Chase Utley strokes a 2-run homer in the first inning of World Series Game One at Tropicana Field October 22, 2008. ( Michael Perez / Staff Photographer )
Inside the Game
Hamels faced down a bit of adversity
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - How's this for clutch pitching?
Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.
The Phils were clinging to a one-run lead in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the World Series last night. The Tampa Bay Rays put the potential tying run on base when Ryan Howard - will his defense be an issue before the series is over? - made an error on a ground ball by Carlos Peña.
The temperature was rising inside Tropicana Field, but Cole Hamels stayed cool.
As Hamels prepared to face cleanup man Evan Longoria, Peña broke for second. Hamels saw Peña go and threw to first. Howard gunned Peña down at second. Hamels then struck out Longoria on a gutsy 2-2 change-up on the inside corner. Miss with that pitch, and it might be a tie game. Hamels got it inside enough, then retired Carl Crawford for the third out.
Going through the iron of the Rays' order like Hamels did in the sixth took some of the life out of the Rays and helped the Phils post a 3-2 win in Game 1.
Madson mania
He doesn't get the ink he deserves, but how about the job Ryan Madson has done in this postseason? He pitched a scoreless eighth. In 10 postseason innings, he has allowed just one run. And to think, the eighth inning looked like this team's weakness in August.
Early jump
Speaking about Rays starter Scott Kazmir earlier this week, a scout who has seen him pitch frequently said, "He sometimes has command issues early in the game. Get him early before he gets going."The Phils did that.
Kazmir walked the second batter of the game, Jayson Werth. Chase Utley then came back from an 0-2 count and belted a 2-2 fastball over the rightfield wall for a 2-0 lead. Kazmir allowed just one run the remainder of his six innings.
Missed chances
The Phils had a chance to inflict some pain on Kazmir in the second and third innings and both times let him out of their hold.They loaded the bases with one out in the second with leadoff man Jimmy Rollins at the plate. Rollins got jammed on a 1-0 slider and popped to shallow center. Shane Victorino tried to score from third on the catch. Big mistake. Centerfielder B.J. Upton, who had 16 assists in the regular season, gunned him down to end the threat. It was unclear if Victorino went on his own or if third-base coach Steve Smith sent him. Either way, the Phils ran themselves out the inning with lefty-killer Werth waiting on deck.
An inning later, Werth led off with a double and went to third on Utley's textbook right-side groundout. The Rays played the infield up on Howard, and he struck out on a checked-swing slider. Kazmir then struck out Pat Burrell on four pitches as the Phils, 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position for the game, stranded the runner on third.
Manufacturing job
Victorino and Pedro Feliz opened the fourth with singles. Up came Chris Coste, Charlie Manuel's designated-hitter choice. Coste fouled off a bunt attempt then took a fastball to fall into an 0-2 hole. Victorino broke for third on the next pitch, and Coste managed to poke a fastball softly toward first base. It turned out to be a productive at-bat for Coste because both runners moved up.The Rays then played the infield back, and that helped Victorino scamper home with the Phils' third run on a grounder to shortstop.
That's why he's in there
Manuel likes to have Feliz's glove at third base when lefthanders Hamels and Jamie Moyer pitch. You saw why in bottom of the third when the Rays loaded the bases with one out. Upton, who had seven homers and 15 RBIs in the first two rounds of the playoffs, came to the plate with a chance to do some damage. He smoked a 2-1 change-up to third, and Feliz, reaching to his left, started a clutch 5-4-3 inning-ending double play. The Rays probably would have scored two runs if that ball had gotten through.
Getting to Hamels
Hamels hurt himself with a two-out walk to No. 9 hitter Jason Bartlett in the fifth. Bartlett stole second and scored when Akinori Iwamura worked a full count, then fouled off two fastballs before doubling to left-center, cutting the Phils' lead to 3-2. With a runner on second and Upton coming up, Hamels got a visit from pitching coach Rich Dubee. Hamels set up Upton with a fastball, two change-ups and another fastball, which Upton popped toward the box seats near first base. Ryan Howard reached through a maze of hands and made the catch.
Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.
