We gotta admit, as annoying as it might be, it's fairly impressive how many fans the Red Sox can put in away stadiums. That's why it's even more satisfying when the Phillies can smoke the Sawx by a score of 8-2 in the first of a three-game series.
At the plate, it was Ryan Howard's night. ESPN tells us that for only the second time since WWII, a player has had four games with at least four RBI in an eight-game span. Howard became that second player tonight, rocking two oppo homers and—get this—a triple. Just one day after stealing a bag (!), RyHo knocked one to center off of Jacoby Ellsbury's glove, running his ass off to take three (after a bit of a slow start from the box). We're gonna go out on a limb here and say that "Ryan Howard Triple" isn't on your Phillies bingo card.
Perhaps just as crazy... Earlier in the game, Pat the Bat tripled too.
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Who else wants a 3B? Chooch Ruiz? Davy Lopes?
Cole Hamels was dealing again tonight, striking out five in seven innings. He allowed seven scattered hits, and the only two runs against the Phils were on back-to-back solo shots. Not that an at-bat by a really, really fat American League pitcher should be an indicator of how on a pitcher is, but we're going to link up this Hamels K of Bartolo Colon anyway.
Anytime your helmet falls off and the crowd and announcers are laughing at you, it probably wasn't a great showing, no matter who you are. But Cole can have that effect on even a decent hitter, so Colon didn't even have a chance up there.
Helluva start to the Masshole Invasion Series.