One more to go

The Phillies offense is so bad right now, they've figured out how to erase runs from the scoreboard. After a maddening game in which the umpires didn't call any strikes for Jamie Moyer and the hitters continued to make us yearn for Brett Myers in the batters box, the Phils finally showed some life in the 9th inning.

Trailing 4-1, they loaded it up with no outs against Brewers closer Salomon Torres. Of course, Pedro Feliz swings at the first pitch, grounding right to the third baseman, who turns the 5-4-3 double play. At least, I thought, a run was in and the potential tying run would be at the plate. But no, the umpires ruled Shane Victorino interfered at second base. How can you be charged with interference if the double play is turned? So a run came off the board, and the runners went back to second and third bases. Carlos Ruiz then meekly grounded out, so in the grand scheme of things, that ruling only meant the final was 4-1 Brewers instead of 4-2. Phils still lead the series 2-1.

Our Sunday just got a lot more hectic. The Phillies and Joe Blanton will try to wrap it up in the afternoon and avoid a classic Cole Hamels vs. CC Sabathia winner-take-all matchup. At night, Josh Beckett will try to finish off the Angels. We were hoping the Phils wouldn't need four games so we could tend to some errands in the afternoon, but they couldn't get it done.

The great outings by Hamels and Myers and a few clutch hits in the first two games masked the fact that the offense has disappeared. The Phillies are now hitting .234 with a .339 on-base percentage for the series. They're supposed to be a world-class offense playing a team whose pitching staff consists of a Cy Young award winner and then a bunch of slop. The Phils took out Sabathia, but got shut down by Dave Bush and a bunch of castoffs and roiders in the bullpen.

In 10 2/3 innings, the Brewers bullpen has allowed no runs, four hits and four walks with nine strikeouts. That's disgraceful for the Phillies.

With numbers like that, let's hope the Phillies build an insurmountable lead off Jeff Suppan tomorrow or that he gets a complete game loss.

I have to go now and stop Christine from throwing out our NLCS tickets. See you tomorrow with better news, I hope.

[Photo credit: Associated Press]