i thought i'd start a thread that covers the entire position, from the week leading up to it all the way through the end of the World Series...

The way things stand:

there are currently 15 teams not mathematically eliminated

American League:

West:

Angels: 90-66, Magic Number: 2

A's: 85-71, 5 GB

today:

LAA @ OAK (Santana vs. Kennedy) 7:05 PM

Angels win clinches division

Central:

White Sox: 94-62, Magic Number: 5

Indians: 92-64, 2 GB

today:

TB @ CLE (Kazmir vs. Elarton) 4:05 PM

CWS @ DET (McCarthy vs. Robertson) 4:05 PM

East:

Yankees: 92-64, Magic Number: 7

Red Sox: 91-64, .5 GB

today:

TOR @ BOS (Bush vs. Wakefield) 10:05 AM

TOR @ BOS (Chacin vs Schilling) 4:05 PM

NYY @ BAL (Mussina vs Chen) 4:05 PM

Wild Card:

Yankees: 92-64, lead AL East

Indians: 92-64, Magic Number: 7

Red Sox: 91 64, .5 GB

today:

TOR @ BOS (Bush vs. Wakefield) 10:05 AM

TOR @ BOS (Chacin vs Schilling) 4:05 PM

NYY @ BAL (Mussina vs Chen) 4:05 PM

TB @ CLE (Kazmir vs. Elarton) 4:05 PM

National League:

West:

Padres: 77-79, Magic Number: 4

Giants: 74-82, 3 GB

DIamondbacks: 72-84, 5 GB

Today:

SF @ SD (Tomko vs Eaton) 7:05 PM

AZ @ LA (Webb vs Weaver) 7:05 PM

combination of Padres win and D-Backs loss eliminates Arizona

Central Champions: St. Louis Cardinals (97-60)

East:

Braves: 89-68, Magic Number: 1

Phillies: 84-73, 5 GB

Today:

NYM @ PHI (Zambrano vs Lieber) 4:05 PM

COL @ ATL (Cook vs Hudson) 4:35 PM

Phillies loss or Braves win clinches division for Atlanta

Wild Card:

Astros: 85-71, Magic Number: 5

Phillies: 84-73, 1.5 GB

Marlins: 80-77, 5.5 GB

Mets: 79-77, 6 GB

Today:

NYM @ PHI (Zambrano vs Lieber) 4:05 PM

WAS @ FLA (Loaiza vs Willis) 4:05 PM

HOU @ STL (Oswalt vs Morris) 5:10 PM

Astros win or Mets loss eliminates New York

Astros win or Marlins loss eliminates Florida

If the playoffs started today, these would be the matchups:

Yankees vs. Indians

White Sox vs. Angels

Cardinals vs. Padres

Braves vs. Astros

Cool.. Should be interesting seeing if the Cards want the Astros to win the WC starting tonight or the Phillies. Cards own HOU this year (11/14) but Philly has our number. Personally I'd rather HOU make the playoffs than PHI!

http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com/NASApp/ml...t=.jsp&c_id=ana

9/27/2005 2:21 AM ET

 

Angels near West title

Lackey, Finley lead win over A's; magic number at two

By Mike Scarr / MLB.com

 

 

OAKLAND -- The Angels are on the verge of occupying some uncommon ground, at least as far as the franchise is concerned.

They can win their second consecutive American League West crown and head to the postseason for the second straight year, feats unequaled by any previous Angels team.

 

By virtue of a 4-3 win over the A's on Monday to open a critical four-game series, the Angels reduced their magic number to clinch the division to two while increasing their lead in the AL West to five games.

 

A win by the Angels in any of the remaining three games here would send the club into the postseason as division champs.

 

"This is the fun time of year," said Steve Finley, who went 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run homer. "This is the time you look forward to as a player, when every pitch and every hit means a little bit more."

 

In the proverbial driver's seat with the advantage in the division, it was not a must-win situation for the Angels on Monday, but they still were able to establish the tempo.

 

"You definitely want to set the tone in the series," said John Lackey, who picked up his 13th win. "You want to come out of the game and play well and let them know it is going to be a tough one."

 

Monday's win was the Angels' third straight against the A's, but only their third at McAfee Coliseum this season and they took a familiar route to get there. The hallmark of the club all season has been pitching, and Lackey started strong with the bullpen following suit.

 

Darin Erstad and Juan Rivera delivered timely RBIs while Finley's homer was his second in his last two games. The offense stepped up in support, specifically the second half of the order as all six of the Angels hits came from spots 5-8 in the lineup.

 

"For a long time this year we were looking at the middle of the lineup for two guys to swing the bats and we would have to wait two or three innings," manager Mike Scioscia said. "The bottom of the lineup is big on any ballclub, and we need that to give us continuity."

 

Lackey continued his own success and built on his 2-1 record against the A's this season. Shelving his changeup for the most part Monday, Lackey used his fastball and sharp breaking pitches, one that acted more like a traditional curveball and another that is closer to a slider, and proceeded to set down the first eight batters he faced.

 

Nick Swisher worked a two-out walk in the bottom of the third and Lackey walked Mark Ellis on five pitches for his first two baserunners of the evening. Then on a 2-2 count, Lackey hit Jason Kendall with a pitch to load the bases. It was the 20th time this season that Kendall was hit by a pitch, tying the franchise mark set by Don Baylor in 1976.

 

But Lackey regrouped and struck out Mark Kotsay on a questionable checked-swing call.

 

The big right-hander then sailed through the fourth, notching two more of his seven strikeouts, before surrendering his first base hit of the night in the fifth when the A's rallied for two runs.

 

Trailing 4-0, Jay Payton broke through with a leadoff single to center and Lackey retired the next two. But Ellis lined a single over the head of Chone Figgins at third. Kendall then split the gap in left-center with a two-run double to halve the Angels' lead.

 

 

"That is a tough group, the A's, because they make you get into deep counts and they work counts," Scioscia said. "John had to work hard, but he did a good job."

 

The Angels opened the scoring in the top of the second with a pair of runs when Vladimir Guerrero bounced one to short, but Bobby Crosby's throw sailed past Dan Johnson at first and Guerrero took second on the error. Erstad then followed with a booming double to center off A's starter Joe Blanton to score Guerrero.

 

Erstad went to third on Bengie Molina's ground ball, but was caught in a rundown when he tried to score on Finley's grounder to short. Finley went to second as Erstad was tagged out and scored on Rivera's single to center to put the Angels up, 2-0.

 

In the fourth, Molina singled to center with two out and Finley followed with his 12th home run of the year to provide the Angels with enough margin for error on what became a tight ballgame.

 

"This time of year you want to contribute when you get the opportunities, and God knows I haven't come through much when I've had the opportunities," Finley said.

 

The 40-year-old center fielder has struggled through most of the season, but he's 5-for-11 in his last four games and the Angels would gladly welcome his potentially clutch bat in the lineup.

 

"We're a better team with him swinging the bat and better than anything that we could reconstruct and that is why we stuck with that as long as we could before turning to other alternatives," Scioscia said. "We've counted on him this year and if he can give us a boost and help us get to the playoffs, that would be a plus."

 

The Angels now find themselves poised to clinch the division in the same ballpark and eliminate the same team for the second year in a row.

 

"We're focused on the task at hand and we have to come out and win one more against these guys," Finley said.

 

The A's know it's a tall order.

 

"It is a typical Angels-A's game," A's manager Ken Macha said "Good pitching on both sides, a low-scoring, one-run game. We came up on the wrong end, so we're pretty much going to need help now. This makes it tough; we're pretty much up against the wall."

 

Mike Scarr is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...t=.jsp&c_id=nyy

09/27/2005 1:30 AM ET

 

Yankees shower runs on O's in opener

Big Unit wins 16th as Giambi, A-Rod drive in three runs each

By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com

 

 

BALTIMORE -- The Yankees opened their final week of the regular season with a lengthy rain delay. But once the weather cleared up, the Bombers showered Camden Yards with an offensive explosion.

New York pounded Baltimore, 11-3, to take the opener of the four-game series. The victory moved the Yankees into sole possession of first place by a half-game over the Red Sox in the American League East, as the Boston-Toronto game was rained out at Fenway Park.

 

"If the playoffs are four weeks, it's five weeks for us," said Alex Rodriguez, who drove in three runs. "The playoffs started tonight. We're looking at every game like a must-win."

 

Randy Johnson earned his 16th victory with six shutout innings, allowing just four hits. The five-time Cy Young winner improved to 36-4 in the month of September since 1993.

 

"I love this kind of stuff," Johnson said. "It's starting to pan out to be the kind of year that I was hoping for."

 

A-Rod and Jason Giambi (three-run homer) led the charge in a six-run fourth inning, pouncing on Rodrigo Lopez with a two-out rally. Eight different Yankees scored at least one run, as New York won for the 13th time in the last 15 games.

 

Almost two hours after the scheduled first pitch, a total of 13 pitches had been thrown by Lopez as a result of a pair of rain delays.

 

Lopez overcame a pair of walks to open the game, keeping the Yankees off the scoreboard for the first three innings. But once the Yankees got to the right-hander, they didn't let up.

 

With two outs and the bases loaded in a scoreless game, Lopez walked Derek Jeter on a 3-2 pitch, putting the first run of the game on the scoreboard.

 

Three pitches later, Rodriguez lined a double to left, scoring two more runs.

 

One pitch after that, Giambi drilled his 31st homer, a three-run blast, to right-center, as the Yankees hammered their way to a 6-0 lead.

 

"We did some huge damage with two outs," said manager Joe Torre. "That's a good sign."

 

"Lopez is always tough against us, but we were able to lay off some tough pitches and grind it out, work his pitch count up to a level where we had an opportunity," A-Rod said. "Jeter had a great at-bat, I got a big double and then Jason put them away."

 

Johnson didn't seem bothered by much on Monday. The first rain delay kept him from the mound after he had done his initial warmups. The six-run fourth left him waiting in the clubhouse for an extended period as well, but the big left-hander just cruised through the night.

 

"The timing between the innings," Johnson said, "I don't think any pitcher is going to argue about that when you're scoring five or six runs an inning."

 

The Big Unit tossed zero after zero on the scoreboard, limiting the home team to just four hits through the first five innings, two of them coming in the fourth.

 

"He had a good look about him," said Torre, who was relieved not to have to shuffle his rotation because of a rainout. "It would have been a monkey wrench in our plans. That's the only thing you worry about this last week."

 

New York padded its lead in the sixth, plating five more runs against relievers Eric DuBose and Jason Grimsley. Four different Yankees drove in runs in the inning, as the Bombers extended the lead to 11-0.

 

With the big lead, Torre was able to remove the top five players in the lineup, giving his big bats a few innings off.

 

"That was hugely important, because we haven't had a day off in a couple of weeks," Torre said. "They got to play half of a game and had a chance to tend to some stuff they needed to tend to."

 

Johnson left the game after the sixth, as he retired the final nine batters he faced. In his last five starts, he is 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA.

 

"I think you've seen a different pitcher in the last five or six starts compared to earlier in the year," Johnson said. "It's very evident that my mechanics are there, my velocity is there, and everything is there that wasn't there on a consistent basis."

 

Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ne...t=.jsp&c_id=bos

09/26/2005 9:10 PM ET

Rain washes away Jays-Sox

Teams will play day-night twinbill Tuesday at Fenway

By Ian Browne / MLB.com

 

BOSTON -- When Monday's contest with the Blue Jays was washed away, Red Sox manager Terry Francona quickly went to his backup plan for these final seven crucial games of the regular season.

Curt Schilling, who was supposed to start Monday night, will instead take the ball in Tuesday's second game of a day-night doubleheader at 7:05 p.m. ET. Veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, originally slated for Tuesday night, will pitch the newly scheduled matinee at 1 p.m.

 

Fans who had tickets for Monday night's game can use them in Tuesday afternoon's game.

 

The rainout also altered Boston's plans for this weekend's highly anticipated showdown with the Yankees, which, in all likelihood, will decide the American League East title. The teams entered Monday tied for first.

 

David Wells will still take his scheduled turn on Friday night against the Yankees, who counter with Chien-Ming Wang.

 

But the originally scheduled showdown between Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, co-heroes for the Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series, will no longer come to fruition. Instead, the Red Sox will pitch Wakefield on three days' rest on Saturday vs. Johnson. Schilling will start Game No. 162 against Mike Mussina.

 

"We set it up a long time ago in what we thought was our best order," said Francona. "So you stay with that. Then when it rains, we make adjustments."

 

If Sunday's game in fact has the entire season riding on it, the Red Sox can take comfort in the fact that there aren't many pitchers over the last decade who have won more big games as Schilling.

 

"Curt loves this time of year," said Red Sox center fielder Johnny Damon. "As we saw last year and in the past, Curt steps up in times like these. We know he's going against the Yankees, we're pretty excited about that."

 

Wakefield, because he throws a knuckleball, is more equipped to come back on short rest than Schilling, who is just 10 months removed from major ankle surgery.

 

"I think for Curt to go ahead and have that opportunity, it's not a bad guy to have out there. I'll take that any time," said Red Sox left-hander Mike Myers.

 

While Francona usually tries to pace his players during doubleheaders, he admitted that these games are too crucial to take the normal approach.

 

"I think the idea is to make this into our advantage somehow," said Francona. "Because of the importance of these games, we probably are going to have a lot of guys play 18 innings. Maybe it will be 20 innings, maybe it will be 22, who knows? Whatever we're asked to do, we'll always try to make it to our advantage."

 

Though doubleheaders are typically tough to sweep, which would seemingly put the Red Sox at a slight disadvantage in their tussle with the Yankees, Myers thinks that the urgency of the games will alter conventional logic.

 

"I don't think it affects us in any way," said Myers. "We still have the same two guys throwing that would have thrown in Games 1 and 2 anyway in Schilling and Wakefield. It's harder to win a doubleheader if you look at the history of everything that's happened, but I think with our team and what we're gearing towards, I don't think it will be too hard to win."

 

In fact, with the Red Sox fresh off a weeklong road trip, Myers thought there could be benefits to the rainout, which was announced roughly an hour after the scheduled first pitch.

 

"It helps a lot, especially coming off the road trip," said Myers. "Guys can get home, spend a little time at home, get a good night's sleep, come in here tomorrow and try to win two."

 

The big thing was that Schilling never warmed up on Monday.

 

"Oh yeah, that's huge," said Francona. "That was something that we really wanted to stay away from. That gets you into a real tough situation. He'll pitch tomorrow, and it's fairly normal, just like having an extra day."

 

Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

09/26/2005 11:19 PM ET

 

White Sox squander opportunities

Division lead cut to two games with walk-off loss

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

 

 

DETROIT -- For those White Sox fans who thought wrapping up the American League Central could be easily accomplished before the South Siders head to Cleveland this weekend for a playoff-like regular-season finale, they better reconsider their celebratory plans following Detroit's 4-3 victory Monday night at Comerica Park.

It's true that the White Sox magic number of five still could be erased during the next three games in Detroit, with a little help factored in from Tampa Bay at Cleveland. It's also a fact that three wins of any shape or form basically lock up the Wild Card, with top challengers Boston and New York facing off against each other this weekend at Fenway Park.

 

Those three victories might take a little extra effort against a Tigers team sitting 16 games under .500, but a team inspired to take the White Sox down with them during the final week of 2005. Any thoughts of a clean, four-game sweep certainly weren't playing in the White Sox collective psyche entering this series.

 

"That ballclub still has a strong lineup," said manager Ozzie Guillen of the Tigers, who have a 38-40 record at home. "We didn't think we would sweep them. In our minds, we are just trying to win as many games as we can."

 

"One through nine, they come at you," added Jon Garland, who allowed three runs and fanned seven over 6 2/3 innings Monday, after allowing one run during his previous 26 innings against the Tigers this season.

 

Monday's winning drive had a Chicago connection, but Detroit's walk-off home run had nothing to do with former White Sox All-Star Magglio Ordonez. Curtis Granderson delivered the game-winner, his eighth long ball traveling out to left-center on an 0-1-offering from reliever Cliff Politte (6-1), leading off the bottom of the ninth inning.

 

Granderson prepped at Thornton Fractional South High School, located approximately 40 minutes southwest of Chicago. He also was a standout collegiate player for the University of Illinois-Chicago.

 

To twist the dagger a little further, the current Chicago resident grew up a White Sox fan.

 

"I got calls earlier today saying, 'Remember you're from the South Side. Don't go too hard on us,'" Granderson said. "I'm not sure what's going to happen once I get home."

 

Politte tried to sneak a fastball past Granderson on the outer half, noting the dimensions at Comerica play smaller to right. But he was stunned when Granderson's blast carried over the fence.

 

"I was pretty shocked and caught off guard," Politte said. "But shoot, there's nothing I can do about it now. It aggravates me a little bit, but it's something I have to forget about. Tomorrow is another day."

 

Brandon Inge was responsible for the first two home runs from Detroit (70-86). His opening blast off Garland, a two-run shot with two outs in the fourth, tied the game at 2. His 15th home run, coming with two outs in the sixth, tied the game up at 3.

 

Inge entered Monday with four career hits in 28 at-bats against Garland, who was high in the zone with a number of his pitches, but still kept the White Sox in the game.

 

"Bad pitches," said Garland of Inge's two home runs. "Go back and look at it, and see where A.J. is setting up and see where the ball is at. He did what he's supposed to do. I made a mistake and he capitalized.

 

"I was upset for getting a lead and giving it right back. I haven't had a chance to pitch with the lead the last few games. It's what I wanted, and it's what I got. To me, I let my team down."

 

Paul Konerko's 39th home run, coming off starter Jason Johnson with Pierzynski on base in the first inning, and Joe Crede's career-high 22nd home run accounted for the sum total of the White Sox offense. The rest of Monday's story centered on missed opportunities.

 

Both Pierzynski and Aaron Rowand grounded into rally-killing double plays, in the third and seventh, respectively. And Rowand failed to get a bunt down in the ninth, after Carl Everett was hit by a pitch for the second time to lead off an inning.

 

Reliever Fernando Rodney (2-3) quickly retired the side following Rowand's popped up bunt attempt.

 

"He just elevated a fastball, and I didn't get on top of it," Rowand said of the missed sacrifice. "We had some chances and we didn't push the runs across. We hit the ball hard and didn't get a whole lot to show for it."

 

The White Sox had a chance to take control in the top of the eighth, when reliever Craig Dingman walked Juan Uribe to lead off the inning and Scott Podsednik followed with a bunt single, as catcher Ivan Rodriguez flinched a second too long after initially looking at second base. Guillen called on Tadahito Iguchi to sacrifice the runners over, and the Tigers brought in left-handed specialist Jamie Walker to face Pierzynski with runners on second and third and one out.

 

Pierzynski struck out swinging, and the Tigers followed by intentionally walking Paul Konerko. Chris Spurling replaced Walker and fanned Jermaine Dye with the bases loaded to end the threat.

 

Chicago's division lead dropped to two, and the White Sox (94-62) lost the one-game advantage in the loss column over the Indians (92-64). Nobody said locking up their first postseason bid since 2000 would be easy, especially against spoilers like the Tigers.

 

"If people think they are going to give up and say, 'OK, take it,' that's not true," Guillen said.

 

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

NL

Braves - East

Cards - Central

Padres - West

Phillies - WC

 

AL

Yanks - East

WS - Central

Angl - West

Cleveland - WC

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/NASApp/...xt=.jsp&c_id=sf

 

09/27/2005 2:43 AM ET

 

Giants' rally cuts lead to three games

Winn, Snow get big hits to keep playoff hopes alive

By Rich Draper / MLB.com

 

 

Randy Winn watches his game-tying triple head for the center-field wall. (Lenny Ignelzi/AP)

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SAN DIEGO -- There was a gash on J.T. Snow's neck, bloodied during a tumbling fall into a television well, his head striking a camera as he reached for a foul ball, only inches from his grasp.

Snow survived the mishap, but somehow the game effort -- "I shoulda caught it," was the first baseman's response -- in the ninth inning of San Francisco's shocking 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on Monday night typified the Giants' stretch-run spirit.

 

As in somehow defying the odds, still battling for survival.

 

It was fitting that Snow's single off perennially untouchable Padres closer Trevor Hoffman in the top of the ninth capped a two-run uprising, miraculously keeping the Giants' hopes alive when they were one out away from defeat.

 

A loss would have meant San Diego needed only one victory to clinch the National League West title, but the Giants -- winners of eight of their last 10 games -- closed to three games out heading into Tuesday's second game of the four-game series.

 

This game had a surreal feel to it, a buzz in the air, with manager Felipe Alou calling it a "World Series atmosphere."

 

Certainly there were moments of magic.

 

Trailing, 2-1, entering the ninth, Mike Matheny -- as he has done all season -- ripped a single to kick-start the rally. Then with two gone, Randy Winn blasted a ball to the center-field wall that landed in Brian Giles' glove, some 400 feet away.

 

Game over. Fireworks shot out from behind Giles ... right at the moment the ball trickled off his glove as his wrist struck the wall, pinch-runner Jason Ellison scored the tying run and Winn capped his 4-for-4 night with a triple.

 

After Omar Vizquel drew a walk, Snow screamed his game-winning hit off a Hoffman changeup.

 

For Hoffman, it was his first blown save since April 29, as his streak of 38 consecutive saves came to an end and his record fell to 1-6.

 

Alou had a unique perspective on that fateful ninth, saying, "Even if we don't win another game, we beat Superman tonight."

 

Snow said he is proud of his teammates with the season on the line.

 

The Giants scored four runs in the ninth Sunday to top Colorado, 6-2, with Snow also contributing with a safety.

 

"The season hasn't gone the way we wanted, but we keep fighting," said Snow. "We gotta give everything we have, every game, from here on in. We have to win out."

 

As for Snow's painful defensive effort, his waist hit the protective railing and he fell face-first into the camera, tumbling to the concrete floor.

 

"I was laying there and the ball was two feet from me," said Snow, who was amidst cables and wires. "I was fine, and I was trying to get out of there, but everybody was trying to pick me up and doing more harm than good."

 

For Winn, now hitting .430 in September, it was business as usual, but he delighted in crushing the ball in the ninth to tie the game after feeling disappointment when Giles snared it.

 

"It was definitely a big one," he said of the towering shot, also off a Hoffman changeup. "It was a game we needed to win, we got some big hits and J.T. came in and drove me in, that also huge.

 

"When Giles came down, the ball squirted loose. A home run would have been an added bonus, but I was just hoping it would go over his head."

 

Also critical to the victory was starter Brad Hennessey's typical first-inning meltdown, as he gave up Mark Loretta's leadoff single and Ryan Klesko's two-run homer, his first extra-base hit of the month.

 

But Hennessey suddenly slammed the door shut, retiring the next nine Padres and allowing only a Loretta single in the sixth, his final inning. He and Padres starter Jake Peavy, who yielded only a run over eight frames, dueled to a draw.

 

Relievers Jeremy Accardo and Jack Taschner held San Diego scoreless in the seventh, Tyler Walker (6-4) got the win with a perfect eighth, then Armando Benitez earned his 19th save.

 

"I settled in good there and started making better pitches," said Hennessey, who has allowed only two earned runs over his last 13 2/3 innings.

 

The rookie said it "felt good to give our team a chance to win," but to his credit tried to downplay the game's significance, as if dwelling on this final week would alter his psyche.

 

"My first start ever was my biggest game -- the magnitude of it, going from the Minors to the Majors, but I try to take every game as important because you never know what it will mean," he said.

 

Adding his own unique flavor and flair to the contest was Barry Bonds, who went hitless in five at-bats -- he's now 0-for-11 over his last three games -- but displayed his gamesmanship with a fine running catch of Xavier Nady's liner to left-center.

 

After grabbing the ball, Bonds' aching legs flared with pain, and he skipped across the field, slowly coming to a halt.

 

"He had to go a long way to be able to favor and not mess up his knee," said Alou. "I believe that stuff inspired his teammates, to see a guy his age, who's right now hurting obviously, limping, to go out and play nine innings like that."

 

Rich Draper is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/NASAp...t=.jsp&c_id=phi

09/27/2005 2:48 AM ET

 

Phils lose ground with tough setback

Rollins ties hit-streak record, but 'pen lets lead slip away

By Ken Mandel / MLB.com

 

PHILADELPHIA -- It rained, then it poured.

After sitting through a two-hour, 35-minute rain delay on Monday, the Phillies endured the downpour of a painful four-run eighth inning by the Mets that compromised their playoff aspirations.

 

The 6-5 loss pushed Philadelphia 1 1/2 games behind idle Houston in the National League Wild Card race. The Phillies fell to 84-73, with five games remaining in the season. Houston, at 85-71, has six games left.

 

"We can't lose any more games," said manager Charlie Manuel. "We're not out of it, but at the same time, we're getting closer [to the end of the season]."

 

When the rain stopped, things started out beautifully for the Phillies when Jimmy Rollins smacked the first pitch out to right for his second leadoff home run in as many days. It also extended his hitting streak to 31 games, tying him with Ed Delahanty, who set the franchise record in 1899.

 

Chase Utley doubled and scored the second run of the first inning on a single by Pat Burrell, but he would play a large part in the eighth-inning unraveling.

 

Leading, 5-2, Ugueth Urbina (4-3) started the eighth in relief of a brilliant Brett Myers -- who had allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in seven innings -- and allowed a double to Marlon Anderson, then walked Jose Reyes on four pitches.

 

Miguel Cairo plated the first run of the inning with a double over David Bell's head.

 

With no outs, Carlos Beltran grounded to a drawn-in Utley. The ball bounced out of his glove, and he compounded the miscue by chucking it past first baseman Ryan Howard. Anderson and Reyes scored on the play to tie the game.

 

"I made an error, simple as that," Utley said. "It was a routine play and I should have made it. No excuses."

 

There were no excuses for Urbina, who faltered for the sixth time this season as a Phillie.

 

The right-hander declined to speak after the game, but catcher Mike Lieberthal spoke for him.

 

"Urbina has been good all year, and it was unfortunate that we lost," Lieberthal said. "He got behind in the count and made mistakes. It's a game we should win, and 90 percent of the time, we do. He was off one time out of 50."

 

Urbina just picked the worst possible time.

 

Aaron Fultz relieved and gave up a laser single to Cliff Floyd, then was replaced by Ryan Madson, who loaded the bases by hitting Mike Piazza. Rookie Mike Jacobs completed the uprising with a sacrifice fly to deep center field to give New York a 6-5 lead.

 

Manuel thought about bringing in Billy Wagner to pitch to Floyd, but didn't want to use his closer for a two-inning save. Manuel revealed after the game that Wagner had soreness, a claim Wagner disputed.

 

"I'm sore like everybody else," said Wagner, who has pitched in five of six days. "I was up twice in the ninth inning. That's all you need you to know."

 

New York's lead turned into a loss when former Phillie Roberto Hernandez tossed two scoreless innings of relief, earning his third save.

 

Philadelphia didn't go quietly in the final frame, when Utley doubled to center. Mets manager Willie Randolph elected to intentionally walk lefty Bobby Abreu, putting the winning run on base and bringing up Burrell, who earlier hit his 30th career homer against New York.

 

"You're definitely thinking positive there," said Utley. "We had the guy with the most RBIs on our team hitting. You have to feel good about yourself."

 

Burrell grounded to Hernandez on the first pitch.

 

"You have to put it behind you," Utley said. "It was a tough loss."

 

With five games left and trailing by two in the loss column, the Phillies know they need some help.

 

"It's in Houston's hands," Lieberthal said. "We have to hope they lose. That's all we can do. We can take care of our business, too, and win, but we need some help."

 

Ken Mandel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

NL

Braves - East

Cards - Central

Padres - West

Phillies - WC

 

AL

Yanks - East

WS - Central

Angl - West

Cleveland - WC

 

 

I agree. In the AL, I see either the Angels or the Indians going to the WS. In the NL, I see either the Cards or the Phillies/Astros making it.

http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/NASApp/...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb

09/27/2005 3:32 PM ET

 

Red Sox pull even in East

Wakefield scatters just three hits over seven innings

By Mike Petraglia / Special to MLB.com

 

BOSTON -- In the last week of the season, the Red Sox don't need to be spectacular, they need to be efficient. And Tuesday's win in the first game of a day-night doubleheader at Fenway Park was a prime example.

Entering the contest trailing the Yankees by a half-game in the American League East, the Red Sox put two runs on the board in the first inning thanks to their two biggest guns, and then rode the steady September pitching of Tim Wakefield to a 3-1 win over the Blue Jays.

 

The Red Sox wasted no time in making life miserable again for Toronto starter Dave Bush (5-11).

 

Johnny Damon opened the first with a sharp single to right before Edgar Renteria lofted a double high off the Green Monster in left to put runners at second and third with none out.

 

David Ortiz followed with the first of his two RBIs for the game with a groundout to second, scoring Damon. Manny Ramirez singled to center, scoring Renteria to make it 2-0. Ortiz now leads Ramirez for the team RBI lead, 142-136.

 

While he hit a batter in the first and walked one in the third, Wakefield (16-11) didn't allow a hit until Frank Menechino opened the fifth with a single to left. Ramirez misplayed it, allowing Menechino to reach second. Menechino eventually scored the unearned run on a passed ball charged to Doug Mirabelli.

 

In throwing 108 pitches over seven innings, Wakefield allowed just three hits and the unearned run, walking one and striking out six.

 

Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless eighth, getting out of a first-and-third jam while Mike Timlin registered his 12th save in the ninth.

 

The game was a make-up for Monday's night rainout at Fenway.

 

Mike Petraglia is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Surprise Surprise!

 

I'm picking the Angels to win the WS.

And the Cards to be eliminated in the 1st round.

 

Angels/Braves in the 2005 WS.

Wow just wow..

 

Mets edge the Phillies 3-2 as Heilman k'd Abreu to end the game with tying run on 2nd.

 

Biggio just hit a HR off Jason Marquis (relief) in the 8th to make it 3-1 HOU with Lidge warming up..

 

Bonds just jacked a 3 run HR to put the Giants up 3-0 in the 1st..

Wow just wow..

 

Mets edge the Phillies 3-2 as Heilman k'd Abreu to end the game with tying run on 2nd.

 

Biggio just hit a HR off Jason Marquis (relief) in the 8th to make it 3-1 HOU with Lidge warming up..

 

Bonds just jacked a 3 run HR to put the Giants up 3-0 in the 1st..

 

the Cards are asking for trouble for not putting away the Astros here. Could come back to haunt them. Better Phillies than Astros

the Cards are asking for trouble for not putting away the Astros here. Could come back to haunt them. Better Phillies than Astros

 

 

I gotta disagree with that one.. We play the Astros 1000 times better than the Phillies.. Infact our minor league team beat Oswalt, Clemens, and Pettitte in a row.. That doesnt mean anything but winning 11/14 vs them would give us more confidence than losing like all 6 vs Philadelphia.

 

I'd rather have Houston make it.. They dont scare me especially their offense..

 

Cards almost always struggle with Philly and SF!!

 

So yeah while I dont want Houston to make it due to their 3 guns, I'm more concerned if Philly makes it and the Cards face them..

the Cards are asking for trouble for not putting away the Astros here. Could come back to haunt them. Better Phillies than Astros

 

 

I gotta disagree with that one.. We play the Astros 1000 times better than the Phillies.. Infact our minor league team beat Oswalt, Clemens, and Pettitte in a row.. That doesnt mean anything but winning 11/14 vs them would give us more confidence than losing like all 6 vs Philadelphia.

 

I'd rather have Houston make it.. They dont scare me especially their offense..

 

Cards almost always struggle with Philly and SF!!

 

So yeah while I dont want Houston to make it due to their 3 guns, I'm more concerned if Philly makes it and the Cards face them..

regardless of what's happened this year, the trio of Clemens, Pettitte, and Oswalt will be scary in the postseason...if the Astros make the playoffs, they're my pick to go all the way

that being said, I'm rooting for the Phillies because of all the former Giants on the team

the Cards are asking for trouble for not putting away the Astros here. Could come back to haunt them. Better Phillies than Astros

 

 

I gotta disagree with that one.. We play the Astros 1000 times better than the Phillies.. Infact our minor league team beat Oswalt, Clemens, and Pettitte in a row.. That doesnt mean anything but winning 11/14 vs them would give us more confidence than losing like all 6 vs Philadelphia.

 

I'd rather have Houston make it.. They dont scare me especially their offense..

 

Cards almost always struggle with Philly and SF!!

 

So yeah while I dont want Houston to make it due to their 3 guns, I'm more concerned if Philly makes it and the Cards face them..

regardless of what's happened this year, the trio of Clemens, Pettitte, and Oswalt will be scary in the postseason...if the Astros make the playoffs, they're my pick to go all the way

that being said, I'm rooting for the Phillies because of all the former Giants on the team

 

I think the Phillies season may be over, if Houston can hold the lead tonight

I get what ya'll are saying it's just I think the Cards would feel better if Houston got in the playoffs (which I think Hou will anyways, I thought it for a while now) instead of Philly considering our struggles against the Phillies.

 

Anything can happen in the playoffs and the regular season means nothing.. Duh..

I have a feeling that Boston is coming back on the 9th to win this game against the Blue Birds, and take the lead on the AL East

 

I get what ya'll are saying it's just I think the Cards would feel better if Houston got in the playoffs (which I think Hou will anyways, I thought it for a while now) instead of Philly considering our struggles against the Phillies.

 

Anything can happen in the playoffs and the regular season means nothing.. Duh..

 

we have always struggled vs the Giants, and we have won two series against them in the post season. It is a different ball game once you get to the playoffss

I'm concerned either way.. I think we lose in the 1st Round wether we face Philadelphia or San Diego/San Francisco.. Oh well!

Surprise Surprise!

 

I'm picking the Angels to win the WS.

And the Cards to be eliminated in the 1st round.

 

Angels/Braves in the 2005 WS.

 

Hah! Braves won't make it to the WS. It will be another first round exit for them. Indians/Astros in the 2005 WS. :whistle

Braves/Yankees WS

 

sue me, they're my next fav teams after us

Braves/Yankees WS

 

sue me, they're my next fav teams after us

 

Who, the Braves or Yankees?

The Angels have beaten Oakland to clinch the AL West and eliminate the moneyballers from playoff contention.

 

The Braves also won tonight, clinching the NL East title (again).

And the Padres are 3 outs away from lowering their Magic # to 2..