Hamels, Phillies sit and wait to clinch
Philly ace expresses faith in team's bullpen
 Chris O'meara / Pool / EPA Cole Hamels will likely sit out the rest of Game 5, whenever it resumes. |
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PHILADELPHIA - Cole Hamels came to the ballpark Monday looking for his fifth postseason win and the Phillies’ second championship in 126 years.
He still might get that victory, but he’ll be rooting his teammates on from the bench when it happens — possibly Tuesday night if weather permits.
“You’re not going to win against Mother Nature,” Hamels said after allowing two runs in six strong innings against Tampa Bay in a suspended Game 5 Monday night.
Philadelphia has waited 28 years to be a victory away from a World Series title, so they can sit tight for another day.
The game was stopped with the Phillies coming to bat in the bottom of the sixth and the score tied at 2. Carlos Pena’s two-out RBI single in the top half tied it off Hamels.
A pinch-hitter will bat for Hamels leading off the bottom of the sixth against a pitcher to be determined. If the Phillies score in the inning and hold the lead, Hamels gets the win.
With his ace left-hander out of the game, manager Charlie Manuel will turn it over to his bullpen. The relievers were the team’s biggest strength during the season.
“I have faith in our bullpen,” Hamels said.
As the rain got heavier, many of the Phillies asked if the game could end once it became official. At the time, the Phillies held a 2-1 lead after 4½ innings.
“We were trying to find out what would happen,” reserve outfielder Matt Stairs said. “Players are the last to know.”
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“We were thinking there’s no way they’d stop it with somebody leading the game,” closer Brad Lidge said.
Light rain was falling when the game began, and it only worsened in the middle innings. The grounds crew came out to put down drying material in the infield in the fifth, concentrating on the mound, areas in front of the plate, and near first and third bases. The crew dumped more of the drying agent on the infield at the end of the inning.
Puddles formed around the bases, the grass was soaked and the ball became heavy. This was no way to play a World Series game.
Long before it stopped, players wanted no part of it.
Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, a Gold Glove winner, dropped a routine popup he couldn’t see because of the heavy rain and swirling winds.
“I didn’t see it, either,” second baseman Chase Utley said.
Utley and other players put their hands in their pockets between pitches, jumped around and did everything they could to stay warm.
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Catcher Carlos Ruiz had a difficult time seeing the ball.
“That was the worst rain in my professional life,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz said the conditions affected Hamels.
“He always throws good changeups,” Ruiz said. “The ball was heavy, so he got some of them up.”
The Phillies could’ve given Hamels a bigger cushion, but they couldn’t take advantage of several opportunities. They left nine runners on base in the first five innings, including the bases loaded twice.
Shane Victorino’s two-run single in the first was the only scoring off starter Scott Kazmir, who lasted four innings.
The Phillies were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position, and now are 8-for-57 with RISP in the Series.
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