PHILLIES NEWS

Tonight's (Monday) game was a tale of 2 Cole Hamels. There was the dominant Hamels that struck out 12 Braves through 5 innings ,striking out the side 3 times and there was the weak Hamels who gave up 2 solo homers in the 2nd inning, a 3 run homer in the 6th inning, and 7 runs overall. The Dominant Hamels held the Braves to 2 runs through 5 innings, and kept the Phillies close with the lead at 2-1 Braves. The weak Hamels on the other hand, put the Phillies in an early 2-0, hole and then just when it seemed like the Phils were back in the game, he walked off the mound demoralized just one out into the 6th inning, as the Braves had scored 5 more runs off him for a 7-1 lead which the Phillies would never overcome despite a valiant effort. They answered the Braves 5 runs with 3 of their own in the bottom of the inning to cut lead to 7-4. In the 7th however, the Braves had answer with 2 more runs for a 9-4 lead. The Phils again mounted a rally with 2 runs in both the 7th inning on a David Bell Homerun, and the 8th inning on Ryan Howard's league leading 32nd homerun to cut the lead to one at 9-8. However the Braves again had an answer as Wilson Betemit hit a solo shot off reliever Geoff Geary for a 10-8 lead and that was pretty much all she wrote as the Phils again went down in order against closer Bob Wickman. Now I would like to give you a good answer as to why the Phillies lost tonight, but I can't. I mean the Phillies played well tonight, they scored 8 runs and their starter had 12 strikeouts, there is really nothing to complain about, the Braves were just the better team tonight, plain and simple. Well, happy trails everyone.