Phils Heading into Break with Brooms On the Mind

Despite a less than stellar outing from their ace, the Phils found a way to make magic in the ninth last night. Cole Hamels is certainly this team's ace, he simply hasn't been playing like it as of late. The man taking the hill this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park may be the most steady arm in the Phillies rotation as the Phils head into the All Star Break. Happ has gone at least seven innings in all three of his most recent starts but only earned a win in his complete game shut out against the Blue Jays on June 27th.

Happ will face Virgil Vasquez for the Bucs.

After fumbling through much of June, the Phillies will try to make it five straight wins this afternoon before Charlie, Chase, Raul, Ryan, Shane, and Jayson head to St. Louis where they'll play for a chance to have home field advantage in the 2009 World Series.

The Pirates have to think the Phillies stole one from them last night in an epic HEIST which was as exciting as baseball gets for those in attendance. Let's just hope they don't make us sweat so much this afternoon.

1:35 start. Lovely day for a ball game. Go Phils.

Comments

[Warren]

Phils game and the NFL replay of Week 17, 44-6 on at 1 and 7 pm. Good times.

[MSM]

Now THAT'S a bases loaded AB I like to see. Way to go Pedro!

[will.H]

pedro is a notorious firstball fastball hitter. he let a middle in fastball go for strike one and in cringed "oooh that was IT." then, peetie went boomboom on an 0-2 count, me likey

[MikeY]

@ Stump the Fans Question:

Ken Raffensberger?

[Ryan]

Not that it matters up 5-0, but that was a 9 pitch, 3k inning. Don't see that very often.

[will.H]

Ryan,

the pirates might

[Mark]

Boys got hot quick, then they were quiet. Still, a nice way to head in to the break.

[MikeY]

Definitely a tough schedule after the break though.

3 @ Florida
3 vs. Chicago
3 vs. St. Louis
3 @ Arizona
4 @ San Fran

...hopefully they can keep it going through the break and into August and really put a stranglehold on this division.

If they didnt have that slump in June, they could easily be 8 or 9 games up right now...at least they got it out of the way already.

[4daysrest.com]

I gotta say, it feels pretty magnificent to have a 4 game lead while standing at 10 games over .500 at the All-Star Break. When the team was in the middle of their tailspin a couple weeks ago, I would have never thought we’d be where we are at the break.

This team is one big move away from repeating as world champs. You figure Hamels can’t possibly have as bad a second half as he’s had a first half, so another strong arm up top would propel the Phils to where they need to be.

It's also refreshing to know that the team will be 100% healthy come the Florida series. Everybody from the original roster should be back, no DL stints besides Myers.