Phillies Notes: Lidge gets a save for Phillies as fill-in closer

DENVER - Thanks to Sarah Madson's delivery, Brad Lidge got a chance to do what he loves most Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field.

Ryan Madson, the Phillies' normal closer, left in the morning to be with his expectant wife in Los Angeles, and Lidge knew that might lead to his first save opportunity of the season.

"I knew Madson was headed to L.A. this morning before the game," Lidge said. "I didn't know for certain who was going to be closing. We probably looked at matchups. But I was definitely aware that I could be closing the game."

As it turned out, manager Charlie Manuel called on lefty Antonio Bastardo to pitch the eighth inning and handed the ball to his former closer in the ninth. Lidge responded with a perfect inning by throwing mostly sliders, and earned his 100th save in a Phillies uniform to preserve an 8-6 win over the Colorado Rockies.

"I was actually pretty proud of that one," Lidge said.

In five appearances since coming off the disabled list, Lidge has a 2.45 ERA and a growing confidence.

"His slider before was a lot harder, but I think he commands his slider better now," Manuel said. "It still has a good break off it. He has a good, tight rotation on it, and he changes speeds off it, too, now."

Lidge admitted that without the fastball velocity he once had, he is in the process of reinventing how he pitches.

"A little bit," he said. "That being said, I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to where I normally am as the season progresses. I've made a few adjustments, making sure I'm able to get ahead of hitters. . . . But you have to get the same results however you have to do it. So if you have to reinvent yourself a little bit, so be it."

With the bullpen already shorthanded, Scott Mathieson will join the Phillies in San Francisco on Thursday in case Madson cannot return in time for the game. The Phillies can place Madson on three-game paternity leave, but they did not know if that would be necessary.

Oswalt returns Sunday

When Roy Oswalt left his June 23 start in St. Louis after two innings, he didn't know if he had thrown his last pitch of the season or even his career.

That's how acute the pain in his back had become.

Now, Oswalt has a little less than two months to prove a few things as he pursues the first World Series title of his career.