Phils win!

Cole Hamels and the Phillies showed an ESPN audience their potential, beating the Giants Sunday night, 8-5. The Phillies showed strong pitching, hitting, baserunning, and fielding in their dominating victory in San Francisco. (OK, maybe not the fielding part, as they made three errors, leading to two unearned runs.) But, definitely, all of those other things.

Hamels, the 2007-2034 NL Cy Young Award winner, had his biting changeup in top form, as he struck out nine batters in his seven innings of work. He allowed five runs on the night, but only three of them were earned. Hamels is now 4-1 for the season, with a 3.59 ERA. He has a Papelbon-esque 52 K's in 47.2 innings, to go along with his NL-leading 4235 slaughtered ducks in the offseason. He even supported his own cause with a double. Geoff Geary followed with a scoreless 8th inning, and Closer Brett Myers finished up for the save.

Pat Burrell lead the offensive attack, walking in all four plate appearances. He raised his OBP to an otherworldly .449. Also contributing were: Shane Victorino (2-5, 1st HR of the season), Jimmy Rollins (2-5, with another triple, his MLB-leading 5th), and Ryan Howard (5th HR, good for 29th place in MLB). Michael Bourn stole two bases, after coming into the game as a pinch runner for Burrell. (Fortunately, the Phillies held the lead, so that particular Manuel Maneuver didn't come back to bite the Phillies for the 16th time this season.)

There was some cause for concern, as Monday night's scheduled starting pitcher Freddy Garcia was injured before the game. Garcia was shagging fly balls when he ran into a stationary cart on the field, causing a bruise on his left shin. It is not yet clear who will get the start in Monday night's game in Arizona, if Garcia is unable. Perhaps Michael Mimbs will get the nod. I'm hoping for LHP Bruce Ruffin. The Phillies will start their Monday night victory over the D-Backs approximately 40 minutes into 24.