Just call him King Cole.
Much has been made this summer of the magical season of Roy Halladay.
The Phils went out and got the ace in the off-season and in his first season in red pinstripes, Halladay has been as advertised. That includes a perfect game against Florida.
And just for good measure at the trading deadline, the Phils acquired another ace, Roy Oswalt, from the Astros. He’s been just about perfect since joining the Phils’ rotation.
But neither of them has been the Phils’ best pitcher over the past month.
That title goes to Hamels, the quiet, “cool” Californian who has given the Phillies a troika of starting pitchers that’s unmatched in major league baseball.
Hamels was at it again last night, dazzling the Braves in the first game of a crucial three-night stand at Citizens Bank Park.
Hamels went eight innings, giving up just one run on six hits, while striking out six. It was Hamels’ fifth straight win, the best stretch in his career.
In his last five starts Hamels is sporting a .049 ERA. His has now lowered his ERA for the season to 2.93, a career best.
The win stretches the Phils’ lead to four games over the second-place Braves. They will look to make it five tonight, when Roy Halladay takes the hill looking for win No. 20.
And even if he gets it, he won’t be the best pitcher in the Phils’
triple-crown rotation right now.
That crown rests on the head of King Cole Hamels.
Much has been made this summer of the magical season of Roy Halladay.
The Phils went out and got the ace in the off-season and in his first season in red pinstripes, Halladay has been as advertised. That includes a perfect game against Florida.
And just for good measure at the trading deadline, the Phils acquired another ace, Roy Oswalt, from the Astros. He’s been just about perfect since joining the Phils’ rotation.
But neither of them has been the Phils’ best pitcher over the past month.
That title goes to Hamels, the quiet, “cool” Californian who has given the Phillies a troika of starting pitchers that’s unmatched in major league baseball.
Hamels was at it again last night, dazzling the Braves in the first game of a crucial three-night stand at Citizens Bank Park.
Hamels went eight innings, giving up just one run on six hits, while striking out six. It was Hamels’ fifth straight win, the best stretch in his career.
In his last five starts Hamels is sporting a .049 ERA. His has now lowered his ERA for the season to 2.93, a career best.
The win stretches the Phils’ lead to four games over the second-place Braves. They will look to make it five tonight, when Roy Halladay takes the hill looking for win No. 20.
And even if he gets it, he won’t be the best pitcher in the Phils’
triple-crown rotation right now.
That crown rests on the head of King Cole Hamels.
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