Philadelphia’s bats have awakened, they’ve got home field advantage Monday, they are one win from the World Series, and their ace – Cole Hamels – is starting Game 5.

PHILADELPHIA – This is how it is supposed to work for the Philadelphia Phillies. In fact, this World Series is coming together so well right now, you have to wonder if there is any traction left at all for the Tampa Bay Rays.

If it can get any better than this for Charlie Manuel’s team, we’d like to know how.

"We always have a chance to score," Manuel said after a 10-2 shellacking of the Rays in Game 4 of the World Series Sunday. "What’s good about our team is … we’re very capable of putting up a crooked number on you. A three, a six, a five... We’re never out of the game, and we’ll fight ya until the game is over."

We have seen situations like the one that faces the Phillies tonight many times before in postseasons of yore, and it doesn’t always go according to form. Tampa’s ace – lefty Scott Kazmir – will have something to say about the result Monday, though the way his offence is working he might need a shutout to win.

Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria – Tampa’s 3-4 hitters – are both hitless in this Series.

And Hamels is a horse – and we’re not talking about the stable that the Philly police department will be emptying to patrol this ballpark and surrounding area Monday.

"What do you want me to say? Every time you hand him the ball, you expect to win the game," Manuel said of Hamels, who is 4-0 in the postseason thus far. "Definitely he can throw a shutout for you, and I even look up sometimes and think he's going to throw some no-hitters before his career is over."

What will it be like at Citizens Bank Park Monday, with the Phillies on the verge of winning just their second World Series in team hitsory?

"It’ll be absolute bedlam," said Ryan Howard. "One of the craziest places on earth."

Philadelphia took Tampa Bay apart in Game 4. It could have been much, much worse than an eight-run spread.

What should really scare the Rays however, is that while Tampa’s bats remain in their slumber, a major awakening has occurred throughout this Phillies order.

Start with slugging first baseman Howard, who scuffled through the first two games going 0-for-9. In Games 3 and 4 he hit three home runs and had six RBI, while the Phillies hit five home runs as a team Sunday. "That last at bat, he just crushed it. He’s good," Tampa manager Joe Maddon said.

Even Phillies starting pitcher Joe Blanton pounded a solo shot.

"Stuck with my same approach to hitting," Blanton joked after the game. "Close my eyes and swing hard."

At the top of the Phillies order, Jimmy Rollins has come out of his hibernation. Rollins made it on base four times in Game 4 after failing to reach even one time in Games 1 and 2.

"This is what we play for, to be in this position," said Rollins. "We’ve struggled at some points, but showed the character in this team when we battled back."

"This is where we want to be, up three games to one and at home," added Rollins, whose club stranded seven in the first three innings Sunday and led only 2-1. "It was patience. I thought to myself, we gotta get out of this somehow. We can’t let them hang around."

Hamels, meanwhile, might have looked nearly perfect thus far in the postseason, but he can see room for improvement.

"Of course," he said. "Even most guys when they throw perfect games, I know they weren't happy. A lot of it has to do with luck - and sometimes you throw a pitch in an area you didn't mean to throw it, you get the guy out."

"We’re one step (away from) bringing a World Series to the city of Philadelphia and to our team that’s worked so hard to achieve this.

"I know when I get out there on the mound, though, everything kind of disappears," he added. "I know I have a job to do, and I know I’ve practiced so hard to execute this game and to also enjoy it, because it is a tremendous moment that not too many people have the opportunity to do. Jamie Moyer, it took him 20-something years to finally get that one opportunity."

Matt Stairs had his first World Series at bat Sunday, pinch-hitting for pitcher Ryan Madson.

He struck out swinging.