Phillies Come Back on Rockies, Walk Off on Actual Base Hit This Time

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Michael Young celebrates with Carlos Ruiz after his game-winning hit in the ninth

You take walk-off wins where you can get 'em, but there's something to the "walk off on shortstop's second error of the ninth inning" formula that takes at least 15% of the wind out of the sails of the walk-off win. Much better to do so on a couple clutch base hits, as the Phils did tonight against Rockies closer Rafael Betancourt, winning the second of three against the Rock Boys to bring the team to an even 3-3 in the Ryne Sandberg era (and a perfect 1-0 in the Roger Bernandina era--can you feel the momentum shift?)

Better still, it was in comeback form this time, as a typically stellar 8th inning for the Phillies bullpen coughed up the go-ahead run to the Rockies (after seven innings of two-run work from Cliff Lee), typically an insurmountable deficit for the Phils, and especially so after Dom, Darin and Cody went a quick 1-2-3 in the eighth. But a couple of doubles from the Kratz & Chooch catching tandem, and a Michael Young liner to left to seal the deal, and the Phils were sending the CBP faithful home happy, and more than a little bit surprised.

"This is just what we needed to turn this season around," Michael Young definitely did not say in the post-game interview. "There's still 36 games left in this season--watch your back, Atlanta!"

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In any event, any night that ends with Gregg Murphy conducting an interview through a thick layer of shaving cream is a good night. Go Fightins.

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