John Fay picks last night’s game-ending play by Brandon Phillips as the Reds’ play of the year, and I would be hard-pressed to disagree. It was incredible:
The game ended when Brandon Phillips threw Josh Phelps out at the plate on Nate McLouth’s bloop single down the right-field line.
It was the play of the year for the Reds.
Phillips bare-handed the ball on a bounce, set himself and threw an arching strike to home. Catcher Javier Valentin had to jump to get the ball but got Phelps with a swipe tag.
“It’s probably the best play of my career,” Phillips said. “Game on the line. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
David Weathers, who gave up the hit, put it like this: “I’ve lost games like that. That’s the first time I’ve ever been saved by a throw. Nine and a half times out of 10, he scores.”
Stormy Weathers was trying to blow the game, but BP wouldn’t allow it. What a wild game. Even though this team is probably out of the race, exciting games like last night give us reason to keep watching. It was one of the most interesting games of the year, as far as I’m concerned.
If you didn’t see Phillips’ play, go find a clip of it somewhere. Unreal.