What Game 2 Means to the Phillies

The Phillies came into Tampa Bay and got what they wanted in Game 1, so losing Game 2 isn't going to affect them all that much. They're going back home for three games (which should make Greg Dobbs extremely happy since he could barely see the ball at the plate in Tampa), and even if they lose Game 3 they always have the option of coming back with Cole Hamels in Game 4 if they so choose (and if there's a rainout in Game 3 as speculated, he'll definitely come back for Game 4). So no panic in Philadelphia.

What the Phillies have to avoid is to let the strange calls by Kerwin Danley get to them: The weird "almost" punch out of Rocco Baldelli that turned into an appeal that gave Baldelli new life (after which he singled), and the hit by pitch that wasn't of Jimmy Rollins (ticked his jersey) and turned into a fly out to left. The problem is that Rollins had four other chances to do some damage and he didn't. He's 0-for-10 and that has to worry the Phillies, along with the fact that they had the leadoff man on base in six of the nine innings, and still could only muster a home run by Eric Bruntlett and a late run in the ninth inning. (Jayson Werth also had a terrible night with an error in the first that cost the Phils a run, and getting doubled off first base by Baldelli in the fifth, though he did throw out Baldelli at the plate in the third.)

The good news is that they got a home run by Eric Bruntlett, which came off wunderkind David Price, and now they know he can be hit (although Price was extremely good on Thursday). Also, Ryan Howard is finally getting warm ... he went 2-for-5 including a long double to center. Other than that, there are some things to worry about for the Phillies. But again, with Hamels a possibility for Game 4 and a split on the road, things don't look bad for the Phils.