Hamels Shuts Out Reds as Phillies Sweep NLDS
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Lefthander Cole Hamels pitched a masterful 5 hit shutout complete game on Sunday striking out 9 as a 2 on, 2 out first inning throwing error by Cincinnati shortstop Orlando Cabrera resulted in a Phillies run. That was all the margin that Hamels needed. 2nd baseman Chase Utley belted a 2 out fifth inning solo homer off of Reds’ starter Edinson Volquez to provide an insurance run as Hamels shut out the Reds by a 2-0 score as Phillies swept their NLDS.
Hamels was dominant never allowing more than 1 Red to reach base in an inning while throwing a 119 pitch complete game and will now sit until a week from Tuesday as the NLCS opens in Philadelphia on Saturday. At one stretch between the fourth and eighth innings, Hamels retired 14 of 15 hitters.
Utley’s fifth inning homer resulted in a dispute with the umpiring call which was resolved by instant replay. The AP game recap for Yahoo describes:
Utley… connected against Johnny Cueto in the fifth, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead. It was his 10th career postseason homer, moving him past teammate Jayson Werth and into first place on the club’s career list.
Umpires reviewed Utley’s drive to right-center to see if a fan interfered with the ball, but the replays were conclusive and the call was quickly upheld.
“I knew I hit it OK,” Utley said. “I hit a ball in the first inning I thought I hit better than that one, but lucky for us, the weather is still warm and it’s a good hitters’ ballpark.”
The recap also describes Hamels’ ninth inning:
Hamels got Joey Votto to ground into a double play after Brandon Phillips’ leadoff single in the ninth, then struck out Scott Rolen to end the game. The lanky left-hander threw 119 pitches in his first postseason complete game, 82 for strikes.
The Phillies will play the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS as the Giants nipped the Atlanta Braves on Monday to win the NLDS by 3 games to 1. This now sets up what promises to be an epic matchup between Phils ace and 21 game winner Roy Halladay and Giants ace and 16 game winner Tim Lincecum. If Charlie Manuel sticks to the 3 man rotation, then the likely Phils starter on Sunday will be Roy Oswalt, with Hamels going next Tuesday as Monday is a travel day.
In the American League, the Yankees clinched their ALCS spot and we are waiting to see whether they face Tampa Bay or the Texas Rangers. That series is deadlocked at 2 games apiece with the deciding game on Tuesday.
To view the scores of Sunday’s, Monday’s and Tuesday’s playoff games, click here, here and here.
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