(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)With the game tied at 4-4 going into the top of the 9th inning, the Phillies closer took the mound looking to keep the Yankees off the scoreboard. Lidge got two quick outs, then appeared to have the inning sewn up after he got two strikes on Johnny Damon. A single, two stolen bases, a hit-by-pitch, a double and another single later, the Yankees plated 3 runs and completely silenced Citizens Bank Park. After the Phillies failed to do any damage in the bottom of the 9th, the crushing loss was complete.
This loss was particularly hard to take as the Phillies were in the game the whole time. The Yanks scored 4 runs off starter Joe Blanton but the Phillies nipped away at the lead throughout the night, getting solo homers from Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz in the 7th and 8th innings to bring them back into the game. It was all for naught, however, as Lidge failed just like he had all season long.
Now the Phillies find themselves on the brink, one loss away from ending their 2009 season. With Cliff Lee taking the mound in Game 5, the Phillies certainly have a great chance of extending the series back to New York but it's quite an uphill climb to pull off three straight wins against a good team like the Yankees. One thing this team has proven is that they are never out of any game, and although they have not been down in a series like this in the last few years, you have to believe they have some fight left in them. All it takes is one win to get the momentum back in the series and hopefully Cliff Lee will provide that win.
That was a tough loss to stomach, Phillies fans, but don't give up hope just yet. Until they lose that 4th game, this Phillies team is going to fight with everything they have. They are the World F'n Champs, after all.
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