Ouch

Blown saves obviously suck. They obviously suck more when they actually lose the game too. But they really really suck when it's a game like last night's game. Jamie Moyer pitched the best game he's pitched this season (at least by the numbers, with the possible exception of a game against the Marlins. I didn't get to watch most of the game). When a save gets blown and we lose a game 10-9 it's basically fine. No one pitched well enough in a game like that to feel like we really deserved to win. But losing a game in which our 46-year-old starter only gave up 2 runs over 7 innings without even throwing 100 pitches is pretty inexcusable. If he can get it done, anyone else should be able to. And this is riding a 7-game winning streak. Sure, that makes it a little better because of how much success we've had recently, but at the same time it makes it a little worse because we were playing like what we are - the best team in baseball.

With all of that being said, it's not completely Brad's fault. Pedro is fantastic at third, but it seems like when he blows it he really blows it. That ground ball should have ended the game. Someone can argue that Lidge shouldn't be allowing all those baserunners and everything, but the bottom line is Lidge got himself out of trouble but Feliz couldn't convert.

Our games today and tomorrow are nationally televised, which is always fun I guess. Blanton has been pitching like a banshee (assuming a banshee pitches really really well) and I expect him to keep that up today. Bastardo has been thrust into a really tough situation tomorrow on ESPN in Los Angeles against the team with the best record in baseball for his 2nd career start. Although I have plenty of confidence in both him and our offense, a split in this series would not look so bad given last night's game.