Splitsville for Phils

The Phillies did what they needed to in the Big Apple, carving out a 1-2 split. That means they come home knowing they now hold the all-important home-field advantage.

Still, there is a bad feeling that they squandered an opportunity Thursday night in going meekly against the Yankees in a 3-1 loss.

They seemed tentative, especially on offense, where they didn’t hit, and didn’t run when they had opportunities to do so. In short, they weren’t aggressive.

It’s almost as if they were satisfied to gain a split. Their comments after the game did little to dissuade such a belief.

Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins openly indicated they felt good about going home with a split.

Starter Pedro Martinez seemed to focus as much on achieving his dream of pitching again in Yankee Stadium, when he wasn’t informing us that he has not felt well for several days, as he did about failing to knock off his “daddy,” those Bronx Bombers.

The Phils now return home to what undoubtedly will be a much more souped-up atmosphere in Citizens Bank Park. Not sure what they put in the water at that New Yankees Stadium, but they should check it for tranquilizers. The place absolutely seemed like a tomb.

That won’t be the case Saturday night in South Philly.

Which brings this season all the way back to where it started.

Cole Hamels.

It will be up Hamels to re-establish himself as the guy who was the MVP of both the World Series and NLCS last year.

Not the timid, meek, inconsistent whiner who has showed up all too often this year.

Hopefully Hamels – and his teammates – left that guy behind in that cold, antiseptic new Yankee Stadium Thursday night.

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