Philly's on the board

Thanks to ace Roy, err, Cole Hamels, the Phillies averted the sweep in Boston today.

It was a good, spirited 5-3 game that ended with the potential tying run at the plate after a 9th inning rally. After two embarrassing blowouts, this was the type of game we expected to see all series. And it's the type of game we expect to see seven times when the Red Sox and Phillies hook up again in October and November.

Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge are really reverting to their 2008 forms. Hamels shut down one of the best offenses in the game - one run in seven innings on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. Lidge allowed an inherited runner to score, but he held on for the save.

Tim Wakefield, who joined SoxandPhil Jamie Moyer (and Andy Pettitte) in the 3,000-inning club, battled for 7 1/3, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk.

Now that the SoxandPhils are once again allies until the World Series, I hope we can look back at this series as a turning point for both teams. At a minimum, there's a new folk hero in Boston, Daniel Nava, who has supplanted Darnell McDonald as the best story on the Red Sox. He followed up yesterday's grand slam debut by going 2-4, including a double and an RBI.