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4/7/13
In an unusual circumstance, the Phillies started interleague
play earlier than in years past. It is unusual because in years past,
interleague play was only played in the month of June. The Phillies did not
have a good home opener on Friday. They blew a 4-0 lead in the sixth inning and
lost 13-4. I was at the game last night to witness what would be a boring game
overall, but ended in the ninth inning with a walkoff hit that made the fans go
home happy. The Royals are not a team to overlook like they use to be. They
have some talented young hitters such as Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer, Alex
Gordon, and Mike Moustakos. They have some young flame throwing bullpen
pitchers in Aaron Crow, and Greg Holland. What they did improve on this year
from last year was their starting pitchers. The Royals acquired James Shields
and Wade Davis from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Royals gave the Rays their top
hitting prospect Wil Myers, and three other prospects. They also acquired Ervin
Santana in a trade from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Royals gave the
Angels a prospect in return. John Lannan was making his first start as a
Phillie as he opposed Luis Mendoza for the Royals.
Both Lannan and Mendoza were pitching solid games through
the first four innings. Lannan allowed no hits through four innings as Mendoza
allowed one.
The fifth inning seemed like a sore spot for both pitchers.
Lannan allowed the Royals’ first baserunner of the game to reach by getting hit
by the pitch. Then he allowed the first hit of the game to Jeff Francoeur as he
doubled into left field. Miguel Tejada got an RBI groundout to second to produce
the first run of the game. Elliot Johnson knocked an RBI single up the middle
and it was a 2-0 game. Mendoza started his end of the fifth with a walk to John
Mayberry Jr. As he got Humberto Quintero to line out to right field, Lannan
moved Mayberry Jr. up to second base by laying down a sacrifice bunt. Ben
Revere slapped a single off of Tejada’s glove and went into left field and
Mayberry Jr. went all the way home to make it a 2-1 game.
The Royals tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning
as Tejada got an RBI double to right field that scored Francoeur. This inning
could have been worse had Tejada not fallen asleep at third base when Quintero
picked him off.
Mendoza pitched six quality innings. He allowed two hits,
one run, three walks, and struck out seven batters. Lannan pitched seven
innings. He allowed five hits, three runs, and struck out five batters. Aaron
Crow and Kelvin Herrera both threw scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth.
They both combined for three strikeouts. Mike Adams relieved Lannan and allowed
one hit and struck out one batter, but made his portion of the eighth inning
interesting. Billy Butler lined a single into left field. Jarrod Dyson pinch
ran for Butler, stole second base, and took third base on a throwing error by Quintero.
The threat ended when Salvador Perez grounded out to Michael Young to end the
eighth.
Antonio Bastardo relieved Adams and threw a scoreless ninth
inning and walked one batter. The Royals new closer, Greg Holland entered the
ninth and he gave the Phillies some life. He was all over the place with his
pitches as he walked Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Michael Young. Ezequiel
Carrera pinch-ran for Howard. Holland got Domonic Brown and Mayberry Jr. to
strike out. Charlie Manuel used Kevin Frandsen as a pinch hitter to replace
Quintero. The first pitch Frandsen sees, he lines a shot into right field that
splits the gap. The bases were all cleared AND THE PHILLIES WON THE GAME
4-3!!!! Who would have thought that would happen especially when the Phillies
only had 2 hits until this point in the game.
Overall, the Phillies had some solid pitching tonight. I
expected Lannan to throw the ball down in the strike zone and induce the
hitters to hit groundballs. The Royals right now are in the same offensive funk
as the Phillies are. The home opener was a mirage in my eyes. I don’t expect
either team to post offensive outbursts against one another. James Shields gets
the ball in the final game of this series for the Royals while Cole Hamels gets
the ball for the Phillies. Hamels is looking to improve after he had a typical
bad first start.
What are your
expectations for John Lannan? Sound off and stay tuned until next time…
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