And it all started with...

...a triple play. I'm not sure that I've ever seen a Triple play live before, it's usually only on SportsCenter. But in this last week I've seen a completely different team. Since that game I attended last week that went 13 grueling innings, the Phillies are 5-1 and have outscored opponents 44-17. Awesome. It's about freakin time. After beating the Nationals 4-2 in a Thursday afternoon game, the Phillies blew a 1-0, 1 hitter in the bottom of the 9th to Cincy. The Phillies are the only team to lose a game in Extra innings while only giving up 4 hits or less in the game in the last 3 years. AND THEY'VE DONE IT TWICE. So after that blown save by 'Flash' they came back, and on a tired Saturday Afternoon in NJ I got to watch almost the whole game.

Cole Hamels was awesome. 15 K's and a complete game. Thats one way to not blow a save, keep the bullpen where they are. But with a 2-1 lead in the 5th inning the Phillies looked like they were in trouble. Two bloop singles back to back gave the Reds 1st and 2nd with no outs. As the announcers began to talk about how Hamels needed a double play, the play had begun... a slow hopper to Nunez, who grabbed it stepped on third, threw to Utley who caught and released the ball in about .0000000001 seconds over to Helms (playing first for injured Howard) for a triple play. A ground ball force out triple play. That kinda stuff only happens TO the Phillies not FOR them. Hamels pumped his fist and yelled as did most of the other players on the field and they had life again. Going into that game 4-11 this was exactly what they needed, something to get them excited. The very next inning Utley homered and then Rowand homered in the 7th. The Phils hang on to a 4-1 win over the Reds and with every strikeout Hamels threw, you could see them getting more excited... this is what they were waiting for, a spark of life.

The next day they got Howard back and in his first game back he homered. Granted I believe it was his only hit, but seeing Howard do what he is supposed to helps the team more than anything. They put together 11 runs and started working as a team. Next was 9 runs against Houston, then Tuesday night an 8th inning rally against Washington to win 6-3 and last night another 9 runs against the Nats. It seems like the Phillies are finally coming together as a team. Burrell is pulling through in the pinch, Rowand has a 12 game hit streak, Howard is on base at least 2x a game, Utley is 6 for his last 8, Rollins hit his 8th Homer of the season last night and Myers is settling down in the pen. As of now, depending on their ABs that game, they have 5 or 6 guys batting at or over .300 and they haven't given up more than 4 runs in any of their last 6. At 9-11 now they are building confidence in themselves and enstating it in their fans. Next goal... get over .500.

In other the news, the Flyers and Sixers still suck. More importantly the Eagles have the NFL draft this weekend. With only 2 days before the draft I've heard about 187,623 different opinions about what will happen in the top 4 picks, everything from the Raiders will trade to drafting Calvin Johnson, JeMarcus Russell to Brady Quinn to Quinn will suck he's not big enough to JeMarcus Russell will be a bust because he's not talented or smart enough to.... blah blah blah. Everyone thinks so differently... the only thing the critics are in agreement on is: Calvin Johnson will be a beast. The team that gets him will not be sorry. Most likely right now... to me... the Lions. They Love wideouts there in Detroit. You have to admit, Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson as your first two options... I could throw 25 TDs with those guys on my team. So till next week... GO Phils and Birds.

P.S. A-rod is on pace to hit 300 rbis and 109 HRs.