Back to Even!

The Phillies got back to .500 last night with a dominating 7-1 win over the slumping Chicago Cubs. Cole Hamels picked up his second win in 2008 (2-1) while dropping his ERA to 0.82. He struck out five, walked two, and allowed only one hit in seven innings pitched. Not a bad performance.

The Phillies are in the midst of an important nine-game homestand. Once they are done hosting the Cubs, the Phillies welcome the Houston Astros and New York Mets. Both series will bring high emotions to the ballpark.

Patrolling centerfield for the Astros is Michael Bourn, a former Phillie, and in the bullpen is Geoff Geary, also a former Phillie. The boos will rain down when the Astros take the field, especially if their GM is shown on the big screen in left field. Yes, the same GM who was in charge of the Phillies up until his firing at the end of the 2005 season. Ed Wade makes his return to Philadelphia, with a revamped Astros lineup and shaky pitching staff this week. Let's go Phillies. Time to prove to Eddie why we let him go!!

When the Mets move into town, it will be the first series between the two teams in Philadelphia in 2008. The Phillies, after winning game one of their series in NY, lost the final two games of the series. The toughest loss was 4-3 in extra innings on a close play at the plate between catcher Chris Coste and shortstop Jose Reyes.

With Brett Myers pitching eight innings in game one versus the Cubs and Hamels pitching seven innings in game two, the Phillies bullpen is extremely well rested for the series finale with the Cubs and the upcoming series with the Astros and Mets.

The Phillies are 6-6 and 1.5 games behind the NL East leading Florida Marlins heading into today's series finale with the Cubs.