May 19 -- HURRICANE HALLADAY

Getting ready to make the short road trip down I-95 to Washington, but first, let's tie a neat, little bow on the six-game homestand that wrapped in the rain and wind on a long, long, long Sunday at the Bank. A few observation from the Phils' oft-interrupted 6-5 loss to the Jays:

1. Jays reliever Jason Frasor was credited with the win, and closer B.J. Ryan picked up a save. But the Jays don't win yesterday without Roy Halladay, the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner who walked in from the bullpen after the second rain delay to quell the two-out, two-on mess in the sixth before pitching a spotless seventh and eighth. Halladay's imprint on the outcome was so large that I focused the game story on his appearance, which Phillies reliever Rudy Seanez called "unfair" (and he didn't even have to face him!). Watching Halladay warm up in the bullpen was every bit as ominous for the Phillies as the dark clouds, gusting wind and thunder that rolled in during the sixth inning and caused a second, 39-minute interruption in play.

2. Given that Chad Durbin hadn't thrown more than 46 pitches in a game this season, it would be convenient to look at his pitch count -- 66 total, 64 when he threw the high (though not high enough)-and-inside fastball that pinch-hitter Lyle Overbay punished for a game-tying three-run homer -- and scream that Charlie Manuel stuck with him for too long. I'll admit it: Sitting in the press box during the fifth inning, I jumped to that conclusion. And while Manuel may have have been wise to consider replacing Durbin once he hit the 50-pitch mark, consider this: There were no indications that Durbin was tiring. He retired 11 straight batters before Rod Barajas doubled, and he had a 1-2 count on Marco Scutaro before walking him. In other words, Durbin was one strike from getting out of the fifth inning unscathed. I doubt he would've pitched the sixth, but leaving him in the game to finish the fifth appeared to be a safe bet.

3. Noticed that Jimmy Rollins was limping around pretty good on his left ankle during his at-bat in the sixth inning, and the TV cameras showed him roll the ankle while making a play up the middle in the fourth. Fear not, though. Later in the sixth, Rollins scored from first base on Chase Utley's double and said after the game that the ankle is fine. He did tweak it, but whatever discomfort he was feeling subsided well before the game ended.

4. The Phillies left the bases loaded in back-to-back innings and went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and that's never good. Looking for reasons they lost yesterday? Start there.

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OK, really need to hit the road. Can't wait to check out the Nationals' new ballpark, but I'm even more eager to see what Brett Myers does tonight against a weak-hitting Washington team. For now, here's a preview of the series, and I'll be back later from DC to bring you lineups, news/notes from the clubhouse and some flavor from sparkling, new (and for the moment, corporate-name-free) Nationals Park.

PHILLIES (24-21) at NATIONALS (19-26)
Tonight, 7:10: RHP Brett Myers (2-4, 5.91) vs. RHP Tim Redding (5-3, 3.55)
Tuesday, 7:10: LHP Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.89) vs. RHP Jason Bergmann (1-1, 7.45)
Wednesday, 7:10: LHP Jamie Moyer (3-3, 4.89) vs. TBA
Hot: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins went 12-for-26 (.462) with four RBIs on the six-game homestand; Phillies C Chris Coste went 7-for-16 (.438) on the homestand; Nationals SS Christian Guzman is 20-for-61 (.328) with 11 RBIs over his last 14 games; Nationals C Jesus Flores has seven hits in his last 17 at-bats (.412).
Not: Phillies 2B Chase Utley has five hits in his last 39 at-bats (.128); Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz has four hits in his last 21 at-bats (.190); Nationals LF Elijah Dukes has one hit in his last 22 at-bats (.045); Nationals RF Austin Kearns has two hits in his last 33 at-bats (.061).