Maybe Cole Hamels should have kept the 'stache.
A clean-shaven Hamels strode to the mound last night in Atlanta to make his first-ever start in an opener for the Phils. It did not go well.
Hamels got torched by the Braves, serving up three moon shot homers as the Braves prevailed, 7-5.
You can read beat writer Dennis Deitch's game story here.
Hamels grew a beard during spring training, then clipped it back to just the moustache in the final week in Clearwater. But he was clean shaven as he took the hill last night. Not good karma. Maybe he should have kept it after a hair-raising opening night on the mound.
Here's Hamels' line: 5 runs on 7 hits - including three dingers - in five innings. Hamels walked 1 and struck out 5 while throwing 89 pitches. It was the long ball that was his undoing, and it started early. He got taken yard by Freddie Freeman in the 1st inning to put the Phils in a hole.
Hamels' history is that he is a slow starter in the spring. Let's hope that's the case again.
Hamels was not the only concern. Ryan Howard went 0-for-5, including a crucial strikeout with the bases loaded when the Phils had closed to a run.
Defense remains a problem. Michael Young at third base and Domonic Brown in left field likely are not a threat to get any Gold Glove awards.
The good news? How 'bout that Chase Utley? He homered and tripled while going 3-for-5 and driving in 3 of the Phils 5 runs.
The Phils now have a day to stew in the loss, since today is a built-in off day.
Does anyone else think this puts a little added pressure on Roy Halladay to come up big in his start on Wednesday? Halladay was a question mark for most of the spring in Clearwater. Another shaky outing and a Phils' loss will put the team in a hole right out of the box.
Just something to think about while our teeth are chattering on a morning more like the end of the season in late October than spring.
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