But Manuel enjoyed a stress-free night of baseball in a 15-3 victory over the Dodgers.
What was the best part for the manager?
The season-high 26 hits or the one run in six innings from Durbin, who picked up his first big-league win?
"Both," Manuel said. "If I had to pick one, I'd take both."
Ryan Howard hit a pair of two-run home runs. Shane Victorino tied a career high with five hits. Aaron Rowand set a career high with five hits. Chase Utley collected three RBIs. Pat Burrell hit his 200th career homer in the seventh inning.
But Durbin allowed six hits, a run and two walks, and struck out three in six innings. He also went 3 for 4.
"That was just an incredible feeling, going out there and throwing the way I want to throw," he said, "being in control. That's been one of my problems when I get up here. I let myself get ahead, get too quick and my mind starts racing. Just slowing the ball game down helped incredibly."
Durbin said he worked with pitching coach Rich Dubee on slowing down, breathing, and pacing himself to control his body.
"You can see how somebody would want him and want to take a chance on him," Manuel said in the visitors' dugout before the game. "He has a lot of potential, but now he has to harness that talent. His command has got to come together. He's got to command the strike zone. He's going to be OK if he does that. The first time I saw him was the first start against the Mets [on June 29], and he struck out the side. I said, 'I could see why somebody would want him.' He can strike people out, and there's always a place for somebody who can strike people out."
Durbin had given up one hit through the first three innings when he found trouble in the fourth. But after he allowed a run to score and loaded the bases, he worked out of the jam.
It should only help his confidence.
