-0 1.72 ERA) will try to complete the sweep of the Marlins who will have Josh Beckett (14-8 3.53) on the mound.
*****
In Houston, Craig Biggio gave the Astros a quick lead with his 43rd leadoff homer and Brandon Backe had his best outing since returning from the disabled list, leading the Astros to a 7-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers and maintaining their delicate 1/2 game lead over the Phillies for the NL Wildcard.
The Brewers' first 17 game winner in 13 years, Chris Capuano (17-9 3.55) will take the mound for the Brewers against the Astros' Wandy Rodriguez (9-8 5.71) - of course, a combination of a Phillies victory over the Marlins and a Brewers win over the Astros will put the Phillies back in the NL Wildcard driver's seat as they approach Atlanta for a crucial series at Turner Field.
The Astros will travel to Pittsburgh after Milwaukee.
*****
I've decided I want to see a Phillies-Indians World Series.
*****
With the Marlins now reeling and 2 1/2 behind though not necessarily out for the count, the NL Wildcard race is closing in on a two-horse race. The Nats lost to the Padres last night in fashion similarly disheartening as the Marlins lost to the Phillies.
The Nats, fighting all year against public expectation of virtually nil, the last team to really have a hold on the NL East before the Braves said thanks for holding the door and jumped into their customary spot for what will be their 14th title in a row.
Ramon Hernandez celebrates his walk-off homer in the 12th as the Padres rallied back to score five runs in the 9th inning, four off Khalil Greene's grand slam homer, and then three more in the bottom of the 12th to demoralise the Washington Nationals, 8-5.
*****
How about some blasphemy?
Bonds v Ruth continues.
But Barry was missing from yesterday's 2-1 victory over the Dodgers.
*****
American League
Don't look now but it isn't just the AL Wildcard the Cleveland Indians are chasing now, it's the Chicago White Sox.
Coco Crisp, the breakfast cereal of baseball players, blasted a two-run homer to lead the Indians to win their 11th in 12 games.
Cliff Lee won his eighth straight decision as baseball's hottest team beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Saturday night, pulling the Indians within 3½ games of Chicago in the AL Central, the closest they've been to the lead since April 18th!
The Indians also improved to 12-3 in September and stayed a half-game up on the New York Yankees for the wild card.
Lee (17-4) remained unbeaten since July 8, allowing four runs and five hits in seven innings. The left-hander, who has just one loss since June 1 -- a span of 19 starts -- was staked to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back.
*****
Meanwhile, the Chicago White Sox continued on what is rapidly becoming an historic choke for baseball history.
Santana struck out 13 in eight innings Saturday to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 5-0 victory over the White Sox, who have lost seven of their last nine games.
The White Sox had a 9½-game lead on Sept. 7 and were 15 games up on Aug. 1. No major league team has blown a lead that big over the next closest competitor, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Brooklyn Dodgers failed to make the playoffs in 1951 after holding a 13-game lead on Aug. 11 of that year.
Rick Morrissey discusses The Choke as it grows painstakingly closer - is this the curse of the Black Sox?
"Panic? That's old news. Panic gave way to resignation about 10 anxiety attacks ago.
What the White Sox have managed to do in the last two months is no easy thing. Against all odds, they have turned a cakewalk into a funeral procession. They have converted lemonade back into a lemon. They have spun a compass needle and somehow transformed the South Side into the North Side."
*****
Keeping pace with the Indians, STILL a half-game behind in the AL Wildcard race, the Yankees nipped the Blue Jays 1-0 behind solid pitching and solid defence, not to mention a rare appearance by Tom Gordon as closer to give Mariano Rivera a well-needed day off after four straight days of appearances.
Gordon and Posada celebrate a nail-biting 1-0 victory over the Blue Jays.
But like so many pennant races, playoffs and when-the-chips are down sort of performances, one man who was not expected to have any factor at all in the outcome has continued to shine.
Shawn Chacon continues to surprise and perhaps even astonish with his performance as a starter for the Yankees.
Yesterday, he walked only one in eight innings of work and improved to 5-3 on the year. Still, with Mike Mussina due to come back to the rotation on Thursday, no one is quite certain if Chacon will be rewarded by being dumped from the list of starters.
*****
What comes as little surprise of course, is that Manny Ramirez is back just when the Red Sox need him most.
Two nights ago, it was taking one for the team, getting hit by a pitch with the bases-loaded to "drive in" the winning run over the A's and yesteday it was a massive homerun that is alleged to have travelled 450 feet - two RBIs in total that gave the Red Sox another heart-breaking victory over the quickly-falling Oakland A's, 2-1.
The A's, after the Angels victory, are now 1 1/2 games behind in the AL West and a pretty much insurmountable 5 games behind the Cleveland Indians for the AL Wildcard. Looks like Angels or bust for the A's.
In a less happier moment, Manny tosses his bat in frustration after an 8th inning strikeout. He now has 36 homers and 125 RBIs on the season. Wonder where the MVP award is?
The Red Sox aren't doing it in typical fashion with the bats - they've scored only 21 runs in their last seven games. Last night it was Bronson Arroyo who led the pitching staff, allowed one run on three hits in seven innings of work.
*****NCAA FOOTBALL*****
Spartans Smack Irish Down From The Unbeatens
The Fighting Irish had less than the glorious home debut they were hoping for against Michigan State yesterday, losing by a 44-41 margin in an exciting overtime thriller.
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weiss said his players should not be too proud of their comeback which saw them comeback from 21 points down in the third quarter to tie the game 38-38 before losing in overtime.
"I told them it's not O.K. to lose," Weis said. Wise words of advice. Michigan State has won five straight at Notre Dame. Weis became just the third Notre Dame coach since 1913 to lose his home opener, joining Elmer Layden in 1934 and Lou Holtz in 1986.
Notre Dame Brady Quinn threw for a school-record five touchdowns and a career-high 487 yards but all for naught when
Jason Teague scored the winning touchdown for the Spartans.
*****
Heir To Heisman
USC continued their roll through their amateur schedule, defeating Arkansas yesterday by a 70-17 margin.
QB Matt Leinart celebrates on of his four td passes and some of his 381 yards passing.
*****
Miami's Tyrone Moss scores the decisive touchdown in Miami's thrilling triple OT win over Clemson at Death Valley.*****
Urban Legend Begins in SEC
God, how often has that tired quote been used already since Urban Meyer decided to jump for UFLA?
Yesterday, in his first taste of hot and spicy SEC rivalry, his Gators dumped hated Tennessee by a 16-7 margin.
Urban The Magic Victory Maker Barks Out Commands To His Legions
*****
Not getting away so easy was BC QB Matthew Ryan who is in the grasp of FLA State's Kamerion Wimbley as the Seminoles knocked off BC in their first stab at ACC play.
Sports Amnesia Top Ten NCAA Football
1. USC (2-0) defeated Arkansas, 70-17.
2. Florida State (2-0) defeated Boston College, 28-17.
3. Texas (3-0) defeated Rice, 51-10.
4. Florida (3-0) defeated Tennessee 16-7.
5. Miami (1-1) defeated Clemson 36-30.
6. Georgia (3-0) defeated UL Munroe, 44-7.
7. VA Tech (3-0) defeated Ohio 45-0.
8. Ohio State (2-1) defeated SD State 27-6.
9. Michigan (2-1) defeated Eastern Michigan, 55-0.
10. UCLA (3-0) defeated Oklahoma 41-24.
Honourable Mentions: Notre Dame (2-1), Cal (3-0), Alabama (3-0).
*****FITBA*****
Arjen Robben celebrates his, Chelsea's second goal of the match, a spectacular shot rifled in off his left foot to give them a 2-0 in a match of the unbeaten and unscored-upon.
Chelsea travelled to Charlton in a match between the two top teams in the Premiership and yet again, Chelsea came away from the match unscathed, utterly dominating and ruthlessly efficient, making mince meat of Charlton, 2-0 in a match that could have just as easily been 4-0 or 5-0.
And already they are saying so much for the Premiership, Chelsea have it sewn up before the leaves have even turned.
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