Sunday, May 30, 2010

Philadelphia Pitching Perfection

The best pitcher in baseball just joined an elite class of twenty players. CY Young winning hurler, Roy Halladay faced the minimum 27 Marlins Saturday as he threw the 20th perfect game in MLB history and second this month. The Doctor delivered in Miami, acing nine innings and striking out 11 batters in the Phillies’ 1-0 victory. Halladay tossed 115 pitches and the Marlins couldn’t touch him. The Philadelphia right-hander improved to 7-3 on the season and added another milestone to his already-stellar career. The Bluejays first round draft pick in 1995 and 13 year league veteran joins Jim Bunning as the only other Phillie to toss a flawless game.
Chris Coghlan nearly worked a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first inning off Halladay, but was called out on strikes. Jorge Cantu went to a 3-1 count before striking out on a foul-tip. Those at-bats were about as close as Florida would come to reaching base at an under-populated Sun Life Stadium on Saturday. Yesterday marked the second time in franchise history the Marlins have been held hitless. The crafty starter for Philadelphia induced eight groundouts and very few swings posed a challenge for the 33 year old and his team. Halladay’s offerings were enough to dispense the Marlins in a little over two hours.
The Phillies’ offense, which was shutout three straight games against the Mets last week, managed to crank out seven hits against Florida pitcher, Josh Johnson. Johnson recorded the loss, despite allowing just one unearned run through seven frames. He threw a career high 121 pitches in defeat and has not allowed an earned run in three starts. The only run of the ballgame came on a Marlins’ error in the top of the third. Cameron Maybin misplayed Chase Utley’s liner to centerfield, and Wilson Valdez scored. Valdez, the Phillies’ shortstop, had two hits, including his sixth double of the season. Valdez also starred in the field. He saved a potential hit in the sixth inning on a Maybin slap between short and third. The speedy Maybin was thrown out by a step to preserve Halladay’s perfect-o. Halladay endured a scare in the next inning, when he fell behind in the count to Hanley Ramirez. Last year’s National League batting champ was up 3-1 in the count before grounding out on a cut fastball.
Ace Halladay lowered his ERA to 1.99 and notched his third shutout of the season. Nothing fazed the unshakable Halladay on Saturday. Florida skipper, Freddy Gonzalez, sent three pinch hitters to the plate in the ninth. Halladay was within an out of pitching a no-hitter for Toronto in 1998 when he faced a pinch hitter, Bobby Higginson. The Detroit slugger clubbed a solo homerun to break up the no-hit bid that year. This year, Halladay held off the opposition from the bench. Mike Lamb lofted a fly ball for the first out in the ninth and Wes Helms was fanned to put the Phillies’ righty within one out from perfection. Ronny Paulino stepped to the dish as the Marlins’ final hope to reach base. Paulino grounded out to end the game and give Halladay a masterpiece to remember. Halladay had no margin for error, but still turned in the best effort of his historical career. This season is the second time since 1880 baseball has witnessed two perfect games in one season.

Parting Points: Best song to kick off any holiday- “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson

Sorry New York—There is no excuse for a seven run seventh against the Indians.

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