MLB Playoff Recap
Reds at Phillies
Roy Halladay just wanted a win. He just wanted his team to take a 1-0 series lead. He got that, and then more.
Halladay threw the 2nd postseason no-hitter as Philadelphia beat Cincinnati 4-0. In his playoff debut, Halladay allowed just one baserunner, and he struck out 8.
In the first, Halladay's first pitch was a grounder that Jimmy Rollins fielded, and he threw to first for the out. Orlando Cabrera took Halladay for 8 pitches, but a flyout ended his at-bat. Joey Votto hit a hard liner to Chase Utley, but he put it away for the third out.
In the bottom of the inning, Shane Victorino lined a 1 out double down the left field line, and he stole third. Chase Utley knocked him in with a sacrifice fly, giving the Phillies all the run support they need.
Halladay stayed hot though, retiring Scott Rolen on a change-up and forcing Jonny Gomes and Jay Bruce to ground out. When the Phillies came up to bat, the Reds got 2 quick outs. But Carlos Ruiz walked, and Wilson Valdez found a hole for an infield single. Halladay came to bat, and he hit a single into left field, knocking a run in. After Rollins walked, Shane Victorino hit a 2 run single into shallow left field, giving Philadelphia a 4-0 lead.
Drew Stubbs hit a weak pop-up and Ramon Hernadnez grounded out to catcher to bring up relief pitcher Travis Wood, who got a good pitch to hit. He lined it into right field, but Jayson Werth made a nice belt-high catch to end the inning.
In the fourth, Roy Halladay got Brandon Phillps sleeping on an fastball to strike him out, and he got Orlando Cabrera swinging on a curveball. Jimmy Rollins made a nice play to retire Joey Votto, ending the inning.
Scott Rolen led off the fifth, and he didn't swing at an outside fastball, then Jonny Gomes fell for a breaking ball. After Jay Bruce walked to end the perfect game, Drew Stubbs grounded out into a fielder's choice. After 5 innings of no-hit baseball, fans started to wake up.
After 2 flyouts and a ground out to end the sixth, Phillies fans got tired of them batting with a 4-0 lead. They wanted to see Halladay finish the gem. After the Phillies turn ended, Halladay forced Orlando Cabrera to ground out to Chase Utley, Joey Votto ground out to Wilson Valdez, who made a nice across-the-field throw to Ryan Howard for the play. After Scott Rolen chased a breaking ball, the Phillies fans had momentum.
Scott Rolen chased a very low pitch to strike out, and then Jay Bruce lined a very hard shot to Halladay, who retired Bruce easily. Drew Stubbs decided not to go for an outside fastball, and he paid the price, leaving Halladay one inning away from history.
Ramon Hernandez led off the ninth, and he hit a high pop-up to Chase Utley. After Hernandez was Miguel Cairo, who hit a pop-up that Wilson Valdez caught in foul territory. With Phillies fans buzzing with excitement, Halladay knew he couldn't led them down.
After 2 quick strikes, Brandon Phillps knew he needed to connect. He did, and he hit a bunt-like hit in front of the catcher. With his speed, Phillps made it close, but it was a no-brainer; Carlos Ruiz threw Phillps out, and the game was over. Roy Halladay had thrown a no-hitter!
Halladay threw his second no-hitter of the year and the 6th of the MLB season, finally finishing the 9 inning gem. Edinson Volquez was charged for the loss, and the Phillies took a 1-0 series lead. Roy Oswalt faces Bronson Arroyo in game 2 Saturday.
Yankees at Twins (brief)
Tied 4-4 in Game 1 with a runner on and Mark Texiara up, Jesse Crain might not have had the thought that he needed to pitch carefully to Texiara.
Yeah, you might need to think about that.
Texiara hit a fastball directly over the plate deep into left field where it stayed just inside the foul pole, giving the Yankees a 6-4 lead that they would hold. New York was down 3-0 in the game.
Both teams got hits in the first inning, but no one could bring home a run. In the second, Michael Cuddeyer hit a ball that normally would have been on the warning track. But the wind carried it out of the park, and the Twins had a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Orlando Cabrera hit a single, and advanced to third. He scored on a passed ball, and the Twins had a 3-0 lead. The Yankees wouldn't threaten to change the score for the next 5.1 innings, as Francisco Liriano shut New York down. But then runners got on base, and Robinson Cano hit an RBI single. After Marcus Thames struck out Jorge Posada made it 3-2 with a single.
Minnesota decided to keep Liriano in, and they paid the price. Curtis Granderson got a good piece of an outside fastball, hitting the high part of the wall and giving Granderson a triple. New York led 4-3.
However, Michael Cuddeyer hit a double, and with the bases loaded, Danny Valencia walked. With 2 outs, Minnesota wanted more. But J.J Hardy struck out chasing an outside fastball, and six innings were in the books.
In the seventh, Nick Swisher hit a single down the right field line. Then, reliever Jesse Crain gave Mark Texiara a perfect pitch; a fastball directly over the plate with a slight curve.
Texiara hit it deep into right field, and it barely stayed inside the foul pole, giving New York a 6-4 lead. But after that the Yanks got nothing.
It was up to Minnesota to get something going, and they got 5 base runners over the last 3 innings. But David Robertson ended the seventh, Kerry Wood got 2 outs in the eighth and in the ninth, Mariano Rivera shut down the Twins for a 6-4 win. Game 2 is tonight, where Carl Pavano faces Andy Pettite.
Other scores
Cliff Lee allows just one run and 5 hits in seven innings, and Neftali Feliz avoids a late blow-up with 2 K's late as Texas beat Tampa Bay 5-1. Feliz finished the game by getting ahead of the count, and hitting the corners and forcing the Rays to swing. Game 2 is at 11:37 AM PT.
Roy Halladay just wanted a win. He just wanted his team to take a 1-0 series lead. He got that, and then more.
Halladay threw the 2nd postseason no-hitter as Philadelphia beat Cincinnati 4-0. In his playoff debut, Halladay allowed just one baserunner, and he struck out 8.
In the first, Halladay's first pitch was a grounder that Jimmy Rollins fielded, and he threw to first for the out. Orlando Cabrera took Halladay for 8 pitches, but a flyout ended his at-bat. Joey Votto hit a hard liner to Chase Utley, but he put it away for the third out.
In the bottom of the inning, Shane Victorino lined a 1 out double down the left field line, and he stole third. Chase Utley knocked him in with a sacrifice fly, giving the Phillies all the run support they need.
Halladay stayed hot though, retiring Scott Rolen on a change-up and forcing Jonny Gomes and Jay Bruce to ground out. When the Phillies came up to bat, the Reds got 2 quick outs. But Carlos Ruiz walked, and Wilson Valdez found a hole for an infield single. Halladay came to bat, and he hit a single into left field, knocking a run in. After Rollins walked, Shane Victorino hit a 2 run single into shallow left field, giving Philadelphia a 4-0 lead.
Drew Stubbs hit a weak pop-up and Ramon Hernadnez grounded out to catcher to bring up relief pitcher Travis Wood, who got a good pitch to hit. He lined it into right field, but Jayson Werth made a nice belt-high catch to end the inning.
In the fourth, Roy Halladay got Brandon Phillps sleeping on an fastball to strike him out, and he got Orlando Cabrera swinging on a curveball. Jimmy Rollins made a nice play to retire Joey Votto, ending the inning.
Scott Rolen led off the fifth, and he didn't swing at an outside fastball, then Jonny Gomes fell for a breaking ball. After Jay Bruce walked to end the perfect game, Drew Stubbs grounded out into a fielder's choice. After 5 innings of no-hit baseball, fans started to wake up.
After 2 flyouts and a ground out to end the sixth, Phillies fans got tired of them batting with a 4-0 lead. They wanted to see Halladay finish the gem. After the Phillies turn ended, Halladay forced Orlando Cabrera to ground out to Chase Utley, Joey Votto ground out to Wilson Valdez, who made a nice across-the-field throw to Ryan Howard for the play. After Scott Rolen chased a breaking ball, the Phillies fans had momentum.
Scott Rolen chased a very low pitch to strike out, and then Jay Bruce lined a very hard shot to Halladay, who retired Bruce easily. Drew Stubbs decided not to go for an outside fastball, and he paid the price, leaving Halladay one inning away from history.
Ramon Hernandez led off the ninth, and he hit a high pop-up to Chase Utley. After Hernandez was Miguel Cairo, who hit a pop-up that Wilson Valdez caught in foul territory. With Phillies fans buzzing with excitement, Halladay knew he couldn't led them down.
After 2 quick strikes, Brandon Phillps knew he needed to connect. He did, and he hit a bunt-like hit in front of the catcher. With his speed, Phillps made it close, but it was a no-brainer; Carlos Ruiz threw Phillps out, and the game was over. Roy Halladay had thrown a no-hitter!
Halladay threw his second no-hitter of the year and the 6th of the MLB season, finally finishing the 9 inning gem. Edinson Volquez was charged for the loss, and the Phillies took a 1-0 series lead. Roy Oswalt faces Bronson Arroyo in game 2 Saturday.
Yankees at Twins (brief)
Tied 4-4 in Game 1 with a runner on and Mark Texiara up, Jesse Crain might not have had the thought that he needed to pitch carefully to Texiara.
Yeah, you might need to think about that.
Texiara hit a fastball directly over the plate deep into left field where it stayed just inside the foul pole, giving the Yankees a 6-4 lead that they would hold. New York was down 3-0 in the game.
Both teams got hits in the first inning, but no one could bring home a run. In the second, Michael Cuddeyer hit a ball that normally would have been on the warning track. But the wind carried it out of the park, and the Twins had a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Orlando Cabrera hit a single, and advanced to third. He scored on a passed ball, and the Twins had a 3-0 lead. The Yankees wouldn't threaten to change the score for the next 5.1 innings, as Francisco Liriano shut New York down. But then runners got on base, and Robinson Cano hit an RBI single. After Marcus Thames struck out Jorge Posada made it 3-2 with a single.
Minnesota decided to keep Liriano in, and they paid the price. Curtis Granderson got a good piece of an outside fastball, hitting the high part of the wall and giving Granderson a triple. New York led 4-3.
However, Michael Cuddeyer hit a double, and with the bases loaded, Danny Valencia walked. With 2 outs, Minnesota wanted more. But J.J Hardy struck out chasing an outside fastball, and six innings were in the books.
In the seventh, Nick Swisher hit a single down the right field line. Then, reliever Jesse Crain gave Mark Texiara a perfect pitch; a fastball directly over the plate with a slight curve.
Texiara hit it deep into right field, and it barely stayed inside the foul pole, giving New York a 6-4 lead. But after that the Yanks got nothing.
It was up to Minnesota to get something going, and they got 5 base runners over the last 3 innings. But David Robertson ended the seventh, Kerry Wood got 2 outs in the eighth and in the ninth, Mariano Rivera shut down the Twins for a 6-4 win. Game 2 is tonight, where Carl Pavano faces Andy Pettite.
Other scores
Cliff Lee allows just one run and 5 hits in seven innings, and Neftali Feliz avoids a late blow-up with 2 K's late as Texas beat Tampa Bay 5-1. Feliz finished the game by getting ahead of the count, and hitting the corners and forcing the Rays to swing. Game 2 is at 11:37 AM PT.
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