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09/18/2005 Archived Entry: "Phillies Journal - 2005"
Phillies Journal - 2005
by Max Blue
http://maxblue3.tripod.com
Flashback to July 25, 2003.
DOGFIGHT
The Florida Marlins think they can beat the Phillies, and make it into the playoffs as the wild card team. They may be right. After tonight’s 11-5 win they have beaten the Phillies six straight times, but still trail the Phils by five in the loss column. It was a night when two premier late inning relievers, picked up in trades to bolster the stretch drive, failed miserably. Ugeuth Urbina led the American League in saves before the Marlins got him in a swap with the Texas Rangers. He entered the game in the seventh inning with two on and the Fish up 3-1. He began by throwing five straight strikes — the first three sent Marlon Byrd back to the bench shaking his head, the fifth landed over the left field fence after Placido Polanco took a whack at it, and the Phillies led 4-3. Mike Williams was the Pittsburgh Pirates representative at the all-star game before the Phillies traded for him just last week. His job was to get three outs in the eighth inning and turn it over to Jose Mesa in the ninth. He walked the first batter he faced and it only got worse after that. His sinking fast ball, which is about all he threw, kept coming in about an inch too low according to Umpire Randy Marsh, and somehow the Fish kept laying off, happy to let the squirming Williams walk in the tieing run. Carlos Silva relieved, but his sinkers were also too low, and the Marlins ended up with 8 in the 8th.
CARRAMBA!
Good grief, is it too much to wish,
That our pitchers throw strikes to the dish?
Any time you walk nine,
The opponents will shine,
This night the Florida Fish.
Friday, July 25, 2003. Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida. Fish 11 Phillies 5
