phils 4, expos 3

You're free to disagree, of course, but I really believe there's nothing more exciting in sports than the bottom half of inning in a game that's gone to extra innings, bases loaded, two outs. Throw in a 2-2 count and I can guarantee the crowd'll be on its feet.

It's true, of course, that if the batter makes an out, the outcome of the game isn't decided at that moment (tied games continue indefinitely, of course), but the imminent chance to win just brings everyone in the stadium to life.

The Phillies beat the Expos tonight on an 11th inning bases loaded single from Tomas Perez that scored Jim Thome. Even after the ball was hit the tension remained... it went into the left-center gap and the leftfielder and centerfielder converged towards it. The leftfielder slid for it, but the ball dropped in and the crowd went, as crowds are wont to do, wild.

I'm pretty convinced that's it's well nigh impossible to write about sports without resorting to tired clichés.