April 18 -- GAME 10 WRAP: LIDGE'S STREAK ENDS

By SCOTT LAUBER

Brad Lidge blew a save tonight.

It happened quietly. There was a leadoff double, and with the Phillies' infield playing back, two runner-advancing groundouts. Just like that, the perfect closer was perfect no longer, his streak snapped at 47 consecutive regular-season saves, 54 including last year's playoffs.

But it gets worse.

After receiving a warm ovation from an appreciative sellout crowd, Lidge walked back-to-back batters, then tossed two more balls. His next pitch, a 92-mph fastball, was launched to the left-field seats by San Diego's Kevin Kouzmanoff, who had not gone deep in 45 at-bats this season.

Lidge, it turns out, is human, after all.

"I tried not to think about what it would feel like when it ended," he said after the Phillies fell 8-5 to the surprising Padres, their losing streak swelling to three games. "Now that it's over, I'm proud of what I did. But this is a new season, and I need to pitch better now. I need to get myself on track and get a new streak."

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In case you're wondering, Lidge's consecutive save streak was the third-longest all-time. Here's a look at the top regular-season save streaks.

84 -- Eric Gagne (2002-04)
54 -- Tom Gordon (1998-99)
47 -- BRAD LIDGE (2007-09)
41 -- Trevor Hoffman (1997-98)
41 -- Rod Beck (1993-95)
40 -- Dennis Eckersley (1991-92)

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So, an emotional day that involved a ballpark memorial service for Harry Kalas ended with a dramatic loss. Full coverage in Sunday's News Journal, and more here, at Philled In, tomorrow morning.