As the year comes to a close it’s time to look back at some of the top moments from the Philadelphia Phillies 2010 season. While the team came short of their ultimate goal of winning a World Series championship, there were still several great memories from the past year. It’s time to look back on the top moments of 2010 leading up to the number one memory which will be unveiled on New Years Eve.
#17 Domonic’s Debut- July 28th
One of the best things about following baseball is when one of your team’s top prospects finally breaks through and makes his Major League debut. Who will forget Brett Myers going toe-to-toe with Mark Prior at Wrigley Field back in July of 2002? Or Cole Hamels allowing just 1 hit and striking out 7 batters in his MLB debut in Cincinnati in 2006. Even Chase Utley hitting a Grand Slam home run in his first ever start at Veteran’s Stadium in 2003.
Domonic Brown was congratulated after his first career at-bat
On a late Wednesday night in July, the anticipation was high as Phillies top prospect Domonic Brown was set to make his Major League debut. After CF Shane Victorino was placed on the 15-day disable list with a strained oblique muscle, the Phillies brass finally made the move to bring the 22-year old prospect to the big leagues. Brown was excited for the opportunity but understood he still had a lot of work ahead of him.
“I haven’t done anything yet,” said Brown before the game. “I say that all the time. The prospect thing, that’s all garbage.”
Brown got an opportunity to do something in his very first major league at-bat. After Jayson Werth led off the bottom of the 2nd with a double, the Phillies new RF stepped to the plate to a thunderous ovation from the sold-out crowd at Citizens Bank Park.
On the third pitch he saw, Brown ripped a 1-1 slider to deep RF that one hopped off of the wall. Werth scored and the rookie slid into 2nd base with an RBI double to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead. He immediately popped up and clapped his hands together as the home crowd erupted in euphoria. Brown would score two batters later on an RBI groundout by Wilson Valdez for his first career run.
“I was just overwhelmed and couldn’t hear anything out there,” Brown said. “But once I stepped in that box, I was so focused on what I had to do.”
The Phillies top prospect had a very memorable debut at Citizens Bank Park
In the bottom of the 6th inning, the rookie singled to right field on a 95mph inside fastball. He then showed off his speed scoring standing up from 1st base on an RBI double by Carlos Ruiz to give the Phillies a 4-0 lead.
Brown finished his debut 2/3 with an RBI double, single, RBI sacrifice fly, and two runs scored.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Brown. “I’m going to try and come back and do the same thing tomorrow. My nerves are there before every game. I was just trying to have fun.”
“To come in, especially a place like this, with the expectations, fans and media, to come in and produce the first day has got to be a good feeling for him and something that hopefully can alleviate some of that pressure and let him go out and play,” added Phillies ace Roy Halladay. “It’s not easy to step in and do what he did so he deserves a lot of credit for that.”
Halladay took the hill for the Phillies against Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Edwin Jackson. It was the first time since Nolan Ryan faced Wilson Alvarez on September 6, 1991, that two pitchers who had thrown a no hitter earlier in the season matched up against one another.
Halladay was brilliant once again extending his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 33 innings before allowing a run in the 9th after Brown misplayed a ball in right field. The Phillies ace went the distance for the eighth time during the 2010 season allowing just 6 hits and 1 run while striking out nine.
“For me, the key is always to work down in the zone,” said Halladay after his 114 pitch complete game victory. “It’s the same mentality anywhere I pitch. I try to keep the ball down, avoid fly balls, and get balls to be hit on the ground.”
“He throws so many strikes, the best pitches you’re going to see are going to be early,” added Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson. “And those aren’t even that good. He just pounds the zone with any pitch. He’s a damn good pitcher.”
The 7-1 Phillies victory was their 7th straight win and 10th straight victory at Citizens Bank Park.
“I thought there was a lot of buzz in the park,” added Halladay. “It’s been a lot of fun during this winning streak.”
“That was a good game,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. “There was definitely some energy there. It was a real good game. We played good.”
The Phillies played well as top prospect Domonic Brown gave Philadelphia fans a glimpse of a very bright future to come.
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