Reds-Phillies NLDS Game Two: It wasn’t in the Cards

It just wasn’t meant to be. Everything happened about like I thought in this game and this series thus far; except we didn’t hang on for long enough.

Jay Bruce continued to see his star rise in this game by hitting a dramatic upper deck home run that should of sent the Phillies into hiding for the night. But the Baseball Gods would have none of it. The fly ball hit off Jimmy Rollins’ bat that was scored an error allowed two runs to score and the game would slip away from there. With that error went the hopes and dreams that we had in our hands. I don’t know if we’re ever going to be closer or if we’ll ever be back in this spot. But the Reds were on the doorstep.

Bronson Arroyo threw valiantly for 5 and 1/3 innings. Arthur Rhodes did his job. Brandon Phillips had a statement game that will never be forgotten by me, but so many more will remember his error rather than his lead-off home run.

Not me. I love these guys. Every last one of them. If it were up to me, I’d probably bring back this exact same team next year and tweak a thing or two. But I’d bring this same chemistry group back and see what happens next year. I love the way that Bruce, Phillips, Arroyo responded. I refuse to get down on Scott Rolen. Not in a million years after what he’s given us this year. That’s baseball. That’s how it goes. You move on and you live with it. One play doesn’t define a man; and that stands for every one of our guys who were on that field last night at Citizens Bank Park.

The Reds had a ton of miscues; four errors, each of equal importance. Bases loaded walks. Hit batters. It was the ultimate meltdown and I felt it coming ever close as each part of the game unfolded in front of me. As it was happening I kept thinking about how for me and a lot of my fellow Reds fans who this is everything to; it’s somewhat life defining. You feel like you know those guys we watch each night pretty well. You know their personalities. They’re good guys. You hurt with them and for them. You feel helpless because there’s nothing you can do but die with them when they don’t succeed. And you know that they wanted it even worse than we did.

I saw the fear in the eyes of the Phillies fans. They were shocked, and for a few hours, the Reds were on display and showed the world what they’re capable of. We were so close. That’s where the pain comes from.

Next time, maybe the ball bounces our way. Or finds way to our glove. Maybe it doesn’t. But I can’t say I was surprised to see them collapse like that. It was bound to happen, and if this group at it’s core is ever going to go on to greater heights, they needed something like this to happen.

Remember the taste of it. The feel. The way you felt on the stage when it was all on you. Remember the failure. It’s part of the ride. Tomorrow is game three, and it’s a new day. And if you don’t battle like your life is on the line, it will be the final game the 2010 Reds play.

Perfect post for this song, or song for this post. Whatever: off Roy Oswalt