Philly Sports Today

On a day when the Phillies edged the Washington Nationals 9-8, the game was meaningless. At about 12:30 p.m., Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas was found by the Phillies’ director of broadcasting after collapsing in the broadcast booth. Harry the K was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It is a dark day in Philadelphia, and it is fitting that today’s forecast calls for rain. That pretty much describes how all members of Phillies Nation feel today. I never thought that I would see the day when Kalas was gone. He was supposed to call Phillies games forever, and for an entire generation of Phillies fans, his voice is all that we know. Every time that there is a big play, I’m going to wonder, “How would Harry have called this?” Phillies games will never be the same. Now, like the countless home runs that he called, Harry is “Outta Here,” but he will be in all of our hearts forever. I think Phillies president David Montgomery summed up Harry’s death best when he said, “We lost our voice.” Truer words may never be spoken.

Although the Phillies and the Nationals discussed postponing the game, they ultimately decided against it. The starting pitching continued to struggle early on as Jamie Moyer quickly found himself in a 1-0 hole after an Elijah Dukes RBI-double in the bottom of the first inning. However, the Phils battled back in the second inning when Chris Coste picked up an RBI on a bases-loaded walk and Moyer helped himself out with a sac fly that put Philly up 2-1. Unfortunately, the Nats responded in the bottom of the second when Cristian Guzman stroked an RBI-single to tie the game at 2-2.

“The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Shane Victorino put the Phillies back on top in the top of the third inning with a solo shot. After the homer, Victorino crossed himself and then pointed up at the booth where Kalas was supposed to be working. The Phils tacked on another run in the fourth inning when Jimmy Rollins roped a double to right that plated Pedro Feliz to push the advantage to 4-2. Unfortunately, the winless-Nationals would not go away as Guzman picked up an RBI-single in the bottom of the fourth and Dukes connected on a solo homer in the fifth to retie the game.

The Phillies busted out in the seventh inning when “The Big Man,” Ryan Howard, belted a three-run home run to deep center field. One batter later, Raul Ibanez got into the act and smoked a solo homer to put the Phightins up 8-4. Once again, the Nats battled back as Adam Dunn answered with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to slice the deficit to 8-6. Victorino tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning on a sac fly that plated Eric Bruntlett, and that would prove to be a very big run.

Brad “Lights Out” Lidge came on in the ninth inning and had another shaky save performance. Lidge gave up a single to Guzman and then a two-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman that cut Philly’s lead to 9-8. Just like that, the Phils were clinging to a one-run lead with no outs in the ninth inning. However, Lidge settled down and struck out Dunn and Dukes before Nick Johnson grounded out to first to end the game. It was nice to get the win for Harry.

The Phils have an off-day today before returning back to the field on Wednesday for the second game of their series against the Nationals. “Fat” Joe Blanton will be on the mound for the Phillies and he will be opposed by Washington’s Shairon Martis.

R.I.P. Harry Kalas
March 26, 1936 - April 13, 2009

Go Phillies.

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