Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Halladay Dominates Game 1

     We waited 15 years to watch our beloved Reds play in the postseason.  I guess we can wait another two days to see a postseason base hit.  Roy "Doc" Halladay threw the second no-hitter in the history of the MLB playoffs Wednesday night as the Phillies beat the Reds 4-0.  To put it simply, Halladay was absolutely brilliant.  He struck out eight, walked one, and left Cincinnati hitters clueless time and time again.  It was the best pitching performance I've ever seen.  He did exactly what he wanted, when he wanted.  He threw first pitch strikes to 25 of the 28 hitters he faced.  Granted, he may have received a few generous strike calls, but that comes with being the most dominant pitcher in the game.
     Reds' starter Edinson Volquez was chased after just 1.2 innings.  After giving up one run in the 1st, Volquez allowed an RBI single to Halladay (yes, the pitcher), to extend the inning.  After a walk to Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino singled in two more runs to make it 4-0.  Travis Woods then relieved Volquez and quieted the Philadelphia momentum.  The Phillies would only be able to generate one hit the rest of the game, but Halladay made sure that was plenty.
     Luckily, it's a best of five series.  Being no-hit is the same as losing 20-18.  A loss is a loss.  The truth of the matter is that there will be another game on Friday night that is pivotal to the Reds' chances of advancing.  And to the delight of Cincinnati fans, Roy Halladay will not pitch until at least Monday.  Friday is a new day and a new game.  The Reds have been hit with some pretty hard punches this season, and they've prevailed each and every time.  This team will not roll over and they will not give in.  Bronson Arroyo faces Roy Oswalt in Game 2.  First pitch is at 6:07 ET.
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5 comments:

  1. Michael SchuhOctober 7, 2010 at 10:51 AM

    I suggest you change the picture above to this: http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/2346/halladaycustomcover.jpg. It better reflects the video-game-like performance of Halladay last night. Beside a hit, the only thing his performance lacked last night was that inevitable spectacular defensive play that always seems to be pivotal in the late innings of every no-hit performance. Which only furthers the assertion of truly how untouchable he was.
    That being said, it has to be encouraging going forward for the Reds that Wood, Ondrusek, and Bray were extremely effective in relief. And while there isn't much to be encouraged about at the plate from last night's performance, as every Red appeared to be doing their best "Jonny Gomes in a slump impression" (step in the bucket and pull everything over the short porch in left), we have to get a hit at some point. I just hope that the flood gates open once we do.
    Game 2 prediction: Reds 3, Phillies 2...
    Arroyo 7inn, 1run, 8hits, 5k

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  2. David SchuhOctober 7, 2010 at 12:00 PM

    Yeah the hardest ball hit was a Travis Wood line drive to right in the 3rd that Jayson Werth caught in a much more dramatic fashion than needed. You have to wonder what would have happened had Volquez retired Halladay in the 2nd inning, but my best judgement tells me the Reds would have just lost 1-0. The more I think about it, the more I think that the Reds will respond Friday and will get to Oswalt early for at least a couple.

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  3. Michael SchuhOctober 7, 2010 at 12:44 PM

    Or if Cabrera could have gotten the ball out of his glove before Halladay even came up...

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  4. David SchuhOctober 7, 2010 at 12:46 PM

    Which he probably shouldn't have tried to flip to Phillips. He had Valdez at first

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  5. David SchuhOctober 7, 2010 at 10:36 PM

    News from Dusty today: Laynce Nix is starting in in left field and Ryan Hanigan will start behind the plate. Hanigan always catches Arroyo and Nix is 9-17 career against Oswalt with 2 home runs.

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