As I settled in to watch Pedro Martinez face Tim Lincecum last night I said to myself, "Pedro's going to throw a fastball to begin the proceedings and if I am the first guy up I am swinging away."
That was the last time I was right all night as Martinez and the rest of the Phillies fooled me in delivering quite a message to San Francisco and the rest of the National League, to wit: talk all you want about our sluggers, we can pitch with anyone!
The Phils only managed four hits against Tim Lincecum and the bullpen but they made everyone count when you also throw in a HIT batsman. Jayson Werth rocked Lincecum in the second inning for a mammoth home run and Chase Utley, the aforementioned hit batsman, scored from first on a double by The Piece himself.
Meanwhile, Martinez didn't let his first pitch faux pas ruin his evening as he settled down to deliver a game that should ease the minds of Phillies fans going forward and put to rest for the foreseeable future any question of where Jamie Moyer fits in the rotation, doubleheaders excepted.
If the night belonged to Pedro, he must share the spotlight withWerth, one of my favorite whipping boys. Werth has had a season to remember and it ain't over. Finally given a chance to see his name in the lineup every day, collars the night before notwithstanding, Werth has delivered career highs in every offensive category while fielding his position well, at times very well. He may make the occasional bonehead mistake on the base paths, his powerful arm can be erratic and he still seems to have some problems going back to the wall, but Werth provides the Phils with a potent bat behind Ryan Howard, something the Phils desperately need as Raul Ibanez sinks further.
What makes the Phillies triumph in two out of three games against San Francisco's stellar staffall the more astonishing is that they scored all of three runs in winning those two games. Talk about making the most of opportunities!
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