If you were 100% confident that the Cliff Lee of August would return in the postseason, I think you were probably in a small minority of eternal optimists. In which case – why are you rooting for the Phillies? We have to be worried that our championship team is going to crumble. that Cliff Lee pulls off his mask to reveal that we actually traded for Adam Eaton at the trade deadline That Carlos Carrasco is going to win the next 15 AL CY Young Awards while Lee demands a trade over the winter.

When our prized southpaw gave up a couple of hits in the first inning, don’t tell me you forecasted that he would pitch a complete game three-hitter and utterly dominate the Rockies lineup.

Despite a slightly shaky 1st inning, Cliff Lee was able to compartmentalize that threat and avoid allowing it to bleed into subsequent innings. The Rockies got a meaningless run in the 9th inning, but their only real chance to announce themselves with authority to the Philly crowd was in the first inning. After that, they were bystanders in a Cliff Lee gem: the kind we saw him run a month long string of in August. If Cole Hamels can can even close to Lee’s dominance in Game 2 tomorrow, the Rockies are in a world of trouble before the had a chance to unpack their suitcases at whatever 5 star hotel they are staying at.

Today’s Game 1 win was not just about Cliff Lee, though. Perhaps if the Phils had won the game 1-0. But the Phillies chased strong Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez, who couldn’t get and out in the bottom of the 6th inning, as the Phillies added 3 runs to an 2-0 lead. They scored 5 runs without the benefit of a single home run – only the second time since the end of July that they scored at least 5 runs without a single homer. The Phils 5 RBIs came off of 2 singles, 2 doubles and 1 triple. Chase Utley even had a hit, which is no small task given his struggles in September.

Cole Hamels gets his chance to assert himself as the once and future Phillies ace. Going back to Denver up 2-0 would be huge given the weekend forecast in the Mile High City: A high of 33 degrees with a snow shower on Saturday, and rain & snow showers with a high of 46. Apparently Mother Nature is intent on making last year’s World Series game 5 weather look like Turks & Caicos compared to what Denver has in store for the good guys.