Baseball is a game of numbers. Here’s the number you need to remember from last night’s Phils’ game: 44,986.

That was last night’s attendance. Yes, the Phils sold out the second game of the season, just as they had the opening day affair with the Nationals. And this on a night when temperatures hovered in the mid-40s.

The weather is cold, but the Phils are red-hot. Game Two of the season is classically a let-down day. Attendance often falls by half. Not this year. This team, and this stadium, is what they call “happening.”

All of which makes the fact that the Phils lost to start their season 0-2 that much more disappointing.

Here’s last night’s game by the numbers:

* 1 hit for the Phils.
* 1 run for the Nationals, enough to win the game.
* 8 strong innings for Cole Hamels, who looked every bit the “ace” of the staff. And another reason the loss is such a bitter disappointment.
* 5 hits given up by Hamels. Unfortunately, one of them was a classic Citizens Bank Park fly ball turned home run tucked into the right field corner.
* 0 wins and 2 losses for the Phils.
* 2.5 games back in NL East. Yes, even though they’ve only played 2 games, the Phils are 2.5 behind the 3-0 Nationals.
* 5 straight years the Phils have failed to win their opening series.

Not good. They play a Business Person’s Special at 1 this afternoon.

And one other thing. College Nights are out at the Park. Dollar Dog Nights remain.

What happened after last night’s game, with debris, including a lot of those hot dogs showering the field, means the Phils still have work to do in the area of fan behavior.

Of course, that’s nothing a few wins won’t cure.