The city was blanketed by a grim, gray sky yesterday morning. It was fitting. A lot of people woke up in dark moods. The idea of an all-day sports clash with New York initially sounded fun, but any pre-festivity positivity was muted when the Phils blew Game 3 on Saturday. Cole Hamels said the season has been "mentally draining" and added that he "needed a fresh start."

It was an impossibly stupid thing to utter out loud, and yet there were thousands of fans in South Philly yesterday who probably felt the same way. People looked tired, and a fresh start sounded grand. I spent the day down there - first at the Linc, then at the Bank for Game 4. Here's how things went:

10:42 a.m.: Passed someone wearing a shirt that says "Posada smells like pee." Who sees a garment like that and thinks "now that's for me"?

10:54: Two Eagles fans are jawing at each other. One is ticked because the other is carrying (not even wearing) a blue sweatshirt. "You better leave that in the car. That's Giants blue." Gonna be one of those days.

1:05 p.m.: Leonard Weaver breaks a 41-yard TD run. Exactly the kind of start this crowd needs.

1:10: Asante Samuel picks off an Eli Manning pass and the Eagles punch in another touchdown - the perfect cure for the city's sports hangover.

1:23: Manning scrambles - then trips and falls on his face. "He's good in space," one press-box joker deadpans.

2:10: Deadspin reports J.J. Redick has a forthcoming hip-hop album. Redick is the most unlikely rapper this side of Jeffrey "Straight from the Streets" Lurie.

2:27: The Eagles are punishing the Giants, and the crowd is giddy. "I'm happy for them," Bob Ford says. "That's the kind of guy I am." Really? When did that policy start?

3:08: Eagles fans chanting "Yankees suck" (and something a little more profane) in the direction of a New Yorker who was dumb enough to wear team gear. There's a good chance he ends up tarred and feathered.

3:45: Linc crowd chanting "Let's go Phillies." Joe Banner internally chanting "Please stop that."

4:17: Birds absolutely crush G-men. Final score: 40-17. Great start to the doubleheader. Uglier performance: The Giants today or the Phils on Saturday night? Discuss.

4:28: I'm not a big omen guy, but on the walk over to Citizens Bank Park I hear, "Tonight's Gonna be a Good Night" by the Black Eyed Peas. And the sun just came out.

4:37: Phils fans outside the Bank target a guy wearing a Manning jersey and begin screaming "Go home 'She-li.' "

6:55: Down the day's fifth cup of coffee. At this point my blood is roughly 73 percent caffeine. You could jump-start a car by hooking the jumper cables to my veins.

8:23: Fox scouting report says Joe Blanton is a "gutty pitcher." Heh.

8:35: Yanks have scored two runs already, but at least Blanton drilled A-Rod. Bombers fans in left chanting "Let's go Yanks." They're all wearing black. Makes it look like the crowd has a dirt stain.

8:45: CC Sabathia is struggling. Just got a text from Doyle (the Yanks/Phils fan) saying "the Fightin's can get to him." Naturally, the Phils end the inning with just one run and strand two. Doyle is Eddie Mush. I'm locking him in the bathroom next time we hang out.

9:38: Pedro Feliz drives in Ryan Howard to tie the game. I don't think Howard touched the plate. Shhh. Don't tell the umps.

9:50: A Derek Jeter RBI puts the Yanks up, 3-2. Yankees fans chanting "Derek Jeter." Phils fans chiming in with "sucks."

9:52: Johnny Damon drives in Melky Cabrera. Unlike Howard, Cabrera makes a point of touching home. Not good.

10:15: Phils leave two on base in fifth. If they lose the series, all the runners they stranded will be a huge reason why.

10:53: Solo homer, Chase Utley. Sabathia is essentially Utley's personal B.P. pitcher at this point. Utley should bring him to the Home Run Derby next year.

11:18: Home run, Pedro Feliz in the 8th. Game tied, 4-4. The sound from the press box was priceless. Joe Buck on Fox: "There's a long drive by Feliz." A local writer on deadline: "You've got to be %$#@! kidding me." Hilarious. Nothing funnier than a scribe who has to rewrite moments before filing - unless that writer is me. Then it's not so amusing.

11:37: A-Rod RBI. Yanks up by 5-4 in 9th. I hope someone turns the centaur into glue.

11:40: What a tease. New York plates two more runs. This is just cruel.

11:48: Phils lose, 7-4. What a depressing way to end a long day. Got this text from a friend earlier: "There was a Yankees fan in the bathroom. Phillies fans were trying to urinate on him."

It's been that kind of series.

Contact columnist John Gonzalez 215-854-2813 or gonzalez@phillynews.com.