"Jogging in from the bullpen, Brad Lidge felt the weight of the moment.

That's a rare thing for the veteran closer. He's spent years ignoring the circumstances in which he enters a game, shrugging off the implications of each pitch he throws.

But Wednesday was different.

Lidge threw 13 pitches in a perfect ninth inning, recording the 100th save of his Phillies career. But he only learned of that milestone after it was over.

What meant more to Lidge was the fact that it was his first save of 2011, the first time he'd wrapped up a victory since Game 5 of last year's National League Championship Series.

In the months between, he's battled numerous injuries in hopes that he could one day get back on the mound in a save situation.

"I was real excited for that opportunity because it's been a very long road this year," Lidge said. "But as soon as I get on the mound, I'm thinking about where I'm putting that first slider."

The slider looked sharp, and the Rockies provided little resistance in Lidge's inning of work.

Lidge only had the job because Ryan Madson was in Los Angeles, where his wife was in labor with their fourth child.

Antonio Bastardo was needed against lefties in the eighth and Michael Stutes had worked two long innings Monday. So that left Lidge.

"We wanted to work Lidge in where he could have some confidence and pitch," Charlie Manuel said. "He did a good job. His command was good.""