For The Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -Rocco Baldelli made a key throw and was at the center of a couple of big plays in Game 2 of the World Series.
And most of the questions afterward centered on his health.
“I kind of accept it,” Baldelli said. “I wish I didn’t have to, but that’s the situation I’m in. I know it’s always going to be a topic.”
Baldelli thought during spring training that he might never play again due to mitochondrial disorder, which causes muscle fatigue and slows muscle recovery.
He picked the biggest of stages to play nine innings in the field for the first time since returning from the career-threatening illness.
Baldelli doubled a runner off first after catching a fly ball in right field. He collided with Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz attempting to score on a single. He helped set up two runs in Tampa Bay’s 4-2 victory Thursday night, walking on a confusing checked-swing call and beating out a throw to first to prevent a double play and extend another rally.
urning to a part-time role on Aug. 10.
“I’m OK. I felt pretty good tonight,” Baldelli said. “I rather not have to sprint to be honest with you, but it’s the World Series. It’s fun to be out there at the end of the game. It’s just nice to slap everybody’s hand at the end.”
Baldelli has become an inspiration to people, especially kids, battling medical problems. He has received hundreds of encouraging letters and e-mails.
“I know that everybody’s situation is different,” Baldelli said. “I can’t speak for everyone that’s dealing with it, but live your life as if you’re perfectly OK and have fun.”
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UNDER CONTROL: Once Matt Garza got control of his emotions, the pitching fell into place.
As evidence: He won the MVP award in the AL championship series and helped put the Tampa Bay Rays into the World Series against Philadelphia.
Garza was involved in a heated dugout exchange with catcher Dioner Navarro during a June 8 game at Texas. Other times this season, Garza would display negative emotions on the mound when things went wrong.
Discussions with Rays manager Joe Maddon and personal reflections helped Garza channel his emotions in the right direction. The 24-year-old right-hander wound up winning twice in Tampa Bay’s seven-game victory over Boston in the ALCS.
st Philadelphia’s Jamie Moyer. “Not look ahead. Not even look back at any pitch I’ve thrown. Once a pitch is gone, it’s over. I can’t control what happens after that.”
Garza won Games 3 and 7 against the Red Sox, allowing two earned runs in 13 innings.
“I wanted to go out there and kind of make a statement to myself,” Garza said.
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BALK TALK: A day later, umpire crew chief Tim Welke still thought it wasn’t a balk.
In the only dispute from Game 1, Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon felt Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels balked in the sixth inning while picking off Carlos Pena. The Rays trailed 3-2 at the time and didn’t get another runner the rest of the way in the loss.
Maddon argued the non-call from the dugout. Wearing a microphone for Fox TV, Welke was heard telling Maddon that the umpires would later review replays.
“We did look at it after the game, and it did have distance and direction,” Welke said in a statement through Mike Port, Major League Baseball’s vice president for umpiring.
As in, the umpires felt Hamels properly stepped toward first base on the throw, rather than making a tricky move toward home to confuse Pena.
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ht at Citizens Bank Park.
McGraw was invited by the Phillies and Major League Baseball as a gesture to honor his late father, who was a key member of Philadelphia’s only World Series championship team in 1980.
Multi-platinum country artist Taylor Swift will perform the national anthem before Game 3. Two-time Grammy award winner Patti LaBelle will sing anthem before Game 4.
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AROUND THE BASES: Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels is the first Phillies pitcher to win four postseason games in the same season. He is also the fourth major league pitcher to win the first game of the division, league and World Series in the same year, joining Josh Beckett (2007), David Wells (1998) and John Smoltz (1996). … Phillies closer Brad Lidge autographed a sign held up by a fan near the Philadelphia dugout that said “Only God saves more than Brad Lidge.” … Gen. David Petraeus, the former overall commander of U.S. and allied forces in Iraq, threw out the first ball.
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