Phillies to lean on Hamels

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS

Favorites to win it all, the Philadelphia Phillies are banking on Cole Hamels’ big-game background in St. Louis.

The 27-year-old lefty was the 2008 World Series MVP and has six career postseason victories heading into a Game 3 matchup today against the Cardinals and Jaime Garcia. With the best-of-five NL division series tied at one apiece, this is not a stage likely to rattle Hamels.

“He’s got that instinct when he gets on the mound, that put-’em-away instinct,” teammate Hunter Pence said Monday. “The big-moment pitcher.”

The youngest member of an all-world Phillies rotation, Hamels seemed pretty calm going into his pivotal start. Besides all that postseason experience, half of his 14 victories came on the road this year.

“Every time I go out I try to win, no matter what the circumstance is — five games, seven games, three games or one game,” Hamels said. “It’s just going out there. I know I have a job to do.”

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel expects a loose, confident team behind Hamels. Philadelphia must win at least one of the two games in St. Louis to bring the series back home.

“This is supposed to be a lot of fun,” Manuel said. “It’s up to us to get it done, but at the same time play nice and relaxed.”

His players, at least most of them, can lean on their extensive October experience. The Phillies have won the NL East the last five years.

“It makes it a lot easier on me, this being my first playoff series,” Pence said. “All these guys have been through it and everyone’s very poised.

“This team has a lot of poise, a lot of confidence and a lot of calmness.”

A potential red flag for Hamels: a spotty September in which he allowed nine home runs in 38 innings.