Shortstop Jimmy Rollins was hurting when he arrived at second base after lining a third-inning double down the left-field line. Two batters later, Carlos Ruiz dropped a single into left field, and it was obvious Rollins was not moving well between second and third.
Third-base coach Sam Perlozzo waved Rollins home, and, thanks to another of his uncanny hook slides, the shortstop was safe.
As soon as Rollins returned to the dugout, trainer Scott Sheridan greeted him. A few moments later, Rollins disappeared into the clubhouse, and the team later announced that he had tightness in his right hamstring. Wilson Valdez replaced Rollins at shortstop.
Rollins, according to a team spokesman, had left the clubhouse by the time it opened to the media. But manager Charlie Manuel downplayed the severity of his shortstop's latest injury.
"He had some tightness and he was sick a little bit today and he was dehydrated," Manuel said. "He didn't take [batting practice]. He was kind of under the weather."
Add the fact that closer Brad Lidge was quarantined in the bullpen for the second straight night because of elbow soreness and there is ample reason for concern as the Phillies attempt to hold off Atlanta for their fourth straight NL East title.
For Rollins, the timing could not be any worse, and the story line must be giving him a sickening case of deja vu.
If you recall, Rollins got off to a pretty good start this season, batting .391 with eight runs scored during the Phillies' season-opening road trip.
When the shortstop got back to Philadelphia, he strained his right calf warming up for the home opener and missed 30 games. He missed 26 more with the same injury later in the season and also sat out three games with a bruised left foot.
