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Hamels Handcuffs Rays Hitters

Tribune photo by KATHY MOORE

Carl Crawford after a solo home run against Cole Hamels in the fourth inning.

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By MARC LANCASTER

mlancaster@tampatrib.com

Published: October 23, 2008

Updated: 10/23/2008 01:11 am

ST. PETERSBURG - The World Series and all of its trimmings may have been new, but the situation the Rays find themselves in today is not.

For the second consecutive series, they were outpitched in the opener and saw their homefield advantage slip away as a result. Where Daisuke Matsuzaka did them in to begin the ALCS, it was Cole Hamels shutting down the Rays' bats Wednesday night.

Philadelphia's lanky left-hander spent most of the evening exerting complete control over the Rays' bats, and the National League champions held on for a 3-2 victory at Tropicana Field thanks in part to some early difficulties for Scott Kazmir.

The Rays' starter kept his team in the game throughout his six innings, but Tampa Bay never could overcome the early deficit it faced in the wake of Chase Utley's two-run homer in the top of the first.

"I think we just got beat by a very good team," Rays reliever J.P. Howell said. "They deserve this game. They won and it's theirs."

It wasn't that Kazmir was bad Wednesday night - the Rays have seen that side of the lefty and this wasn't even close. It was just that Hamels was better, which wasn't altogether surprising considering he was named the Most Valuable Player of the NLCS after winning both the opener and the clincher against the Dodgers.

Rays manager Joe Maddon has said several times in the playoffs that momentum is only as good as the next day's starting pitcher. Hamels made his point Wednesday, and it will be up to James Shields to offer up a fitting response for the Rays tonight.

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