Hamels Let Down Again in Phillies Victory

Once again the Phillies bats let down ace starting pitcher Cole Hamels, who pitched a gem. But for a rare time, it did not cost the lefty a loss. The Phils scored four times in the top of the 10th inning, salvaging a victory in the finale of their series at Turner Field with a 4-0 win over the host Atlanta Braves.

In that 10th, the Phils loaded the bases with nobody out off Braves’ reliever Nick Masset. It began with singles by Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez, followed by a walk to Maikel Franco. Atlanta switched to Dana Eveland on the mound, playing the lefty-lefty matchup, but Ryan Howard delivered with a sac fly to score Herrera with the game’s first run.

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The Braves skipper Fredi Gonzalez then continued to play matchup, bringing in righty Jake Brigham to face Carlos Ruiz. The Phils’ veteran catcher foiled the strategy, rapping a 2-run double to left, upping the lead to 3-0. One out later, Freddy Galvis delivered an RBI single to set the final 4-0 score.

Closer Jonathan Papelbon came on in the bottom of the 10th to deliver a 1-2-3 inning, with the official victory going to reliever Luis Garcia (3-0), who had put two runners on base in the 9th, but had gotten out of the jam by striking out Phillies-killer Juan Uribe swinging.

The shame of it was that the official Win didn’t go on Hamels record. He was again outstanding, going 7 innings in which he allowed just 6 hits. He struck out 6 batters and walked no one, with 69 of his 109 pitches going for strikes. The team has lost 9 of his 17 starts, but has scored just 13 total runs and been shutout three times in those starts.

However, the Phillies bats could not solve Braves starter Shelby Miller, an emerging ace in his own right. Miller tossed 6.1 shutout frames, allowing 7 hits while striking out 8 and walking 2 batters. He threw 69 strikes in 106 pitches on the day.

Hernandez had three hits for the Phillies, the new 2nd baseman raising his batting average to the .299 mark with the big day. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski delivered three hits for Atlanta. However, the teams went a combined 4-21 with runners in scoring position, as the starters continually overcame any brief moments of trouble.

The two aces seemed accepting of their fates, competitors going up against the best on their respective staffs. Hamels stated “I like going up against the best. When you’re going up against the number ones of teams, it’s enjoyable. If you’re fearing to go against the best, what does that really describe about yourself?”

Just as accepting of the situation, Miller stated “At the end of the day, you look at the opponent you’re facing and you’re facing Hamels, a guy who has had a lot of success in the big leagues and is the ace of the Phillies.”

Still, on some level it has to be a bit frustrating for Hamels, who is the owner of just a 5-6 record despite a stellar 3.02 ERA and 1.129 WHIP. He has allowed just 93 hits in 113.1 innings, with a 119/35 K:BB ratio on the season. Those are numbers that, with a better offensive team, would see his Win total easily into double digits.

Later today, MLB will announce the full rosters for the All-Star Game, which takes place next Tuesday night in Cincinnati. Based on the Phillies rotation order, that would put him in line to certainly be able to throw an inning in the contest. We’ll find out later in the day whether he, Papelbon, or perhaps even Franco is selected. But Hamels is certainly deserving of strong consideration.