Hamels faced down a bit of adversity

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - How's this for clutch pitching?

The Phils were clinging to a one-run lead in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the World Series last night. The Tampa Bay Rays put the potential tying run on base when Ryan Howard - will his defense be an issue before the series is over? - made an error on a ground ball by Carlos Peña.

The temperature was rising inside Tropicana Field, but Cole Hamels stayed cool.

As Hamels prepared to face cleanup man Evan Longoria, Peña broke for second. Hamels saw Peña go and threw to first. Howard gunned Peña down at second. Hamels then struck out Longoria on a gutsy 2-2 change-up on the inside corner. Miss with that pitch, and it might be a tie game. Hamels got it inside enough, then retired Carl Crawford for the third out.

Going through the iron of the Rays' order like Hamels did in the sixth took some of the life out of the Rays and helped the Phils post a 3-2 win in Game 1.

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The Phils did that.

Kazmir walked the second batter of the game, Jayson Werth. Chase Utley then came back from an 0-2 count and belted a 2-2 fastball over the rightfield wall for a 2-0 lead. Kazmir allowed just one run the remainder of his six innings.

Missed chances

They loaded the bases with one out in the second with leadoff man Jimmy Rollins at the plate. Rollins got jammed on a 1-0 slider and popped to shallow center. Shane Victorino tried to score from third on the catch. Big mistake. Centerfielder B.J. Upton, who had 16 assists in the regular season, gunned him down to end the threat. It was unclear if Victorino went on his own or if third-base coach Steve Smith sent him. Either way, the Phils ran themselves out the inning with lefty-killer Werth waiting on deck.