After getting shelled early and often during the past two games, the Phillies needed their closer keep the Red Sox at bay on Sunday. Starter Cole Hamels did just that, keeping the potent Boston lineup quiet over the course of seven innings.
The team ended the weekend on a high note, picking up a 5-3 victory. Brad Lidge pitched the final 2/3 of the ninth inning for his fourth save of the year, giving up just one hit and throwing his slider with an unfettered confidence.
The scoring began when Adrian Beltre blasted a solo homerun for the Red Sox, but the Phillies would take the lead for good in the fourth innning. Jayson Werth singled Ryan Howard in to tie the score, and then Raul Ibanez took Tim Wakefield to deep right field to put the Fightins ahead 3-1.
Before the inning was over, Juan Castro would single Ben Francisco home to put another run on the board.
While the Phils added another run in the top of the ninth, Boston would threaten in the bottom of the inning off of a shaky J.C. Romero.
Romero would manage just one out, giving up a run on a passed ball to David Ortiz, and then walking J.D. Drew before the left-hander got the hook.
Lidge gave up an RBI single to rookie Daniel Nava, but he was able to shut the door from there to nail down the save.
Since the beginning of May, Hamels has looked like the one that helped the team win the World Series in 2008, despite the 6-5 record. He has begun to show that he is this team’s bonafide #2 starter behind Roy Halladay.
Today’s start lowered this ERA to 3.75, and if you take out the rain-shortened 2/3 inning, 3-run appearance in Atlanta, his ERA dips to 3.43. He hasn’t give up more than three runs in any start since May 4th, but in his three previous starts he was tagged with a loss each time.
On top of that, coming into today’s game, he has owned the Red Sox. Over the course of two games, Hamels had two victories, a 1.93 ERA, and a 0.93 WHIP over the course of 14 innings.
The Phillies take tomorrow off before starting a three game set against the Yankees in the Bronx. It will be the first time these two teams have seen each other since last year’s World Series.
