Hamels’ homecoming rather perfect ... for the home team
PHILADELPHIA >> It wasn’t the ‘homecoming’ Cole Hamels would have wanted, not that he seemed like he wanted one Wednesday night.
Hamels, 35, has had his share of rough outings, but none in recent memory were as severe as what resulted in his two-plus innings of work with the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies tagged Hamels all over the park, adding eight earned runs to his season stat line amid what became an 11-1 rout of the co-NL Central Division leaders.
Not exactly what Ham el sand the Cubs could have expected from a game billed as a duel between the Phillies’ ace of old vs. their ace of now, Aaron Nola.
“Wish I’d played better,” Hamels said later. “But it’s nice to get back. Great place, great memories. Just a tremendous fan base and great organization. The city’s been nothing but supportive. To see the support they gave me no matter the situation, what was happening in the game, just the recognition, I’m tremendously thankful for that.”
That support was at its most vocal in the top of the third inning, as Hamels came to bat after he’d allowed two runs to the Phillies in each of the first two innings.
The appreciation manifested into a standing ovation, with a stone-faced Hamels off to the side of the batter’s box absorbing it. Finally, he shot his arm awkwardly into the air, then strode to the plate.
“Honestly, I just gave up four runs,” Hamels said with a little laugh. “So I’m thankful for the fans, for their support. But when you just got your butt kicked for two straight innings, I’m kind of focused on that. I tried to give them the best salute I could at the moment, but I wish it would have been in a better situation. Probably a 0-0 game would have been a little better. I probably would have been a little more excited about it.”
Coinciding with Charlie Manuel’s first game as a Phillies hitting coach — or maybe it wasn’t such a coincidence? — the Phillies jumped on Hamels early and never let up.
Rhys Hoskins, who has been in such a deep slump that manager Gabe Kapler figured he might as well put his power hitter in the leadoff spot, opened the game with a single. An out later, Bryce Harper went with a Hamels pitch and slapped it into the left-center seats.
In the second inning, Nola did damage with the bat, drilling an RBI single to left for a 3-0 Phillies lead.
“I have to call Cole about that one,” Nola dead panned.” Tell him I’m sorry.”
A Hoskins sacrifice fly made it 4-0. Then in the bottom of the third, following his reception by the crowd, Hamels couldn’t get an out.
Scott Kingery opened the frame with a double, then Roman Quinn laid down a bunt single. Cesar Hernandez and Adam Haseley followed with RBI singles and Hamels’ quick night was over.
Cubs reliever Alec Mills then came on and with the bases loaded and issued a fat pitch to J.T. Realmuto, who cranked his second grand slam of the season to boost the Phillies to a 10-0 lead.
It was Hamels’ worst outing since giving up nine earned runs with the Phillies in a loss in San Francisco in July 2015, the month that ended with a Hamels trade to Texas.
Four years later, he was back pitching in Philadelphia for the first time since that deal. But this wasn’t the Cole Hamels that Phillies fans remember. His third start coming off a stay on IL with an oblique strain was worse than his last game and so many before it.
Despite an impressive showing against Milwaukee in his first game back Aug. 3, he has allowed 12 earned runs and pitched only five innings over his last two starts.
“Before he’d gotten hurt, he was throwing the ball great,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “His first start back was good. Really good, actually. Then the last two haven’t been so good. He’s still working through some kinks from the injury. I’m betting on the guy. I bet on Cole all the time. He’s a man’s man, he’s a professional. He’s going to figure things out.”
Harper seems to have things worked out pretty well, too, as he cranked his second homer of the night, and 24th of the season in the sixth inning.
As the Phillies pounded hits and homers, the chants of “Charlie! Charlie!” grew. It really was the perfect homecoming for Manuel, if not for the pitcher who enabled him to win a World Series.
“He loves baseball and he’s pretty good at it,” Hamels said of Manuel. “He’s got a really good perspective. I have the utmost respect for him and I think all of us that were fortunate to play under him, he was like a dad to us. You never wanted to disappoint him.”
On this night, Hamels certainly didn’t do that.
As for Nola (11-3), he would wind up going seven full innings, allowing only three hits, the last one a Kris Bryant home run. It fell far short of ruining Nola’s night.
“It’s been good to already get the series win and go for a sweep tomorrow, especially against a team like this,” Nola said. “Got a couple of strong arms on their side, their starting pitchers, and their lineup. We’ve just got to keep going out and competing, game by game. We’re not out of it, by any means.”