• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Phillies gunning for 2-0 lead against Rays

Oct 23, 2008 - 10:04 AM World Series Game Two Phillies lead 1-0

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay 8:00 p.m. EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies landed the first blow in the World Series.

The Phillies try to claim a two-games-to-none lead in the "Fall Classic" on Thursday when they visit the Tampa Bay Rays for Game Two of the best-of-seven series.

Chase Utley homered off Scott Kazmir in the first inning and Cole Hamels pitched seven strong innings to lead Philadelphia to a 3-2 victory over the Rays in Game One on Wednesday.

Brett Myers looks to duplicate Hamels' performance.

Myers earned wins in both of his postseason starts, but was unspectacular in his last outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Two of the NLCS. The 28-year-old righthander surrendered five runs and six hits in five frames, walking four while striking out six en route to an 8-5 victory.

Myers is excited to get his first career World Series start and will try to keep his composure, though he's not sure if that's possible.

"It's been emotional at this point already," he said. "So I'm going to try to take it as just another game. But sometimes you get out there, your emotions are going to get in the way sometimes. It's just how you control them."

A win would put the Phillies in prime position to claim the first championship in Philadelphia since the 76ers won the NBA Championship in 1983.

"We owe it to ourselves, but I kind of feel like I owe it to the city," Myers said. "But we can't look too much into all the things that they're saying about stuff like that. We've just got to go play. It would be huge for the city, for that city, especially, because it is so long since they've had a championship.

"They want us to win. Our fans are there for us, and they want us to win. We're going to try to bring it home for them."

James Shields counters for the Rays, who desperately need a win in Game Two with the series switching to Citizens Bank Park for three games beginning Saturday.

Unlike Myers, Shields lost both of his starts in the American League Championship Series despite a pair of strong outings.

The Rays' righthander yielded two runs and six hits in 7 1/3 innings, but endured a 2-0 loss in Game One against the Boston Red Sox. Nicknamed "Big-Game James," Shields was back on the mound for Game Six, but once again suffered the loss after surrendering four runs - three earned - and three walks in 5 2/3 frames, dropping a 4-2 decision.

"I think my first game (against the Red Sox) I was right where I needed to be," Shields said. "My location was really good. My fastball command was really good. My changeup was really good that game and my curveball was pretty good. So I think the first game I was pretty much on my 'A' game, and I think that's what we need to have.

"As far as my second game goes, I don't think I was on with my fastball command as I wanted to be. I was just missing the plate. But sometimes that happens. And I thought I did a pretty good job of getting as deep as I could in the game and giving our team a chance to win."

Despite the pair of losses in the ALCS, Shields is ready to toe the rubber in the World Series.

"I'm the type of pitcher that I want the ball," Shields said. "I thrive on that. I thrive on getting the ball. ... I'm going to be anxious.

"This is an exciting time in our lives and it's like a dream come true. So I'm definitely not going to feel the same as a normal, regular-season game. But I'm going to be anxious and I'm going to be ready to go."