Phillies Head to Chilly Colorado Even At One

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It was a magical day for Cole Hamels. It wasn't magical in the sense that his 2008 postseason was magical. Nope. On this day he pitched a mediocre game, allowing an early run, finding a groove, and finally giving up a meatball to the seats in left to the light-hitting Yorvit Torrealba. Cole's day was done after five innings with the Phillies down four. Then it got strange as Cole left the park immediately to tend to his wife Heidi who went into labor with the couple's first child and Charlie Manuel got starter-happy.

Some fans in the LIVE CHAT were upset with Cole's performance, claiming he shouldn't have been starting in the first place given the possibility of his wife delivering a child. I don't agree with those people. Cole pitched decent enough and unfortunately made that one bad mistake against Torrealba. Instead of tearing the guy down, let him enjoy the amazing experience of having a kid and get on him if he doesn't rebound from a shaky start. That is if he gets that opportunity.

The other situation fans had issue with was Charlie bringing in Blanton and Happ when they could be starting game three. Just because they pitched today doesn't rule them out from a game three start. Although Happ's banged up leg could keep him out of action. Their outings today could be comparable to an off day work out.

After the game, Charlie seemed to point to Blanton or Pedro to throw on Saturday night.

It was a bizarre use of the arms available to him. With Hamels, Blanton, Happ, Myers, and Bastardo all seeing action, that made five pitchers pitching in one game who all started at least five games for the Phillies this season. Pretty strange.

Eyre, Bastardo, and Madson pitched rather impressively out of the pen and gave the bats a fighting chance. And fight they did. They got the tying run all the way to second base in the bottom of the ninth but failed to get him in. Given how the events of the day transpired to that point, it was quite an exciting finish despite the loss.

Just when you think a decision to bring Cairo into the postseason instead of Eric Bruntlett, you find Cliff Lee pinch running in the ninth. Playoff baseball is goofy like that.

The Phillies lost. It wasn't a great game for the Phils but it could have been a lot worse. The question now clearly becomes who will take the ball first for the Phillies on Saturday?

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