Cole Hamels again sparkled, as he has been doing for much of the season. Today, however, he got some run support. The only mistake Hamels made, on an 0-2 pitch to Adrian Beltre, resulted in a 1-0 Red Sox lead in the second. In the fourth, though, the Phillies tied it, then added three more, aided by a two-run homer by Raul Ibanez. They tacked on another run in the ninth for a 5-1 lead. J.C. Romero started the ninth and gave up a double to Ortiz. The Red Sox got two runs to make it 5-3 and things were starting to look dicey. Brad Lidge, however, got Marco Scutaro on a pop-up and the Phillies salvaged one from Tim Wakefield. It was also the first time they have won a game at Fenway since 2004 (I was there for that dismal series.) They are now 5-16 against the Red Sox. Hamels, however, is 3-0.
J.A. Happ started this afternoon on a rehab assignment and did not look sharp. His velocity was in the mid-80's and he allowed four runs. The two TV commentators were hard to listen to, obvious and 'over easy'. One of them does the IronPigs on TV and I've already heard too much of him. The other, a local coach, has a voice that grates. The two kept nattering about how Ruben Amaro, Jr. should not start Happ in Philadelphia on Friday. Duh. First of all, anyone could see that Happ was not sharp and did not have velocity. Second, he is coming off an injury and I would guess that everyone is waiting to see how he feels tomorrow.
Reading has fallen on hard times. Brian Seltzer, the new radio guy, seems to have a Vin Scully fixation, but he's too young to be so boringly sonorous. Someone should tell him that 'start' is a good way to say 'commence', which he uses all the time, as in, "The inning will commence." Shriek! I've heard Reading broadcasts streaming live and during the breaks Seltzer talks normally and sounds a lot better doing it. When he goes on mike, though, he falls into rocking-chair mode.
Oh dear, where did all that come from on a hot and humid afternoon? While I'm at it, though, one of the worst is the P.A. guy at Coca-Cola Park. He was an amateur when he started three years ago and remains an amateur.
