Interesting turn of events in tonight's Phillies game in Florida in front of a crowd numbering in the tens...
The Phillies were losing 2-1 in the top of the ninth. For Florida, Kevin Gregg, their closer, was pitching and the Phillies had Eric Bruntlett on second base, Jimmy Rollins on first base. Shane Victorino turned to bunt towards third base which drew Marlins third baseman Wes Helms [please, hold your boos, I'm telling a story] even closer to home plate. As Helms drifted in as the pitch was delivered, Bruntlett took off for third base and beat the throw from the catcher.
Could it have been that Charlie Manuel had no intention of having Victorino bunt at all [he pulled the bat back as the pitch came in], but called a fake just to give Bruntlett an opening to get to third with no outs? Or was Bruntlett freelancing?
Whatever the case, Bruntlett eventually scored on a ball Chase Utley put in play, so once again Charlie comes up smelling like a rose.
The Marlins are now trying to win it in the bottom of the ninth...
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Update: After loading the bases, Tom Gordon threw Dan Uggla a meatball bigger than what the Goodfellas had in prison. Grand slam, Marlins win two in a row from the Phils.
