My buddy and I hit the ballpark last night for some more interleague action (that still sounds dirty to me), this time involving the California Anaheim Los Angeles (insert eye roll here) Angels of, ahem, Anaheim. The Phillies had almost no offense. Manager Charlie Manuel finally gave the apparently exhausted Chase Utley a night off, and the rest of the Phillies line-up seemed to have nothing to offer. The Phils lost, 6-2.
In the seventh inning, when there were already two outs, the Phils did manage to score two runs to tie the game. Jayson Werth hit a solo homer. A few minutes later, Pedro Feliz doubled, sending Chris Coste—who had walked—home. Eric Bruntlett, who was subbing for Utley, ended the rally with a baserunning mistake, but it wouldn’t have mattered. The Angels roughed up Phillies starter Brett Myers, as well as reliever Chad Durbin, in the eighth. The fans, disgusted at the fourth straight loss, streamed out. Not me, though! I hung tough, until the final out.
Myers, by the way, pitched fairly well for most of the game. He gave up two solo homers to Vladimir Guerrero early in the game, and I guess I wasn’t absolutely shocked that Manuel sent him out to pitch the eighth. In retrospect, though, that was a mistake. Myers got two outs and then gave up a two-run homer to Erick Aybar (who?). Myers is a real puzzle this season. He’ll be pitching really, really well, and then, suddenly, he gives up a home run. Then he’s back to pitching well…and then, suddenly, well, you know. He’s given up a league-leading 23 homers already this season. Ouch. And that’s our opening day starter, you know? Ouch, again.
But I have to put the blame here pretty squarely on Manuel. With the game tied in the eighth, Myers—whose pitch count was nearing three digits—should’ve come out.
But on to more important things. I got to the game extra early so I could stand in the long, long, long line at Tony Luke’s for a roast pork sandwich. Damn, it was delicious—all moist and meaty. It might’ve been the best thing I’ve eaten all year. It’s certainly the best thing I’ve eaten at the ballpark this year, and that’s high praise because I love those crab fries from Chickie’s and Pete’s.
I don’t have time to do it justice right now, but remind me to go on a real tear sometime about baseball teams that change their names to something silly. Yup, I’m thinking about the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. But I’m also thinking of you, too, Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Bay Rays? That is so dumb.
I think I need another roast pork sandwich right about now.