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.
#16 Giant Comeback – April 28th
What the heck just happened?
“It’s hard to explain, really,” said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.
It was almost impossible to explain the events that occurred at AT & T Park in San Francisco. On a Wednesday afternoon in late April, the Phillies were on the verge of being swept by the eventual 2010 World Series Champion Giants. The offense was sputtering and Philadelphia was poised to finish a 9-game road trip with a 3-6 record.
The day began with a great starting pitching matchup between 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels and two-time National League Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum. Hamels continues his shaky start to the 2010 season allow 4 runs on 9 hits and 4 walks while striking out 10 batters over 6 innings.
Tim Lincecum was brilliant before being pulled by Bruce Bochy
On the other side, Lincecum absolutely dominated the Phillies lineup. Through 8 innings he had allowed just 1 run on 3 hits and struck out 11 batters. The righty started the 9th inning but was pulled by manager Bruce Bochy after allowing a one-out walk to Shane Victorino.
With Lincecum just two outs away from the complete game victory and in the midst of a dominating performance against the Phillies lineup, it was shocking to see Bochy turn to closer Brian Wilson after just 106 pitches.
“I guess it’s just kind of a new life,” said Ryan Howard, whose solo home run was the lone blemish off of Lincecum. “The way he had been pitching the entire game, yeah, I guess you just try to seize the opportunity of getting somebody else in there.”
“Obviously, when he came out of the game, yeah, you’re happy to see the guy leave,” added Shane Victorino. “But we’re not like, ‘Oh, yeah, we’re going to do this!’ You’re still trying the whole game.”
“These aren’t easy decisions,” said Giants manager Bruce Bochy after the game. “I’ll say this: There will be other times. We have to take care of this kid. There will be games we feel like he can go; other times, I’ve got (Brian Wilson) ready and he’s going to hopefully help save these guys a little bit of work. We’re lucky to have a closer like this. He just had bad luck today.”
Jayson Werth's RBI double gave the Phillies new life
Wilson’s bad luck began as he allowed Chase Utley to single for the 1,000th hit of his career. Ryan Howard worked a walk and the bases were loaded with two outs for right fielder Jayson Werth.
Werth battled Wilson in a great at-bat in which he blooped the 9th pitch he saw just fair down the right field line all of the way into the corner. Three runs scored on the RBI double and just like that, after an entire afternoon of doom and gloom, the game was tied 4-4.
After rookie David Herndon pitched a scoreless 9th inning, the Phillies took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 10th when Brian Schneider scored on a wild pitch by Giants lefty Jeremy Affeldt.
The Phillies looked poised to steal a victory as Ryan Madson came on for the save opportunity in the bottom of the 10th. After allowing a leadoff double to Nate Schierholtz, Madson gave up a broken bat single to Andres Torres and just like that, the game was tied once again.
Madson was irate after the blowing the save and stormed into the Phillies dugout. In an attempt to take out his frustration, he kicked a chair in the clubhouse and broke his toe landing him on the 60-day disabled list. The Phillies had blown the lead and lost one of the premiere set-up men in the game just as closer Brad Lidge was set to return from injury.
Wilson Valdez was an unlikely hero for the Phillies
However as the Phillies had done all afternoon, they looked to rally back in the top of the 11th. Raul Ibanez singled to right field to lead off the inning and moved up to 2nd base after a Ben Francisco sacrifice bunt. With two outs in the inning, unlikely hero Wilson Valdez ripped a pitch to deep left field over the head of Eugenio Velez to regain the lead for Philadelphia.
The Phillies then got a huge insurance run after Shane Victorino hit a lazy fly ball to left field. Velez drifted under but tried to make a one-handed catch and the ball popped out of his glove. Wilson Valdez scored and the Phillies took a 7-5 lead into the bottom of the 11th inning.
Nelson Figueroa came on looking for the first save of his 11-year career. After allowing a one-out single to Bengie Molina, Figueroa got Juan Uribe to hit into a tailor made double play. However, the ball deflected off of Figueroa’s knee and Ryan Howard’s desperation flip was off line. Suddenly, the Giants had 1st and 3rd with one out and were looking to answer right back.
Brian Schneider's tag helped seal the victory
Nate Schierholtz picked up his fifth hit of the afternoon on an RBI double to right field and the Giants had 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and the winning run in scoring position. Eugenio Velez then hit a weak ground ball to the right side. Howard fielded it quickly but his throw home was off line. Backup catcher Brian Schneider made the catch but was out of position and dove towards the plate. Luckily for the Phillies, Uribe slid right into Schneider’s glove for the second out of the inning.
“I knew I was out of position because I couldn’t put the tag down without seeing the runner,” Schneider said. “We’re taught when in doubt don’t worry about where the runner is, just stick the glove in front of home plate. Luckily, he slid right into my glove. I had no idea where he was.”
Figueroa got Andres Torres to ground out to 2nd for the final out and the Phillies somehow escaped San Francisco with a crucial 7-6 victory. It wasn’t pretty but it was effective and the win left Phillies fans scratching their heads as the team returned home to Philadelphia to start the month of May.
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