Over and Out
Phillies lose early 6-0 lead, season ends in Houston
October 17, 2007
For the first two and a half innings, it seemed the National League Championship Series was starting to swing the Phillies’ way.
The Fightin’ Phils jumped out to a 6-0 lead on the Houston Astros.
Francisco Ramirez smashed a two-run homer.
Carlos Longoria followed with a three-run blast. All Philadelphia had to do was hang on to that lead, and it would pull within 3-2 in the Series. With the NLCS going back to Philadelphia for the final two games, the dream of a World Series trip was still very much alive for the boys in Phillies red.
But again, pitching let the team down big time.
Josh Johnson, who may yet win a Cy Young for his regular season work, looked more like a rookie, surrendering seven runs in the bottom of the third inning. While the Phillies eventually tied the game 9-9 in the top of the ninth, the Astros plated the winning run in the bottom of the frame, ending the game, the series and the Phillies’ 2007 season.
In the end, poor pitching will be the ultimate theme of the Phils’ final series of the season. When top-flight starters Johnson and
Andrew Zarzour let you down, and the bullpen doesn’t have much else to give, what do you do? The Phillies had 15 hits in their final game and scored nine runs — and still lost.
Just like that, it’s off-season time for Philadelphia — and on to the World Series again for the Astros. The
Detroit Tigers await, after they polished off the Red Sox four games to one.