Sunday, May 8, 2011
Posted: 11:04 p.m.Updated: May 9, 12:19 a.m.
By John R. Finger
CSNPhilly.com
BOX SCORE
So far this season the trick to beating Cole Hamels has been to get a couple of runs off him early and then hang on. After all, Hamels doesnt give up too many runs and the Phillies havent been very generous in scoring for him, either.
Hamels was solid again in front of a national television audience, piling up nine strikeouts in seven innings to pitch at least seven innings for the sixth start in a row. However, the Braves followed the formula by posting two runs in the second inning and another in the fifth as they rolled to a 5-2 victory.
Of course, thats not all on Hamels. After all, in his seven starts this season he has received just 22 runs in support and has seen more than four runs in a game just once.
Perhaps thats because Hamels pitching has been so good that he also stuns his own hitters into a state of languor?
MLB
Whatever the reason, Hamels (4-2, 2.83) was done in by a two-out, two-run homer by Alex Gonzalez in the second and a solo homer to lead off the fifth by Freddie Freeman. In fact, Freeman was the Braves hitter that kept the second inning alive with a 1-1 single to right, which proceeded the two-strike changeup that Gonzalez bashed into the left-field seats.
Had Hamels escaped when he was one pitch away in the second, perhaps his fate would have been kinder. Considering that the Phils lefty retired the next seven hitters and 17 of the final 19 he faced, the Phillies likely could have been in prime position to eek out another low-scoring victory for Hamels.
I felt like we hit some balls hard tonight, manager Charlie Manuel said, but at the same time we couldnt hit with runners on base.
When Hamels pitches seven innings and throws 92 pitches and allows three runs, if we can muster some offense well win the game.
Its not like the Phillies didnt have their chances. The team had runners in scoring position in the first three innings, but came away with just one run. Shane Victorino doubled with one out in the first inning, but was stranded at third. Ryan Howard led off the sixth with a single, was bunted over to second, but could not score on a hard hit, one-out single by Raul Ibanez.
With runners on the corners and one out, Wilson Valdez bounced into an easy 6-4-3, rally-killing double play. An inning later, Jimmy Rollins also grounded into an inning-ending double play with one on and one out.
However, according to Hamels, the difference was when Gonzalez and Freeman hit homers.
What hurt today was the homers, Hamels astutely pointed out. If they were doubles or base hits, I don't think as many guys would've scored.
To Hamels, it came down to good pitch selection but poor command. With nine strikeouts, six ground outs, four pop-ups and a runner caught stealing, 20 of the 21 outs recorded by Hamels did not leave the infield.
Sometimes you make the right pitch but its not in the right location and the guy gets a hit. It happens, Hamels said. Sometimes the ball goes a little further than you anticipate.
Nevertheless, the batted balls that got into the green space were trouble.
The changeup to Gonzalez was down, but unfortunately I just cut it into his barrel. With the downward motion that the changeup normally has it would have been a totally different story, Hamels explained. On the pitch to Freeman I made the pitch I wanted in the location I wanted, but he just hit it out.
On the paybacks front, Hamels will likely get another shot at the Braves next Saturday in Atlanta. Fly balls have a tendency to turn into outs more often at Turner Field.
E-mail John R. Finger at jfingercomcastsportsnet.com
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