Hector Neris walked through the bullpen door, smacked his glove against his thigh and charged to the mound.
The Phillies had a lead to protect in the ninth inning of Friday's 4-3 win over Atlanta. And for the second straight night, Neris was the one called to protect it. He looked like a closer as he jogged to the mound. He pitched like one, too, nailing down the save after a 24-minute rain delay. But don't call him a closer just yet.
"I'm not naming him the closer," manager Pete Mackanin said before the game. "Like I said, it is nice to have two guys that I feel comfortable with in the ninth inning.