THIS is why you go out and sign Roy Halladay.
The Phils were reeling. They had inconceivably dropped three of four to the lowly Pirates in Pittsburgh over the weekend. They stood five games back of the front-running Braves.
And who would be arriving at the steambath known as Citizens Bank Park last night? That would be those very Atlanta tomahawk choppers.
The Phils were looking at either being eight games out and maybe out of the race, or slicing the Braves’ lead to two games by the time the series is done Wednesday. There’s no rest for the weary. The red-hot Reds are next up through the weekend.
The Phillies needed a statement.
Enter Halladay.
He took the mound and promptly surrendered an opposite field home run to Chipper Jones in the first inning.
It was all he would give up.
Halladay proved hotter than the weather, allowing just five hits as he pitched a complete game.
Now they need to follow up by putting the hammer down these next two nights.
But Hallady got them pointed in the right direction.
That’s what an ace is supposed to do.
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