Tuesday, March 10, 2015

World Series: Did You Know?

A-Rod also got hit by a pitch twice in the Fall Classic. Just like Frank Robinson and Todd Pratt. Unlike them and three others, Alex Rodriguez's team, the New York Yankees crossed plate more times then the team they faced did. A-Rod had a something to do with that.

It was in game three of the 2009 World Series between Alex's Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies, you see, had won it all in 2008 and wanted another. They had the sense to try and stop A-Rod, but they failed.

Game three was played at Citizen's Bank Ballpark in Philly, and this contest on the last day of October belonged to the Bronx Bombers. But they didn't just use the longball. They got their offence from many ways. Even the painful one!

A-Rod was hit in the top of the second on the very first pitch of the inning. A-Rod got drilled by Cole Hamels. It did not lead anywhere however. And at the end of 1 1/2 it was scoreless. It was in the bottom of the second that the Phillies touched home three times. A-Rod and his teammates were getting out-hit...But that was about to change.

Rodruguez got him team to within a run with a two-run home run off Hamels in the top of the fourth, with still plenty of time to go. The Yankees added three more the next inning. It was 5-3, New York, but there was still more scoring to go. But most of it was by New York. All but two runs, to be exact.

Nick Swisher hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth to make it a 6-3 game. But in the bottom of the inning, it was Philly getting a solo shot of their own from Jayson Werth. Were the floodgates of longballs opening?

 With one on, and two out in the top of the seventh, A-Rod was back to the batter's box. And, after falling behind in the count 1-2, he took a ball. The next pitch was also a ball, of course. It hit him! But it also moved Johnny Damon into scoring position for Jorge Posada. Posada came through with a single to score Damon, and the mighty Yankees were back up by three, 7-4.

The teams would trade single tallies from this point on. New York actually were doubling up Philly when Hideki Matsui hit a solo home run. Philadelphia would not go away quietly, as Carlos Ruiz went yard himself in the bottom of the ninth.

A-Rod added a walk on just five pitches in the top of the ninth. He was stranded, of course. In a game like this, that featured home runs, the final score of 8-5 is assumed to consist of "All Who Swatted Them", and 'Rod did not drive in a run or score when he was hit by the pitch. His home run obviously did. But he sure took some for the team, eh? The Yankees always find a way to hit 'em out what is thrown. But the Yankees are hittable, right?


References

Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Fonseca, Lew, director. The World Series. Major League Baseball Productions, 1943. DVD.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.

Seaver, Tom, and Martin Appel. Great Moments in Baseball. New York, NY: Carol Pub. Group, 1992. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Informationhttp://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. Mar. 10. 2014.


Notes:

The idea for this came from a blog at Baseball-Refernece.com:
<http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/3179>

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