Go the distance, Phils fans

"Go the distance."

That’s what the voice told Kevin Costner’s character in the great baseball movie, "Field of Dreams."

And that’s what the Phillies and their fans will be doing for the next four days.

The Field of Dreams will be Citizens Bank Park.

Here’s the deal this morning. The Phils, behind Kyle Lohse, beat Tim Hudson and the Braves last night, 5-2.

At the same time, the Mets were imploding against the Nationals, blowing a 5-0 lead and losing, 9-6.

That means the Phils now trail the Mets by just one game in the National League East. In the wild-card race, they remain tied with the Rockies, a game behind the Padres. Both the Padres and Rockies won again last night.

An aside here. I’ve never been a big fan of the constant "crawls" and scores that are loaded into seemingly every baseball telecast. Maybe that’s why I prefer to listen to the game on radio.

But I have to admit there is something delicious about watching the slow, agonizing way the Mets are shrinking. Last night they had a 5-0 lead. Wasn’t enough.

Can you say 1964? The ghost of Chico Ruiz seems to have set up shop at Shea Stadium.

Forget the wild card. The Phillies just might overtake the Mets.
It all comes down to four games.

"Go the distance." "Ease his pain."

Hey, Phils, how about easing your fans’ pain? How about chasing away the ghosts of 1964 by siccing them on the Mets. How about winning the National League East outright.

Now that would be a field of dreams.

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