Cole Hamels last night sent a message to all those Phillies fans clamoring for an “ace,” a No. 1 stud in their rotation, perhaps Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee.

Remember me?

Hamels looked every bit the horse who mowed down opponents in the playoffs last fall as he blew away the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Hamels went eight strong innings, giving up just one run on four hits.

And it still turned into a white-knuckle affair. That’s because his partner in slamming the door on all those playoff games, closer Brad Lidge, continues to struggle.

Lidge came on in the ninth, promptly walked a batter and then gave up a two-run homer. He settled down to close the door, but not before raising manager Charlie Manuel’s blood pressure a few degrees.

Maybe the Phils are going about this trade deadline all wrong. Maybe it’s not the front end of the rotation they should be looking to beef up. Maybe it’s the back end.

Don’t look for that to happen. They are going to live and die with Lidge. Last night they almost died.

But not before getting very much an “ace”-like performance from Hamels.