Hamels, Burrell Power Phillies to Win Over Chicago Cubs
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Phillies starter lefthander Cole Hamels put on another excellent pitching performance and leftfielder Pat Burrell, following a tongue-lashing from GM Pat Gillick, supplied some heavy lumber hitting 2 homeruns which drove in 5 runs as the Phils welcomed the Chicago Cubs to town on Friday overcoming a 2-0 deficit in a 7-2 win in their series opener.
The Phils fell behind 2-0 as leftfielder Alfonso Soriano and 3rd baseman Aramis Ramirez each solo homered off of winning pitcher Hamels in the 3rd and 4th innings respectively.
But, with the Cubs leading 2-0 in the bottom of the 4th, starting and losing pitcher Rich Hill started the inning by walking centerfielder Aaron Rowand who then stole 2nd base. Hill then hit 2nd baseman Chase Utley with a pitch putting runners at 1st and 2nd base. With the count 2-2 to Burrell, the leftfielder put Hill’s next serving into left-center field seats and the Phils led 3-2 after 4.
After Hamels dealt with the Cubs in the 5th and 6th innings, Utley led off the Phils’ 6th inning with as walk. Burrell followed by burying a 2 run blast to leftfield.
AP sports reporter Rob Maadi writes for Yahoo sports;
Burrell received a loud standing ovation as he circled the bases after his second drive of the game. He came out of the dugout and waved to a crowd that booed him during pregame introductions on opening day.
Burrell’s two homers and five RBIs tied his career best for both. He has 15 multihomer games.
Inquirer Staff Writer Sam Carchidi adds these points on Burrell;
Charlie Manuel was right when he said before the game that Burrell had shown positive signs despite going 2 for 28 on the Phils’ recent 10-game road trip.
“He’s hitting .308 with runners in scoring position; he’s walking and getting on base,” Manuel said before the 15th two-homer game of Burrell’s career. “And in the San Francisco series and the Arizona series - other than when [the Diamondbacks’] Randy Johnson pitched - he hit the ball hard but didn’t get many hits. I think he’s going to get going any day. It’s just a matter of time.”
Burrell boosted his average from .237 to .257.
“He had been smoking balls, and they caught them,” Manuel said. “Tonight, he got it up in the air. That’s the joy of baseball.”
Hill was pulled in the 6th after Burrell’s second blast and reliever Michael Wuertz got the side out to end the inning.
After Hamels took care of Chicago in the 7th, the Phils scored two more runs off of lefthanded reliever Neal Cotts as Utley’s 2 out single drove in 2 to cap the Phillies scoring. Hamels’ line for the game; 2 runs on the 2 homers, 7 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.
Phils releivers Geoff Geary and Antonio Alfonseca held the Cubs in check through the 8th and 9th innings to insure the win.
Cubs 1st baseman Derrick Lee, who had hit safely in 17 straight games, was held hitless by Hamels, Geary and Alfonseca.
Once again, Ryan Howard was rested and replaced at 1st base by Wes Helms who went hitless in 4 trips to the plate striking out twice.
Rob Maadi reports;
Howard was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game with a quad injury. An MRI exam on his knee revealed no structural damage and another MRI on his quad showed some bruising. Howard is day to day, but was available to pinch hit.
Abraham Nunez, who got 6 hits in 11 at bats including 3 doubles in the Arizona series, replaced Helms at 3rd base and went hitless.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on all Friday’s games, click here.
On Saturday, Freddy Garcia opposes Angel Guzman on Saturday and on Sunday, Jon Lieber faces lefthander Ted Lilly in the get-away game.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on all Saturday’s or Sunday’s games, click here and here.
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