Strike three

Apparently, the second inning was nothing more than a apparition for the Phillies’ Cole Hamels. That’s the case because since that 40-pitch second inning, Hamels has mowed down 13 straight on 47 pitches. As a result, he has given his high-powered offense a really good chance to win this game. But Chase Utley whiffed to open the sixth. For Utley, it was his third straight strikeout against the lefty Jeff Francis. As a result, it appears as if Utley is in a bit of a slump since he only has four hits in his last 24 plate appearances.

Meanwhile, the whiffs appear to be stifling the Phillies’ offense. Utley and Ryan Howard have whiffed five times in six plate appearances. That’s five of the team’s eight strikeouts.

That’s too many.

On the edge

Cole Hamels found trouble in the second inning. Better yet, Todd Helton found Hamels… that’s right, Todd Helton is trouble. On the first pitch of the inning, Helton smacked it off the wall above the 409 sign in the deepest part of the park. After a crazy carom past Aaron Rowand and to Shane Victorino pursuing from right field, Helton beat the ball to third for a triple. Half-dozen pitches later, Garrett Atkins (Chase Utley’s UCLA teammate) laced a single to left to open the scoring. A one-out walk and single made it 2-0. Hamels, strangely, is clearly struggling. He’s also sweating like Dom DeLuise at a clam bake. It’s quite humid outside today, which for the folks arriving in town from sunny and temperate Colorado, feeling our heavy, thick east-coast air must be misery.

Speaking of misery, the Rockies added another run as sweaty Cole Hamels walked Troy Tulowitzki with the bases loaded.

Hamels is teetering on the edge. He whiffed Holliday to end the threat, but strike one to the possible MVP was a freaking bomb that sailed over the foul/fair pole, onto the concourse and very likely onto the street that borders the park to the north… is that Phillies Way?

Either way, it was a bleeping rocket. Worse, Hamels threw 40 pitches in the second inning.

Contrarily, Jeff Francis continued to deal. He whiffed Ryan Howard to start the frame, got Rowand to ground out on a two-strike pitch and then made Wes Helms pop out harmlessly to second.

Nevertheless, Pat Burrell walked to become the Phillies’ first post-season base runner in 14 years.

Big whiffs

It’s loud. In fact, I doubt Citizens Bank Park has ever been louder. The fans are cheering for everything. Strikes, foul balls, ground outs… everything. Yet when MVP candidate Matt Holliday dug into the batter’s box, the fans let out a loud, “BOO!” Then they morphed into an even louder, “OVERRATED!” chant.

I don’t think Holliday is overrated, nor do I think his offensive statistics are overly skewed toward Coors Field. But I do think he will not win the MVP Award. He’ll finish in the top two.

Cole Hamels handled the Rockies in order during the top of the first. He threw 16 pitches – 12 strikes – and it looks like he mixed the curve with the changeup.

Jeff Francis won 17 games and had a 4.22 ERA for the Rockies this season. Those are impressive numbers considering that the young lefty pitches his home games at Coors Field. However, against the Phillies this season he got roughed up in two out of three starts.

The first time he saw the Phillies, the lefty whiffed eight and gave up just four hits in six innings. But the next two outings, Francis allowed 14 runs and 20 hits in a combined 8 1/3 innings.

Nonetheless, Francis got off to a good start when he struck out the side in order in the bottom of the first on just 12 pitches. Nine of those 12 were strikes.