Philadelphia Phillies drop opportunity as Cliff Lee accepts losing Game 2 in NLDS – MLB Update
After leading the second game of the National League Division Series 4-0 against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, October 2 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies lost 4-5 after a careless spell of pitching by Cliff
Lee.
Phillies were in with a chance to extend their lead over the Wild Card entrants to 2-0, but failed to cash in on the opportunity. Cliff Lee accepted full responsibility of the loss and said, “Anytime I have a four-run lead in the first two innings I feel
I should win it and I didn’t do that.”
Given Lee’s record and stature, the Phillies were content as early as the second inning that they have virtually sealed the tie. However, complacency got the better of Lee and saw him lose what could have been an easy win.
Cardinals’ manager Tony La Russa expressed happiness on the outcome of the first two games. He had aimed to win at least one game on the road and then dominate in the home games against the NL East Champions. La Russa articulated his desire of seeing Roy
Halladay go against Chris Carpenter in the fifth game of the NLDS.
La Russa said, “I said before we came here I hoped it comes down to Halladay and Carpenter. I mean, that would be an experience of a lifetime for any of us.”
Phillies' manager Charlie Manuel, however, had his offence to blame for the loss. He stated that after forcing Carpenter back into the bull-pen, the batters should have scored more runs. Instead, the Cardinals pitched six scoreless innings on the trot and
conceded just one hit to send the Phillies tattering.
Patience and determination paid off for the Cardinals in the end. They scored three runs against Lee in the fourth innings followed by one run each in the sixth and the seventh inning respectively to seal the encounter.
With a best-of-three series to play now, a win for the Cardinals in game three will give them an upper-hand in the NLDS. However, with Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt still to fire for the Phillies, the series might go back to Citizens Bank Park.
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