Phillies 7, Nationals 4

Monday, April 12th

Stud.

Cole Hamels allowed four earned runs over 5 2/3 laboring innings, but his offense picked him up (what else is new), rallying from a four-run deficit to down the Nats on opening day at The Bank.

The Phils scored five runs in the fifth inning off Jason Marquis, who for the second time in a week, couldn’t get through five against the Phils’ vaunted lineup.

Placido Polanco hit the go-ahead two-run single and Chase Utley smacked a homer that hit off the foul pole in right field to extend the lead to three.

The win came at a cost as both Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth were removed due to injury. Rollins suffered a right calf strain during pre-game warm ups and did not start. He is day-to-day and an MRI is scheduled on Tuesday.

Jayson Werth was removed after the fifth inning with hip soreness. Werth said afterward that the injury isn’t a big deal.

The Phils (6-1) are off to their best start since 1993.

Phillies vs. Nationals

3:05 PM EST at Citizens Bank Park

Mr. Four Days Rest

Let this be an early test for Cole Hamels.

Basically, whenever Roy Halladay throws a complete game, he should take it upon himself to outdo Halladay the very next day. So, for Hamels to be successful today in the Phillies’ home opener against Washington, he has to throw a no-hitter… at least.

OK, that isn’t fair to the at times fragile-minded left-hander, who is coming off a so-so season-opening outing last week. Hamels (1-0) allowed two earned runs over five laboring inning.

The red-hot Phillies’ lineup, which has a plus-25 run differential (*thanks ESPN.com), faces Jason “drives more like a Hyundai, not a” Marquis., who couldn’t even make it out of the fifth inning in his Nats debut against the Phils.

The Nats (3-3)  took two of three against the Mets over the weekend.

Fun Phact – Former Phillie Matt Stairs is now playing for his 12th different team, the San Diego Padres. Stairs is the first position player since Deacon McGuire (1888-1914) to play for 12 different teams.