On to Philadelphia, 1-1

NEWSFLASH

David Price is apparently human. And in a related note, I'd find it hard to chuck a World Series homer back onto the field even if it was hit by Darth Vader.

Again it seems ...

... the Rays need to take a punch to get going in a postseason series. Remember how they were dominated by Dice-K in Game One of the ALCS.

Just passed ...

... a woman who was so drunk she had to walk with one eye closed and follow the yellow lines that run through the Party Deck. She might have lost a contact, but I doubt it. The yellow line thing will be good practice for her trip home.

Feels a lot different tonight ...

... without Hamels on the mound for the Phils. And the Rays and Shields have done a good job keeping them from chipping into the lead. Myers is hittable. On the ominous side, Ryan Howard appears to be heating up, but he's not ripping homers yet. As the MLB leader, he's supposed to do that.

End of 1: 2-0 Rays: That was a bottom of the first that would make a hitting coach proud. Proverbial ducks on the proverbial pond, and well-struck grounders to score them.

Post Cole Series

Now begins the real World Series, when the Phillies otherwordly left-hander, Cole Hamels, is not on the mound. Even with admittedly not his best stuff last night, he pranced through the Rays lineup, avoiding a couple jams and earning his fourth win in the postseason. Now the Rays are under pressure to scrounge a win tonight so they don't go into the box of angry wildcats that is the Phillies' home park, down 0-2.

Hamels' stuff was so dazzling it knocked out the WiFi in the auxiliary pressbox in the last few innings so we couldn't blog. Not. Cool.

Oh, and how did all those Phillies fans get in here? Clearwater, are you cheatin' on your baseball team?

Inphiltrated

There may be more Phillies fans in Tropicana Field on Thursday night for Game Two than in Game One on Wednesday. A crumbled old cloth “Welcome Philadelphia Phillies” banner was erected behind the visitors dugout during batting practice.

Urine trouble

MLB officials were disconcerted by the ominous tricking in a pipe above the interview stage before Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel held his daily briefing. The gurgling resumed in the middle of the session, but he seemed to stay dry.