Flags were flying over the Reading grandstand at a game this spring. Last night the R-Phils held a postgame tribute for catcher Lou Marson and shortstop Jason Donald, who are leaving to take part in the Beijing Olympics.For the Phillies, yesterday's late afternoon game with the Braves could have been a defining moment in a couple of ways--except that this team never does defining moments. Instead, they just keep going. You had to like the match-up of Cole Hamels vs. Mike Hampton, pitching for the first time in forever. Hamels cruised through three while the Phils got an early 3-run lead. Then in the 4th, Hamels went blooie, giving up 9 runs, in part because of two costly fielding errors, including a wild one by Hamels himself.
The FOX broadcasters all but proclaimed the game over, till the bottom of the 5th that is, when the Phillies strung together some hits to make it 9-5, then 9-7. Then, with two on, pinchhitter extraordinaire Gregg Dobbs came to the plate and smacked a three-run homer into the right upper deck to put the Phils up 10-9. Both bullpens held the score at that through 8. Then it was Lights Out time and it took Brad Lidge just 12 pitches to retire the Braves in the 9th---for his 23rd save in 23 tries. Dobbs now leads the majors with 20 pinch hits this season.
Gotta love the irony. Hamels, golden in several losses when the offense has been non-existent, was out of the game for the offensive explosion. The win went instead to Adam Eaton, who pitched in relief.
