Hamels Pounded, Phillies Offense Explodes to Rout Astros
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Phillies lefthander Cole Hamels, who brought a scoreless string of 19 consecutive innings into Sunday’s game, lost it in a hurry being pounded for 3 first inning runs while pitching easily his worst game of the season to date. But, five innings later after Hamels departed with the Astros leading 6-4, the Phils offense exploded for 5 in the sixth and 6 in the seventh, powered in part by homers by leftfielder Pat Burrell and 2nd baseman Chase Utley, enroute to a 15-6 rout.
With the Phils winning, the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets losing and the Florida Marlins sweeping a doubleheader from the San Francisco Giants, they dropped to 2 1/2 games behind the NL East 1st place Marlins, again tied the Braves for 2nd place and lead the 4th place Mets by 3 full games.
After getting the first two Astro hitters out in the first inning and then giving up consecutive singles, Hamels lost his timing and concentration subsequent to a 12 game-delay after plate umpire Jerry Crawford was accidently struck in the head by the bat of leftfielder Carlos Lee.
When play resumed, Lee nailed Hamels’ second pitch to leftfield and the Astros were up 3-0. The Phillies narrowed things to 3-2 off of starter Chris Sampson as rightfielder Geoff Jenkins drilled a 1 on, out homer to leftfield.
The Phils temporarily tied the game at 3-3 in the third inning as Hamels tried to help his cause with the first of two singles, went to 3rd base on shortstop Jimmy Rollins’ double and scored on Utley’s sacrifice fly to centerfield. But the Astros took a 5-3 lead in their third as Hamels faced 1st baseman Lance Berkman in a 1 out, 1st and 3rd jam. Berkman singled to drive in the 4th run. With a runner on 3rd, Lee grounded out to shortstop as the 5th run scored.
The Phils and Astros traded runs in the fourth as Hamels’ second hit, drove in catcher Carlos Ruiz who preceded him with a double to leftfield. The Astros responded as centerfielder Michael Bourn grounded out scoring a runner from 3rd. 6-4 Astros.
Meanwhile, while Sampson retired the Phils in order in the fifth, he had thrown 90 pitches and thus was replaced to open the sixth. Sampson gave up 4 runs on 5 hits, including Jenkins’ homer while walking 2 and striking out 3. But the parade of Astros relievers who gave up a total of 11 runs to the Phillies’ feast or famine offense over the sixth and seventh inning dug Houston into a deep hole which they couldn’t climb out against the 4 Phillie relievers who replaced Hamels after the fourth inning.
Reliever Rudy Seanez was awarded the win although he gfot himself into a bases load jam after getting the 1st 2 hitters out in the fifth. Relievers J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson and Clay Condrey allowed 3 harmless hits over the final four innings to seal the win. AP sports writer Chris Duncan notes for Yahoo sports;
The Phillies’ bullpen came into the game with the lowest ERA in the majors at 2.85.
The big blows in the Phillies’ 5 run sixth were Burrell’s lead off solo homer to leftfield and centerfielder Shane Victorino’s 2 run double, also to leftfield.
In the seventh, pinch hitter extraordinaire’ Greg Dobbs tripled driving in 2 runs and Utley capped the Phillies scoring with his 15th homer, driving in 2. For more on the Phillies’ sixth and seventh inning offensive deluge, click here.
The Phils collected 16 hits in the game with 5 others, in addition to Hamels, collecting 2 or more hits. Reliever Fernando Nieve, who relieved Sampson to open the sixth and who was pummelled for 4 runs while not getting anyone out, was charged with the loss and was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock after the game.
For all of the scores, boxscores and recaps on Sunday’s games, click here.
On Monday, the Phils return home for a rematch with the Colorado Rockies who swept them in last season’s NL divisional playoffs. Monday’s opener with the Rockies shapes up as a duel of lefthanders as 27 year old Jorge De La Rosa opposes veteran 45 year old Jamie Moyer. On Tuesday, Ubaldo Jimenez faces Kyle Kendrick and in Wednesday’s final, rookie Greg Reynolds opposes Adam Eaton.
After the Rockies, the Phillies have the day off on Thursday before entertaining the Florida Marlins starting Friday for 3 games. After the Marlins, the Cincinnati Reds come to town for 3 games starting next Monday.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.
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