Ryan Howard had the go-ahead hit in the ninth Sunday. This time he settled for the game-tying two-run double and left it up to Jayson Werth to knock him in. Werth, who hit a solo homer in the sixth, did just that with a single to center and the Phillies won 5-4.
The one non-sweep in Divisional Series play featured another thrilling game Monday, with the Rockies scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth, only to have the Phillies come back with three runs in the top of the ninth and clinch the series in four games.
It was the worst possible matchup for the Rockies and then the worst-case scenario Saturday: because of the snowout that pushed back the two games in Denver one day apiece, the Phillies were going to be able to start five straight southpaws against a Colorado lineup that, at its best, features five left-handed hitters.
In the end, the Rockies did their best and got to both Cole Hamels in Game 2 and J.A. Happ in Game 3. However, they fell a little short in Game 3 anyway and they struggled mightily to solve Cliff Lee, who allowed two earned runs over 16 1/3 innings between Games 1 and 4.
So, now Divisional Series play is over, all too soon again. Is there better evidence for the need of a seven-game first round than what happened to Colorado? Baseball is a 25-man game, but the Phillies were able to win a series with one pitcher throwing 45 percent of their innings. It’s an absurd way to go about deciding the true champion. Having the best pitcher in a series should provide a nice advantage, but it’s too extreme of one in a short series filled with off days.
The Phillies have to be pretty excited with the way they’re playing as they head to Los Angeles. Their power hitters are clicking on all cylinders, and even Brad Lidge might have a little confidence back after picking up saves in back-to-back games.
Yankees place Nestor Cortes on 15-day injured list with left rotator cuff strain
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The Yankees placed Nestor Cortes on the 15-day injured list with a left rotator cuff strain that will sideline the left-hander for at least two starts.
The move is retroactive to Monday and Cortes will be shut down for at least 15 days.
After Tuesday’s game, Cortes said the shoulder has been bothering him between starts and more so after he pitched five innings May 30 in Seattle.
“I took two days off and when I got to LA and threw that first day, I didn’t feel right,” Cortes said Tuesday. “But it was first day coming back from pitching so I knew it was going to be nagging a little bit. So I waited a little bit.
“That second day in LA was when I said something because it felt like I had pitched yesterday. So I wasn’t recovering in time.”
Cortes is 5-2 with a 5.16 ERA in 11 starts and has particularly struggled later in outings. Opponents are hitting .447 when facing him for the third time in a game.
Last year, Cortes was an All-Star and went 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 28 starts.
Randy Vásquez was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre to take Cortes’ spot in the rotation and will make his second career start in Thursday’s doubleheader. Vásquez made his major league debut May 26 against San Diego when the Yankees needed a starter because Domingo Germán was serving a 10-game suspension for using sticky substances.