Phillies Notes: For Worley, a moment in the big-league sun

Vance Worley struck out two of the three batters he faced and pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Phillies in his major-league debut Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

When the 22-year-old righthander's work was done, he shook hands with his teammates and catcher Brian Schneider handed him the baseball as a keepsake.

Then he went inside the air-conditioned clubhouse and learned he was being optioned back to the minor leagues to make room on the roster for J.A. Happ, who will start Sunday against the Colorado Rockies.

Not even the news of his demotion could ruin Worley's day.

"It was very nice," Worley said after the Phillies' 10-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies. "I didn't have as much adrenaline as I thought I would going out there. I felt pretty relaxed and calm, almost as if I was starting and going out there for another inning.

"Everything felt good. I didn't get to throw anything more than fastballs, but I felt like I located them pretty good."

Worley, recalled from double-A Reading on Wednesday after going 9-4 with a 3.20 ERA in 19 starts, said his family came in from California to see him pitch. The family that hosted him when he pitched at single-A Lakewood also was in attendance.

"It was exciting throwing in front of that huge crowd," Worley said.

Even though he is headed back to the minors, he will be a starter at triple-A Lehigh Valley instead of Reading.

"I'm still going up even though I'm going down," he said. "I'll be starting there."

Happ's start today will be his first at the major-league level since April 15. He went on the disabled list a week later with a forearm injury and was optioned to Lehigh Valley on July 6 when the clock expired on his 30-day rehab assignment.

In his two big-league starts this season, he pitched 101/3 scoreless innings, but walked eight. In his nine minor-league outings, he was 1-2 with a 5.97 ERA. He allowed 47 hits and walked 19 in 372/3 innings.

Happ has not spoken to the media since he was optioned to Lehigh Valley earlier this month. He politely declined to be interviewed Friday, but said he would speak after Sunday's start.

The Phillies officially placed lefthander Jamie Moyer on the disabled list before the game to make room on the roster for Kyle Kendrick. . . . The Phillies had strung together 34 straight scoreless innings at home before Kendrick allowed a home run to the Rockies' Ian Stewart in the fifth. . . . The Phillies' three straight shutouts at home before Saturday marked the first time they had accomplished that feat since 1967, when the team played at Connie Mack Stadium. . . . Ryan Howard's three-run triple in the third inning was his career-high fifth triple of the season, and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.