An Ending to Remember

By Chris Pollay

Yesterday, the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets played a wild game that I don’t think any fan will forget about anytime soon.

Maybe it was the result of superstition... as in the number 13. After all, it was the thirteenth game between the two ballclubs this season and this one had a little bit of everything (and everything was a little bit odd).

It was definitely emotional. Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel got ejected in the 9th inning, so you know this one mattered. Also, Pitcher Pedro Martinez made his return visit to New York, so you know this one had drama.

The fans were not too happy to see him again, but they were far more angry at the home hurler, Oliver Perez. He gave up a pair of three-run homers to Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz before the top of the first inning was even over!

Not surprisingly, he left the game after pitching only 2/3rds of an inning and giving up six earned runs. I realize Perez’s ERA for the season is quite unimpressive (6.82), but his ERA for just yesterday was a staggering 81.81! Good grief.

Pedro Martinez couldn’t ask for a better scenario than a six-run lead before he even threw his first pitch. Still, he was shaky enough to keep things interesting. By the end of the third inning, he had given up four earned runs (including two home runs to Angel Pagan).

By the time he left the game after six full innings on the mound, his team comfortably lead 8 to 4... one of those runs, by the way, was provided by a bases-loaded single by Martinez in the top of the third inning.

Yet, the Mets chipped away at the lead and made it a ballgame again. Down two in the top of the ninth, they found themselves with runners on first and second (with no outs).

Thanks to errors by Ryan Howard and Eric Bruntlett, the Mets were in a perfect position for a last inning comeback. New York even had the right guy in the batter’s box to make it happen. Jeff Francouer already had a hit and an RBI on Sunday, and had batted four of eight (.500) over the previous two games in the series (including a home run on Friday night).

When Lidge delivered the last pitch, Francouer was right on top of it. The ball headed toward the gap over second base. For a split-second, everything was aligned perfectly for the Mets. However, that glimmer of hope was completely crushed when Bruntlett played the ball perfectly. He caught it and touched second base in a flash. Then, for good measure, he tagged out Daniel Murphy who had already committed to run on the pitch.

What an unbelievable ending!

The game was definitely odd, to be sure. Angel Pagan hit two home runs, one of which was inside-the-park, and that wasn't even the biggest statistical anomaly of the day.

Of course, that title goes to the last play. Bruntlett's unassisted triple play takes the cake. Even odder, it occurred not too long after he recorded an error.

I’ve seen a lot of baseball. I’ve never seen any game end on an unassisted triple play. Then again, it doesn’t happen often. After all, Bruntlett's gem was the first unassisted triple play to end a game in National League history and it was only the 15th unassisted triple play in Major League Baseball history.

Wow.

That was definitely one for the books.