A Win Is a Win Is a Win

He did it again.  Another walk-off hit.  I can just hear Harry Kalas saying it now: “Nate Schierholtz, you are the,,,”

Ok, ok, I kid because I love.   But don’t tell me I was the only one yelling at the tv last night in the bottom of the ninth when manager Charlie Manuel chose to have Juan Pierre (one of the Phillies more consistent hitters this season) bunt Jimmy Rollins over to second giving the Colorado Rockies the perfect excuse to walk the “real man” Chase Utley.  And it’s not the first time we’ve seen him make a move like that.

I was furious as I saw Utley trotting to first and watched Nate (last name too hard to spell this early in the morning) stride to the plate.  I mean, Charlie had played right into the Rockies hands, not an easy feat considering the way the Rockies have been playing this year.

But then, Nate Schierholtz (the caffeine is kicking in, now!) drove in Jimmy Rollins with his bottom of the ninth walk-off single.

A win is a win is a win.

And he was not the game’s only unlikely hero.  Laynce Nix, Pete Orr (I didn’t even know he was back) and Phillippe Aumont all played key roles in last night’s victory.  Now those are not names you will easily find in Baseball-Reference.com.

But a win is a win is a win. (Did I already say that?)

And at least for one night, Charlie seemed to regain that magic touch, you remember the one, when any move he made, no matter how jaw-dropping, seemed to go his way.  Like starting Schierholtz last night.  It was only his second start since returning from the DL and going into last night’s game the 28-year-old right-fielder was hitting .206 with only two extra base hits in 13 games. Let’s just say he hasn’t been hitting the cover off the ball since the Phillies obtained him in the Hunter Pence trade.

But a win is a win is a win.  (Yes, this time I know I said it before.)  Well, it’s true.

And  for the first time since June 26th, the Phillies are within four games of .500.  Interestingly enough, they are actually 22-14 since trading Pence and Shane Victorino at the trade deadline.

And don’t look now, but they are only seven games out of the Wild Card.  Yes, they still have a lot of ground to make up and four other teams to jump over in the process, but today let’s just enjoy last night’s unlikely victory.

Because after all, a win is a win is a win.