Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Map to a miracle

Darin Ruf ignited the offense for the Philadelphia Phillies to keep the flame of postseason hope burning. Is there a divine intervention in the vault?

TAL’S HANDY CAPS

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Check out: Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Heroes wanted

& Phillies (Additional Ruf Photo)

CAP-SIZE HINDSIGHT: 6-3 Triumph

TYPE	PLAYER	REASON
The Crystal Champagne Toast	Chooch Ruiz	Three-Star Performance
The Penthouse	Darin Ruf Ryan Howard Chooch Ruiz Dom Brown	* Launched A Solo HR To Tie It Up At 1 In The 2nd During His 2 For 3 Start Singled In A Run For A 3rd-Inning 2-1 Lead Smacked A 3-Run Bomb For A 5-1 Score In The 3rd Stroked A Solo Tater For A 6-3 Game In The 6th
The Whitehouse	Darin Ruf	* 1st MLB Hit & HR
The Fun House Of Mirrors	Darin Ruf	* A Record-Setting Freeze Before 1st HR Congratulations
Rally Tal & Cap	4 Players & 4 Runs	** 2 BB (Mayberry & Utley), An RBI Single (Ryno) & A 3-Run Bomb (Chooch) In The 3rd
The Leather Warehouse	Ryan Howard	Made A Long Diving Play In The 7th

Above Asterisks ( *) = Corresponding Plays And/Or Events

SEPTEMBER NUMBERS:

GB 2nd WC: 5.5
2ND WC Pos: 4 (Tie)
Elimination No: 3

“Babe” Ruf Enjoys His 1st MLB HR In The 2nd

NITECAP INSIGHT

The Diamond Digit:

Are 5’s wild? On Sunday, the red pinstripes had an elimination number of 5, were in 5th place for the 2nd wild card, and 5 games behind. Was that a good or bad omen? The outward view is the impossible dream, but the matchups will separate the reality from wishful thinking. That stated, it is right before your eyes in the NL East.

2 victories by the Braves over the Fish coupled with a sweep at the Bank would put Atlanta 2 games out. With the division within reach, the Chop Shoppers will do anything to avoid a 1-contest playoff. That means the Nats would go into baseball heaven with a need to win every battle. And that situation would be especially bad news for the Cards, because the Braves host the Mets simultaneously.

Series 2:

TEAM	W - L	GMS	VERSUS
Cardinals	2 - 1	3	@ 'Stros
Brewers	1 - 2	3	@ Reds
Dodgers	2 - 1	3	@ Pads
D-Backs	1 - 2	3	@ Giants

Chooch Provides The Margin Of Victory With A 3-Run Blast In The 3rd

The Phils–as I said on Monday–have to go undefeated (8-0) the rest of the way. Meanwhile, the ‘Stros are due for one triumph over the Red Birds, which means that the hometown crew would be 4 back before traveling south. The Cardinals would be 84-72, while Cholley’s boys would be 80-76. Three sweeps are possible as the schedule winds down: The Phllies over Miami, Atlanta versus New York, and Washington against St. Louis. The locals have to take every game, while the Braves and the Nats will need every victory for the division.

If that were to occur, the NL East and the wild cards will still be undecided. And the red pinstripes would be 1 out with 3 to play. The final series would be the hometown 9 in Washington, and the Cards hosting the Reds. The Nationals would have Atlanta applying pressure, while they face a team that is trying to sneak into serious October competition. It means that the Phillies may have a major impact on the postseason, even if they may miss their first in years.

2nd Wild-Card Teams:

TEAM	W-L (8/31)	W - L	GB	W-L (SEPT)
Cardinals	71 - 61	84 - 72	-----	13 - 11
Dodgers	70 - 63	81 - 75	3.0	11 - 12
Brewers	63 - 68	80 - 76	4.0	17 - 08
Phillies	63 - 69	78 - 78	6.0	15 - 09
D-Backs	66 - 67	78 - 78	6.0	12 - 11

Kyle Kendrick Hurls A Dart At The Bank On September 21 Against The Braves

PRECAP PITCH

Kyle Kendrick:

He is 6-2 with a 2.17 ERA in his last 8 performances. During those appearances, his line is: 54 complete, 39 hits, 13 all-earned runs, 8 walks and 43 punch outs. He has worked 6.1 innings plus in 11 of 23 efforts with 7 debacles. Against the Nats for 3 outings at both parks (1 away), his ledger reads: 1-1, a 2.41 ERA, 18.2 frames, 16 hits, 5 all-earned runs, 6 BB and 9 whiffs.

	STARTER	RECORD	TM	STARTER	RECORD	DAY & TIME
3	LHP Cliff Lee	06-08, 3.12 ERA	@ Nats	RHP Edwin Jackson	09-11, 4.13 ERA	Wednesday, Day

John Lannan Unloads His Gun In The 2nd At Home On September 19 Against The Dodgers

John Lannan:

He was the 7th arm for a 5-man staff, which landed him back at Triple-A until Stephen Strasburg was shut down. He has worked 7 innings in 1 of 4 opportunities with 1 clunker. He, also, has a history of getting hit by the Phils.

DELIVERY = PITCHER’S 2012	DEFINITION OF SEASON
Over The Top	Excellent
3-Quarter Sidearm	Good
Sidearm	Above Average
Short Arm	Approximately Average
Submarine	Below Average

Starters’ photos, not described otherwise, are in the 1st inning.

Quality number of the pitcher: 1 – 5

Slot on his club: 1 – 5

Ranking is 1 to 5 & 15 for the less adventurous.

*** = Approximately equal to after plus-and-minus computation

HURLER	Kyle Kendrick	John Lannan
NUMBER	A Five	A Five
CLUB SLOT	Four	Five
FOR 2012	Sidearm	Short Arm
'12 RANKING	3rd of 5 Categories	4th of 5 Categories
LAST START	Eephus Pitch	Slurve ***
LAST HIGH OR LOW	13th of 15 Categories	9th of 15 Categories

DISPLAY NOTE: Non-listed results can go up or down by

1 or 2 categories (This note will only appear when it’s relevant.)

* 2 Ticks UP

	PITCH	INN	ER - R- H		PITCH	INN	ER
1	Gyroball	9 (CG)	0 - 0 - 3	10	Screwball	6	4
2	Fastball	9 (CG)	0 - 0	11	Knuckleball	5	3
3	Cutter	9 (CG)	3	12	Forkball	0 - 4.2	Monstrosity
4	Split Finger	7	2	13	Eephus Pitch	0 - 2.2	Disaster
5	Curveball	7	3	14	*Palm Ball	Ejected
6	Sinker	6.1	3	15	*Spit Ball	**Ejected+
7	Slider	6	2		*Breaking Ball	Injured
8	Changeup	6	3		*Fosh	Rain Interrupted
9	Slurve	5	2		*Knuckle Curve	Pitch Count
	** = Suspended				* = A 2nd Pitch Also

STATS APOCALYPTIC HORSEMEN COLE HAMELS
COLE'S LINE: 7 INN, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K & 99 DARTS

ACE	W - L	ERA	INN+	CONV	CG - SO	BAD	INN	ER	BB - IBB	SO
Total	34 - 23	3.48	6.1	59 of 86	2 - 2	12	582.2	225	114 -2	557
Hamels	17 - 06	3.05	6.2	21 of 31	2 - 2	03	215.1	073	050 - 2	218
Lee	06 - 09	3.16	6.1	23 of 30	0 - 0	02	211.0	074	028 - 0	207
Halladay	11 - 08	4.49	7.0	15 of 25	0 - 0	07	156.1	078	036- 0	132

21TH RIDE OF THE HORSEMEN:


ACE	W - L	ERA	INN+	CONV	CG	SO	BAD	INN	H	R	ER	BB	IBB	SO
Total	2 - 0	2.84	6.1+	2 of 3	0	0	1	19.0	14	6	6	4	0	20
Halladay	1 - 0	7.20	6.1+	0 of 1	0	0	1	05.0	06	4	4	3	0	07
Lee	0 - 0	1.29	7.0+	1 of 1	0	0	0	07.0	03	1	1	0	0	05
Hamels	1 - 0	1.29	7.0+	1 of 1	0	0	0	07.0	05	1	1	1	0	08

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