For Love of the Game

It was way too early to be thinking of a no-hitter, but as soon as the 3rd inning I was remembering the cheesy Kevin Costner movie as I watched Jamie Moyer glide through the Marlins lineup.

Probably because there are few, if any, pitchers you would more want to pitch a no-no. I was even contemplating how I would lead off tonight's post if he completed it. Alas, after setting down the first 12 Marlins, Moyer gave up a leadoff single in the 5th to Jorge Cantu.

It was fun watching and imagining what it would be like for him to set down 27 in a row.

As it turns out, he didn't do too poorly: just the one hit and a walk with four strikeouts in seven innings. As Tim Wakefield has to wait until next year to appear in an All-Star game, J-Moy has to wait until next time to pitch his first no-hitter.

Ryan Madson and J.C. Romero set down the last six Marlins to finish off the 4-0 win. It was the Phillies first combined one-hitter since a game started by Marvin Freeman in 1986.

Record: Ryan Howard set a record with the fewest games played with 200 homers. Ralph Kiner needed 706 games to do it; Howard did it in just 658.

Trivia: I had no chance at the trivia question because Christine and I both thought they asked for what three members of the Marlins' 1993 opening day roster are still active. I guessed Luis Castillo, David Weathers and Trevor Hoffman.

Castillo was only 17 in 1993, and Weathers didn't play until midseason.

The question, however, wasn't necessarily the opening day roster, but any Marlin who played in 1993 and is still active - so it was Hoffman, Weathers and midseason acquisition Gary Sheffield.