A game that featured three Philly solo HRs early to give Philadelphia a 4-1 lead, and a B.J. Upton speed run (infield hit, steal, steal, throwing error) to tie it 4-4, came down to an ugly bottom of the 9th: Hit by pitch, wild pitch, wild throw, and then an infield dribbler that might have gone foul but on which Evan Longoria made a desperation heave to the plate - leaving Rays fans to do the heaving into the morning.
A great game in what has been a tight World Series. Tonight the Rays scored all four runs without the benefit of an RBI hit and the Phillies got just their second hit with a RISP in 32 at bats - and both are infield hits.
My only beef with strategy tonight is that in that bottom of the 9th, the Rays were going to have to pitch either to Dobbs or Stairs, and Maddon chose to walk the bases loaded, putting a sometimes wild pitcher in Balfour in a "no margin for error" situation. I say pitch to Dobbs where at least a walk won't beat you. But clearly, that was not the biggest problem the Rays faced in the bottom of the 9th. Just an all out implosion at the wrong time. Game 4 tomorrow, Sonnanstine against our formerly-own Blanton.
