Phillies Notes: High-flying Bastardo gets another start

LOS ANGELES - Rookie

Antonio Bastardo

will get his second start tomorrow against the Dodgers, Phillies manager

Charlie Manuel

said yesterday.

But who knows when Bastardo will settle down from the excitement of his major-league debut Tuesday against San Diego?

Bastardo, 23, gave up only one run in six innings to earn the victory.

"I think it might take him two or three starts to kind of slow the adrenaline down," Manuel said. "He was wound up, but wound up in a good way. He definitely wasn't scared."

There is some concern about Bastardo's relying too much on his fastball.

"He was very gutty. He went right at them, mostly with his fastball," Manuel said. "He's going to have to start getting his slider and change-up over once in a while, but sometimes he can get away with it longer than you think he can.

"He was just wild enough to be good. He hit one guy, moved a couple," Manuel said. "Then, all of a sudden, he was throwing strikes. He wasn't out of control. He was just wild enough."

Bastardo threw in the 93- to 95-m.p.h. range against the Padres, Manuel said, after throwing 88 to 91 m.p.h. when Manuel saw him in the spring.

"He's got a slider, a change-up that are supposed to be good," Manuel said. "The other night, he was gripping it a little too tight to throw them."

Victorino better. Centerfielder Shane Victorino did not start a second consecutive game because of hip soreness, but he said he felt "10 times better" than the day before and had improved every day.

Manuel said he was being cautious.

"I think if you tell me you're hurting, I don't like to play you," he said. "If I see somebody limping who can't run, I look at it like they shouldn't be playing. I want my players healthy."

Southpaw strength. Despite concern about a Phillies lineup heavy on lefthanded hitters after the addition of Raul Ibanez, the Phillies are holding their own against lefthanded pitching.

Their record against lefthanded starters entering last night's game was 14-4, giving them more victories against lefthanded starters than any other National League team.

With Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Ibanez, the Phillies have three regular lefthanded bats in the lineup.

"Those guys can hit," batting coach Milt Thompson said. "I wasn't concerned. Look at Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez. They have great numbers against lefthanded pitchers. I was never concerned."

Howard was hitting .198 against lefties, but Utley was batting .313 and Ibanez .329.

Hamels goes distance. Lefthander Cole Hamels (4-2) pitched a five-hitter to lead the Phillies to their seventh victory in a row Thursday, a 3-0 win over Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium.

It was the third shutout and fifth complete game of his career.

Ryan Howard drove in the only run the Phillies needed with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning that scored Chase Utley, who had led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a groundout.