Blast Off

One night after scoring one run on 13 hits, the Phillies used the long ball to help fend off the Mets tonight. The Phils had only one extra base hit last night, but benefited from four tonight. They scored six runs tonight via the home run.

Jimmy Rollins began the scoring with a solo home run off the top of the wall in right field. Grady Sizemore repeated that feat in the fourth, with his home run landing in the upper deck near the right field foul pole.

The home run parade concluded in the seventh inning when Dom Brown led off with a walk. Ben Revere then got hit by a pitch, and Rollins would walk to load the bases. Chase Utley would bat next, and launched one into the upper deck in right center-field for a grand slam that made it 6-0 Phillies.

It was the first time Cole Hamels was given such run support in a great while. The Phillies’ ace was masterful tonight, allowing no runs on six hits in eight innings of work. He struck out eight, and did not walk a batter.

Ken Giles came on in the ninth and preserved the shutout for Hamels.

Cole did not allow a hit after the fourth inning tonight, lowering his season earned run average to 2.55. Hamels has exactly one run allowed and one walk in his last three starts combined. That’s a total of 23 innings pitched, and he’s struck out 27 men total in those innings.

There have been rumors swirling about the Phillies making their youngest, best pitcher available on the trade market. While the team wants a king’s ransom for Hamels, he sure made good in his final start before the trade deadline.

The Phils left just five men on base tonight, and all three home runs came with two outs in the respective innings.

The Phillies will attempt to win the series with the Mets tomorrow afternoon at Citi Field. Kyle Kendrick gets the call, against Zach Wheeler for New York. First pitch 12:10 pm.

Stats Courtesy of TheScore.com

Photo Courtesy of Philly.com