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Phillies Turn Triple Play in Top of First
2007-09-12 16:11
by Mark T.R. Donohue

The big story about the Rockies last year, besides Jeff Cirillo being a baby about the humidor, was the widely-circulated USA Today human interest piece about the prevalance of devout Christians in the Colorado clubhouse.

Clearly, Satan is a baseball fan.

After they lost more starting pitchers in a week than teams used to use for a whole rotation, after their #1 and #2 hitters both suffered possibly season-ending injuries on back-to-back plays, after a grand slam was stolen from them on a botched fan-interference call... they start off their critical game tonight in Philadelphia by hitting into a triple play.

One so strange that the Phillies themselves weren't quite sure what had happened and tried to tag Cory Sullivan out a second time just in case.

With Sullivan on first after a ball fell in between Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand, Troy Tulowitzki bunted for a hit. Then Matt Holliday hit a liner just a few inches off the ground that Greg Dobbs gloved. Dobbs threw to Jimmy Rollins at short, who almost missed tagging second to retire Sullivan (hence the redundant throw back to Dobbs) and ran right into Tulowitzki coming from first to second. Triple play.

This is a game that you MLB.tv and Extra Innings subscribers will want to get in on. I can't guarantee another triple play, but the Rockies are almost certainly going to break the record for most pitchers used in a non-extra inning game. Nominal starter Denny Bautista allowed the first three hitters he faced to reach and he's already about to be pulled in favor of Mark Redman.

This is going to be a weird one for the ages.

Comments
2007-09-12 16:29:51
1.   Bob Timmermann
But Bautista made it through the first!
2007-09-12 16:32:37
2.   Gagne55
"Rockies are almost certainly going to break the record for most pitchers used in a single-inning game"

I thought games had to go at least 4 1/2 innings to be official.

2007-09-12 16:55:54
3.   das411
Is there still room on the Holliday for MVP bandwagon?
2007-09-12 16:57:29
4.   Mark T.R. Donohue
Hey, is anyone else noticing that with all the East Coast writers asking who is going to step up and make themselves the frontrunner in the NL MVP race, Matt Holliday has already done so? His fourth homer in three games in Philadelphia just put the Rockies up 3-0.
2007-09-12 17:24:45
5.   Bob Timmermann
It's now Mark Redman's game to win!
2007-09-12 17:29:48
6.   Kels
Pitcher Count: 4th inning.

Phills - 3
Rox - 2

Hehe.

2007-09-12 18:32:05
7.   ralfthewiseandpowerful
The hilarity value of the bubble-gum wad on Franklin Morales' hat? Pretty high. U-ball and company shamelessly pointing him at the camera every chance they get? Priceless...
2007-09-12 18:57:17
8.   das411
Yep and any team that gets shut down by Mark Redman for that long does not deserve to make the playoffs. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted...
2007-09-12 19:11:12
9.   Woden325
5 IP for Redman, and they hold the shut-out? Who'd have believed it? I sure wouldn't have.

Can Jeff Franchise do as well tomorrow? I sure hope so!

This Optimism thing is strange and wonderful.

2007-09-13 18:57:15
10.   das411
Woah, and Alf apparently has a problem with Helton (although it does not look like it actually hit him anywhere)...where did that come from Mark?
2007-09-15 07:49:44
11.   Woden325
9 About that optimism thing -- nevermind.
2007-09-19 07:23:17
12.   Chris Cobb
This season has been a lot of fun to watch.
2007-09-19 12:25:14
13.   ralfthewiseandpowerful
I agree, Chris Cobb, this season has been a lot of fun to watch. Assuming the Rox pound out at least 6 more wins, this will be the greatest 162 game season the Rockies have ever played. What I love is that since the All-Star Break the Rockies have led all N.L. clubs in ERA for total pitching and overall, they are 14th out of 30 teams in season ERA for total pitching. Jimenez and Morales have been exciting to watch and Greg Reynolds is just around the corner. BUT, will they pay Holliday and eventually, Atkins? To me, that is the essential question. I don't care that they didn't sacrifice the future for some over the hill pitcher this year. I also don't care that they didn't sign some over priced star (see Zito and Soriano) in the offseason and I don't really want them to sign another team's overpriced star this offseason. I just want them to secure the guys who have put in the time to making baseball relevant in Denver again.
2007-09-19 12:25:16
14.   ralfthewiseandpowerful
I agree, Chris Cobb, this season has been a lot of fun to watch. Assuming the Rox pound out at least 6 more wins, this will be the greatest 162 game season the Rockies have ever played. What I love is that since the All-Star Break the Rockies have led all N.L. clubs in ERA for total pitching and overall, they are 14th out of 30 teams in season ERA for total pitching. Jimenez and Morales have been exciting to watch and Greg Reynolds is just around the corner. BUT, will they pay Holliday and eventually, Atkins? To me, that is the essential question. I don't care that they didn't sacrifice the future for some over the hill pitcher this year. I also don't care that they didn't sign some over priced star (see Zito and Soriano) in the offseason and I don't really want them to sign another team's overpriced star this offseason. I just want them to secure the guys who have put in the time to making baseball relevant in Denver again.
2007-09-19 12:28:43
15.   ralfthewiseandpowerful
Off topic:

Is Mark going to post again this season or is he waiting till they are eliminated from the playoffs so he can write a rant about how in Game 155 he was proven right and that the spirit of Ol' Willy kept the team from winning?

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