The recap for Friday night's game could probably be 1,000 words long if you wanted to properly chronicle each inning. Despite a two hour rain delay, the game lived up to it's billing and was one of the better games played this season. The pitching was solid, spectacular defensive plays were made and the clubs were able to come up with a few clutch hits. It's all a fan could ask for in a game.
It's just a shame Atlanta has a manager who continually brings his worst reliever into the game at it's most critical point.
Scott Proctor blew a game for the second time in five days, this time giving up a walk-off homer to the struggling Raul Ibanez. Anyone following the game (that was a Braves fan, anyway) knew the outcome the moment the reliever left the bullpen. No offense to Scott, but he's an awful pitcher who might throw the most hittable fastball in baseball. The organization's continued belief in the righty has confused everyone and it has directly cost them two games this week.
It isn't fair to put all of this on Proctor. The offense did record just six hits, but they were also facing baseball's best pitcher in Roy Halladay. Brandon Beachy wasn't as sharp as he can be, but he gutted through six innings and gave his team a chance to win.
The fact is, the Braves should have won tonight. Halladay wasn't nearly himself after the long delay and they had multiple opportunities in the first four innings to put a few crooked numbers on the scoreboard. Instead, they continue to try and pull every pitch and wound up just scoring two runs before being completely dominated by Halladay and the Phillies bullpen.
Oh, well. Saturday's game is an earlier start (4:10) and it gives Atlanta a chance to seek revenge after tonight's tough loss.