Lester Stifles Phils, Hamels Hurts Hand in Loss

All it takes is a line drive back to the pitcher to make the collective Philadelphia fan base shudder with fright.  John Lester and Cole Hamels were locked in a pitcher’s duel when Adrian Gonzalez spitefully and vindictively lined a ball back at Cole Hamels with the obvious intent to knock the left hander from the game.

Cole’s glove went flying off of his hand, he threw Gonzalez out at first base and as he stared at the impacted appendage, outright panic gripped us all.  “What if his hand falls off?!?!”  we all scream through a veil of forced laughter to make everyone think that our absolutely ridiculous response to a baseball game is a joke.  Cole finished the inning after conversing with Charlie Manual, Rich Dubee and trainer Scott Sheridan, but was pulled from the game and subjected to x-ray immediately after his departure.  Apparently, Cole lobbied to stay in the game, but Dubee kept him out of the game.  The x-rays were negative, but there are concerns as to whether Cole will make his next start.  Go screw Adrian Gonzalez.

John Lester is a good left handed pitcher.  The Phillies are a primarily left handed hitting line-up.  With the left hander on the mound this meant that Ben Francisco would be starting in right field.  This, along with other variables, allowed Lester to cruise through seven innings of work with only two hits and two walks.  Chase Utley and Ryan Howard managed the only hits off of the Boston starter.

After Cole Hamels left the game, David Herndon was tasked with keeping the shut out in tact.  He responded by allowing three runs, five hits, including a home run to over the hill catcher Jason Varitek in his two innings of work.  Herndon had been pretty good since his recent demotion to Lehigh Valley.  He was not good today.  He gave way to Andrew Carpenter who escaped his first inning of work unscathed, but allowed back to back home runs to Dustin Pedroia and the aforementioned Varitek.  His final line was four hits and two runs in his two innings of work.  This is what happens when middling quad A relievers face real major league pitchers.  The score before Cole Hamels’ exit 0-0.  The score after the bullpen was involved 5-0.

Ryan Howard hit a two run home run off of Bobby Jenks in the bottom of the ninth inning.  The ball traveled into the second deck in the right field bleachers.  Jenks proceeded to walk Shane Victorino setting up a save situation for noted wang Johnathan Papelbon.  Ben Francisco popped out and Raul Ibanez struck out looking to end the game.

The Phillies won the series and hopefully Hamels does not miss a start.  The team travels to Toronto to take on another tough left hander in Ricky Romero.  Kyle Kendrick tries not to ruin everything.