Phillies ink Madson to 3 Year Deal

One day after locking up their ace Cole Hamels for the next three years, the Phils did the same with their top set-up man, Ryan ‘MadDog’ Madson.

The team and Madson have agreed to a three-year, $12 million extension, pending a physical. The deal calls for Madson to receive a $1 million signing bonus, $2 million this season, $4.5 million in 2010 and $4.5 million in 2011.  He can earn $1.5 million annually in performance bonuses if he becomes a closer: $150,000 each for 30, 35, 40 and 45 games finished; $200,000 each for 50 and 55, and $250,000 each for 60 and 65.

Phils Quiet the Cowbells

Phils Win! Phils Win!

What a game indeed.  Chase Utleys bomb in the first inning proved to be the mighty blow that Tampa Bay just could not overcome and seemed to shut up those annoying ass cowbells for a minute.  Cole Hamels once again pitched a gem of a game and moves closer to making his mark on baseball postseason history.  Oh, he’s just now 4-0, with a 1.55 ERA, with 27 strikeouts in 29 innings. That makes him only the 10th starting pitcher in history to win four games in one postseason, joining: Josh Beckett, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Jack Morris,  John Smoltz,  Orel Hershiser, Dave Stewart, David Wells and Burt Hooton.

Also, if Hamels gets another start in Game 5, he will have a chance to tie the all-time record for most wins in a single postseason, held by Randy Johnson (2001) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002). NOTE: all of K-Rod’s wins, and one of Johnson’s, came in relief. So Hamels is now in position to become the first starting pitcher ever to win five times in one postseason.

Carl Crawford and Akinori Iwamura were the only Rays that seemed to shake Cole as Crawford went deep on a breaking ball that hung out over the plate a little too long and Aki went 3 for 4 as well as driving in the Rays second run. The Phils had multiple opportunities to pad their lead but failed to do so, going 0-11 with runners on base and leaving nine men stranded.

Cole gave way to the best bullpen in the 8th.  Ryan Madson came in throwing straight HEAT for a perfect 8th leading the way for Mr. Perfect himself, Brad Lidge.  Lidge once again did his thang, throwing another perfect 9th while striking out two.

The Phils will try to make it two in a row at Trop tonight as Brett Myers pitches against James Shields in Game 2.

Phils Take 2-0 Series Lead

Brett Myers allowed two runs and two hits in seven strong innings, pulling the Phils within one win of the NL Championship Series. Ryan Madson and J.C. Romero worked the eighth, and Brad Lidge cruised in the ninth to pick up his second save of the young postseason.

Pitching on three days’ rest for the fourth consecutive start, Milwaukee Brewers’ starting pitcher CC Sabathia had his worst outing since joining the Brewers in a trade with Cleveland on July 7 allowing five earned runs on six hits in three and 2/3 innings.

Brett Myers was also a nuisance in the batters box as he took it to Sabathia with a pesky at-bat drawing a walk and dominated the rest of the Brewers from the mound.  Philadelphia beat Milwaukee 5-2 on Thursday night behind Shane Victorino’s first career grand slam for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five NL divisonial playoff series.

Some Quick Facts:

• The Phillies went up 2-0 in a postseason series for the first time since the 1980 World Series vs. the Royals, the only time they’ve been up 2-0 in the postseason.
• Shane Victorino, who had a bases-loaded walk in Game 1, hit the Phillies’ first postseason grand slam Thursday, his second career postseason homer overall. It was the second grand slam allowed by the Brewers in the playoffs (Don Baylor 1982).
• Victorino also became the first player in postseason history to have a homer, a double and two steals in a single game on Thursday.