It's one thing to lead your team to victory in the first postseason start of your career. It's another to do so by throwing only the second no-hitter in playoff history.
Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay dominated the Cincinnati Reds' lineup last night, needing only 104 pitches to record 27 outs while allowing only one base runner.
Halladay — the likely National League Cy Young winner after going 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA and a perfect game during the regular season — was untouchable from the first inning to the last. He threw first-pitch strikes to 25 of the 28 hitters he faced, induced 12 groundballs and struck out eight batters along the way. He had the poise of a seasoned playoff veteran, with sharp break on his curveball and pinpoint command of his sinker and cutter.
Perhaps just as impressively, the 33-year-old righty was humble and gracious in his postgame interview. He praised his catcher, Carlos Ruiz, and noted that the Game 1 win was only the first step on a long road to the World Series.
The Phillies entered the postseason as the favorites to win their third consecutive NL pennant and expected to bring Philadelphia its second world championship since 2008.
Unlike recent squads, this team's hallmark is its starting rotation, led by Halladay, with Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels behind him.
It's vital for the team with the most pressure and under the highest expectations to make a statement in its opening game of the playoffs.
Halladay did that and more, setting the stage for the rest of October.
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by Daniel Rathman
