Phillies' Hamels iffy after taking line shot off glove hand

COLE HAMELS caught the first bullet, but couldn't dodge the next one.

It was a loss, and it might be a lot more painful.

The Phillies cost themselves a sweep yesterday when they dropped the third and final game of their interleague series against the visiting Boston Red Sox, 5-2. They might have lost another pitcher.

In the third inning, Red Sox shortstop Marco Scutaro led off and ripped a line drive up the middle that Hamels stabbed at and gloved with his right hand. Hamels stared at the ball in his glove, relieved; no real harm.

In the fourth, Adrian Gonzalez ripped a line drive up the middle that bored its laces into the exposed heel of Hamels' hand and ripped Hamels' glove off. The ball fell at his feet. With both hands bare, Hamels winced, bent over and threw to first for the second out of that inning.

He finished the inning, but a lot of harm might have been done.

X-rays were negative. He suffered a bad bruise at the meaty base of his right thumb, where the ball's stitch marks remained. Hamels' next start is in jeopardy, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

"Hopefully, in 5 days, he'll be ready to pitch," Amaro said. "We're not 100 percent sure he'll make his next start."

Hamels is scheduled to start Tuesday at Florida.

Amaro's explanation differed from the in-game announcement that Hamels was expected to take his regular turn.

After the play, manager Charlie Manuel, pitching coach Rich Dubee and a medical staffer converged on Hamels as he held his glove in his left hand. He seemed to favor his right thumb, flexing it repeatedly. He put his glove back on, threw a few practice pitches and stayed in the game. He retired Dustin Pedroia on a groundout to third to end the inning.

At Dubee's insistence, Hamels did not come out for the fifth inning.

"He wanted to stay out there," Amaro said.

Hamels is expected to make his next start and stay off the disabled list, where five of the team's pitchers now reside.

A club official said Hamels declined to speak to the press after the game because he thought a TV cameraman inappropriately filmed him in the clubhouse.

Amaro Jr. acted as his spokesman.

"He's sore," he said.

Amaro said Hamels wore a soft cast and would be regularly icing the bruise.

Donning his glove and squeezing the bat will be difficult for Hamels, Amaro said. This injury could prove a significant bump on what has been the best road of Hamels' career.