Phillies rock Wagner’s world, complete sweep of Mets

Chase Utley's one-out single off closer Billy Wagner scored the winning run in a thrilling, 11-10 roller-coaster victory at Citizens Bank Park.

Trailing 10-8 in the 8th, Met-killer Pat Burrell, who homered earlier in the contest, belted a solo shot off archenemy Wagner to pull the Phillies to within one. Then in the 9th off Wags, Jayson Werth led off the inning with a single to left, stole second and third with one out before scoring on Tadahito Iguchi's single to left. Iguchi then stole second and Jimmy Rollins was intentionally walked before Utley hit the game-winner.

Wow! The Mets, who led the NL East by six games before the series, now cling to a two-game advantage over the opportunistic Phils. Aaron Rowand and Ryan Howard each homered in a game the Phils once led 5-0, and later 8-5. Clay Condrey and Tom Gordon represented the good from the pitching staff, J.C. Romero and Jose Mesa (just because) the bad, Kyle Lohse, Geoff Geary and Antonio Alfonseca the ugly.

Beerleaguer: Words can only imitate the drama of games like these, but today’s discussion thread comes close. Readers shattered the previous Beerleaguer mark by over 600 comments with a total of 1,366 emotionally draining entries. Like the Phillies, everyone pitched in this series. Time to relax and savor the moment, before the Phillies continue their chase of the Mets tomorrow night.

Comments

[Malcolm]

I'd like to reiterate that I love this team.

Whatever happens from here til the end, it won't change how much I love this team. Playoffs or not, I love this team.

I hope you all join me in saying: I love this team.

[ae]

funny that for all the handwringing about the Reyes IBB, nobody really mentioned the Rollins IBB that much (IIRC). arguably a much worse move.

[Ben Keeler]

WOuld have been outstanding to hear Scott Graham belt out a "Put this one in the win column for the fightin phils" after this one. Hard to understand what Franzke was even saying (same for last night).

What a win.

[NIck]

Wow...they best make this september one to remember.

[Alby]

Keeler: Gotta agree. For me, Franzke is a worse hire than Sarge; at least Sarge brings a hitting coach's sensibility to the game, even if he's hardly more articulate than Uncle Cholly. Franzke is just a radio voice, and not a particularly good one.

There. As a diehard Phillies fan, I just had to find something to criticize on this best day of the season (so far).

[Jazzcat]

You Gotta' Believe!

[Alby]

ae: Why is the walk to Rollins a bad move, other than Wagner has better career numbers against him than Utley? The winning run was already at second base.

[CJ]

ae: I agree...

I'm not sure the Reyes walk was as terrible as people say. The pitching was god awful but the strategy may have been sound.

I suppose the Rollins walk made some sense, too. It brought up a lefty instead of a righty and gave them a shot at a double play... but it also meant anything but a DP would bring Burrell to the plate.

[scott topic]

i would like to bookmark this article, as it's got one of the best headlines in recent memory.

[Andy]

@Jazzcat et al
I appreciate your enthusiams and agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment.

But...can we come up with a different saying. "YGB" always feels "Metsy" to me. (Yiiich) (It's a visceral, irrational thing.)

Someone please come up with something that expresses:
1) Faith
2) Incredualousness
3) Rabid joy
4) that has not been used by Mets fans as nauseum

[John]

For those following the proceedings on Gameday this afternoon, tune into CSN tonight at 7:30 pm for a replay. I've got my DVR set.

[Ben Keeler]

Alby, agreed...have to find something to compalin about.

Franzke has showed a tad more emotion as of late, but is sometimes seems like he is just there to show up, call the game, not care who wins or what happens, and then head home.

I never thought any game would top that win in Cincy in Sept. 2005 when David Bell hit that HR in the 9th to cap the comeback. I was wrong.

[bsg]

Wow what a day for Philly-N.Y. meetings, lets see.... Phillies-Mutts, Eagles-Jets, Nutter meets Bloomberg and finally M.Barkann at the U.S. open.... uh New York you can have him!

[Zach Morris]

Get mlb.tv and you won't have to wait to relive this unbelievable win!
(All 4+ hours of it -- a quick check on BR shows this to be the second-longest game of the year, only about a half hour shorter than the 14 inning win against the Nats.)

[Alby]

Somebody, I think CJ, mentioned the now-forgotten Burrell in the 3-hole debate. His stats for August, which pretty much are the same thing (I seem to recall there's one game difference):

29 for 97, 6 doubles, 10 HR, 23 RBI, 14 walks.

BA: .299
OBP: .387
SLG: .670
OPS: 1.057

So those of you who predicted he would walk less were correct. His OBP is about 20 points below his season average.

[MG]

Prediction for the Labor Day holiday weekend- The Phils will be tied for the NL lead when they go to Atlanta on Monday.

[ae]

Alby: Utley is a much, much better hitter than Rollins. Jimmy's great, but that's not even that close. and like CJ said, it nearly guaranteed Burrell would come to the plate (barring a very difficult DP with three good runners going), and Minaya should have been trying to avoid that at all costs.

[Lake Fred]

kd bart wrote this on MetsBlog: "The Mets are in the midst of a 9 game losing streak. Book it. They don't have a chance of winning game this weekend. An easy Brave sweep. We are looking at a 1-9 road trip. They will be a game out when they come home."

We got them reeling! I love it. Others are calling for Willie Randolph's head.

[mike nutter]

mike bloomberg can take this sweep and stick it!!

[MG]

Burrell's surge has to be the most unexpected story of the season so far in a season of unexpected twist and turns.

Yeah, he is supposedly healthy again but what explains how he magically has been on fire the last 2 months after doing nothing for all of May & June. I don't think anyone can explain this totally - even Burrell himself.

[CJ]

Few other random thoughts:

*I'm not sure what else can be said about Pat Burrell. He can hit .200 in the month of the season and wouldn't deserve the boos he'd get. His last two months have meant everything to this playoff push. In 50 games since July first, his line: .355 avg, .464 OBP, .711 slg, 1.175 OPS, 16 HR, 45 RBI. His 8th inning home run was a HUGE psychological boost to a team needing a comeback.

*Role players...
Jayson Werth 2-4, 2 runs, 2 huge stolen bases
Carlos Ruiz 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI (huge 2 out RBI at the time)
Shane Victorino 1-1, pinch hit RBI single
Tad Iguchi 1-1, pinch hit RBI single and game winning run scored
Clay Condrey 2 scoreless innings in relief

*The big bats... Rollins, Utley, Burrell, Howard and Rowand in this game:
11-24, 7 runs, 8 RBI, 4 HR.

[Lake Fred]

Another MetsBlog gem written by jbean: "August 30 2007: the turning point of the season. The Mets are not making the playoffs. The Phillies will be a game up on Monday after the Mets get swept by the Braves. I’ve never seen a worse bullpen in all of my years! Not 1 reliable arm. Wagner is a complete joke. Give me 1 big save he’s ever gotten in this uniform or in his career. This is as bad as it gets.....kiss the year goodbye. This team will not recover."

[Alby]

ae: OK, I see. That's the common sense approach, and I agree, I would have had Wagner pitch to Rollins, or at least pitch around him, see if I could get an out. But at least it was, by the book, not an indefensible move, since it didn't advance the winning run.

Fred: Wow, Mets fans after a 4-game losing streak sound as emotionally unhinged as -- well, gosh, as us after a four-game losing streak!

[mw217]

I couldn't be more impressed (or surprised) with Werth's delivery this week, but I don't like Victorino for Byrd/Benoit. Benoit seems to be having an anomaly of a season, and I just don't think Werth can keep up this kind of production OR match Vic's defensive or baserunning abilities (he already has 35 SB, hasn't been caught since I think May 3rd). Plus, doesn't bringing in Byrd indicate a resignation to the (unnecessary) loss of Rowand?

[Joe F]

So where have you guys heard that Fuentes cleared waivers? Tim Dierkes (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com) says he hasn't heard anything and that it would seem unlikely.

I would HATE a Vic for Benoit/Byrd trade. I hope that was just something someone made up for the hell of it.

[CJ]

Another huge reason for the sweep...

Jose Reyes came into this game with hits in 9 of his last 11 games. He also scored 13 runs in those games.

In this four game series, he was 1 for 15 with 1 run scored, 1 stolen base and 2 caught stealing. His only hit was a bunt single and his only stolen base and run came after he was intentionally walked.

[JD]

Vic shouldnt go anywhere

[bill]

Billy Wagner gets owned again. He was a choke here, and he continues this trend in filthy NY. I just remember the series vs. the Atros not so long ago when he was giving up bombs in the ninth. He'll be crying about Pat the Bat incesantly all weekend long. Bye bye Mets! LET'S GO PHILS!!

[hititonthegroundjroll]

i was at the game and i can confidently say i haven't felt this good in a long long time. im shaking and my voice is gone.
i mean, im spent. i literally feel like i just had the best sex of my life for 4 hours straight. can't beat that

[Mark Schofer]

It is unbelievable the scenario that could have happened. Walking Pat Burrell to get to Ryan Howard. If anybody would have thought that plausible 2 months ago you are insane.

Werth's steals were unbelievable...

That took Chutzpah...

[JD]

J-Roll was right. The Phils are the team to beat

[pokey]

trading victorino would be short-sighted, as shifting him to center and putting werth in right field would be a reasonable solution to an offseason departure by rowand. then, in a utopian universe that doesn't exist, the phils could ink a-rod and become the most terrifying national league line-up in memory.

[Andy]

pokey if they keep playing like they did this series, they already are the most terrifying NL line-up in memory

[JD]

I wouldn't complain about the Phils getting A-Rod, but he doesnt seem like a Philly type player. But no, I dont think that would happen anyway

[JD]

Mark, especially that steal of 3rd. Amazing!

[Sad Panda]

Assuming this has not been mentioned in the 1000+ comments below, I encourage everyone to watch/listen to the replay of Utley's winning single on Phillies.com. Harry's his excited self, but Wheels and Sarge throw neutrality (or even feigned neutrality) out the window. I love it. What a win.

[GinStunna]

who says j ro's not a MVP. to me and everyone else in philly he is as well as my pics for golden glove awards this year, w/o a doubt chase, and victorino who has 10 ass. if we keep playing like this theres no doubt my playoff tickets i bought already wont have to be refunded. being that we just swept the mets, who is this reyes anyway he was like 1 for 15 in this series .
also id like to add go BIRDS!

[Tray]

Well what if we think this year is our window? Victorino isn't helping us any right now and Benoit (and to a lesser extent Byrd) would. I don't know about us being the team to beat though. We're still 2 back in both races and have a godawful bullpen. I like us to catch Arizona though.

[bay_area_phan]

Ae: You're right about the intetional walk to Rollins. Made no sense. I guess it was lefty-righty logic, but Chase is hitting better against lefties than he is against righties this year. Besides, when the pitcher just throws 99 MPH fastballs, lefty-righty analysis doesn't really apply.

I didn't like the intentional walk to Reyes either. Reyes was pathetic this series & I always think managers are a little too reckless about walking the bases loaded. Puts a lot of pressure on the pitcher to make him pitch with the bases loaded.

Someone in the organization (Lopes perhaps?) deserves props for figuring out that, if you can reach base against Wagner, you can steal bases on him with impunity. Though I must admit, I'd probably be spewing vitriol at Cholly right now if Werth had been thrown out trying to steal third base. That move definitely took some guts. It was one of those moves that looks brilliant if it works & stupid if it doesn't.

[JD]

Victorino isn't helping? Huh?

[CJ]

Vic had a huge pinch hit single today and just two nights ago, his punch base running helped tie a game.

Just because Vic isn't currently starting that doesn't mean he isn't helping.

[Brian G]

I will be P*SSED if we trade Victorino. He is the friggin man, and a huge part of this team.

[JD]

Absolutely, CJ and Brian. Couldn't agree more!

[Brian G]

And Clout, you know why we won this game today? that's right...

CHARACTER baby!!!

I love all of you.

[fletch]

That New York Post article is a hell of a lot more fun to read now than it was 4 days ago. :)

[Replacement Player]

Just got home from work a little bit ago. Like many of you, I live far away from PA, but there's no internet at work either. So as soon as I come in I fire up the laptop, espn game page waiting for me. The seconds tick by as I wait for the results to load. When the box score comes up, I stare speechless. I'm still staring at it--it tells me all I need to know. I see that good ol' the Bat is still killin' Mets. I see that we raised El Duque's ERA by a third of a run. I seet that the Octopus got deep-fried. I see that everybody hit! except Dobbsy, who hasn't gotten in on the Big Bench. And I see that Chase hit the winna. But sweetest of all, is this line:
B. Wagner (L, 2-2; B, 4)
I don't even need to track down grainy, bouncy YouTube clips of this one. I am fulfilled.

I love this team.

[JD]

From The New York Times:
"Throughout this series, Rollins has outplayed is counterpart in almost every facet..." Got that right!

[MG]

Today's unappreciated player - Clay Condrey.

While the rest of the bullpen was getting lite up and walking batters left and right, his two scoreless innings were huge today.

Condrey's overall numbers are nothing special this year but he was found his niche as the long-relief guy out of the Phils pen. Not withstanding a few outings this year where Condrey took a couple of beatings for the team, he has been fairly effective.

[eh]

who else feels like our phils are gonna take this sweep and turn it into a 1-2 effort against the marlins? i'm being realistic - the mets can only get better, it's gonna be an interesting finish

[JD]

eh, I don't know if they will go 1-2 against the Marlins, but I don't think any game against any team is a gimme at this point.