Hamels, Phillies blank Nationals <h3>PHILADELPHIA 6, WASHINGTON 0</h3>By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - Lefthander Cole Hamels tossed eightsolid innings as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated theWashington Nationals, 6-0, on Friday in the opener of thethree-game series to end the regular season. The victory kept the Phillies (88-72) atop the National LeagueEast Division. The New York Mets (87-72) were still playing theFlorida Marlins on Friday. Jimmy Rollins added a two-run single and Ryan Howard hit atwo-run home run as the Phillies snapped the Nationals'four-game winning streak and also stopped Washington's spoilerrole. Citizens Bank Park again resembled a playoff-type atmosphere asthe crowd waved rally towels and roared whenever an update fromthe Marlins-Mets was posted on the scoreboard. After Hamels (15-5) gave up four singles in the first twoinnings, he settled in and dominated by retiring eight straightbatters, including five strikeouts in a row. The lefthanderwould end up retiring 19 of the last 22 batters he faced. Hamels gave up six hits and one walk. He struck out 13 batters,his third double-digit strikeout game of the season. With the game scoreless after four innings, the Phillies got toWashington starter Tim Redding for three runs in the fifth. Greg Dobbs singled after just missing an upper deck home rundown the right field line. Redding then hit Carlos Ruiz with apitch before Hamels sacrificed the runners over. Rollins then grounded the first pitch to center for a two-runsingle that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead. Rollins would steal second and one out later, scored on ChaseUtley's RBI double down the right field line to make it, 3-0. Redding (3-6) was removed after giving up a leadoff double toPat Burrell to start the sixth inning. Jonathan Albaladejo cameon and eventually gave up an RBI grounder to Hamels to make it,4-0, after the Nationals failed to turn a double play. Howard made it 6-0 in the seventh inning when he launched his45th home run, a two-run shot over the left-center field fenceoff lefthander Arnie Munoz. Washington threatened in the second inning by loading the baseswith one out on three singles. However, Hamels got hiscounterpart Redding to hit into a 6-4-3 inning-ending doubleplay. Redding went five-plus innings and allowed four runs - threeearned - on six hits.
Hamels, Phillies blank Nationals <h3>PHILADELPHIA 6, WASHINGTON 0</h3>By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- It took 160 games, but the PhiladelphiaPhillies are now all alone atop the National League EastDivision. Lefthander Cole Hamels tossed eight solid innings as thePhillies defeated the Washington Nationals, 6-0, in the openerof the season-ending three-game series Friday. The victory, coupled with New York's 7-4 loss to the FloridaMarlins at Shea Stadium, moved the Phillies (88-72) into firstplace in the NL East ahead of the Mets (87-73). It marks thefirst time this season Philadelphia has had sole possession offirst place. The last time the Phillies led the NL East this late in theseason was on October 1, 1993, which was the last time theyreached the postseason. "I didn't expect to be in this position that we're in rightnow," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "But it doesn'tsurprise me because I've been in this game a long time and I'veseen a lot of things happen. "That's why from the start of the season on, you stay right withit. If you stay with it, good things can happen for you." Jimmy Rollins added a two-run single and Ryan Howard hit atwo-run homer as the Phillies snapped the Nationals' four-gamewinning streak. "Up a game with two to go, we're not playing catch-up anymore,"Rollins said. "We've got to go out there and win out just tomake sure." Citizens Bank Park again resembled a playoff-type atmosphere asthe sellout crowd of 45,084 waved rally towels and roaredwhenever a favorable update from the Marlins-Mets game wasposted on the scoreboard. After Hamels (15-5) gave up four singles in the first twoinnings, he settled in and dominated by retiring eight straightbatters, including five in a row via strikeout. The southpawwound up retiring 19 of the last 22 batters he faced. "I think being able to go out there and put up good numbers isalways great, but it took everybody," Hamels said. "For myself,just to be able to go out there and throw strike one and striketwo, it definitely made things a little bit easier." Hamels gave up six hits and one walk. He struck out 13 battersfor his third double-digit strikeout game of the season. "At this point of the season and where we're at, it's definitelykey to go out and obviously have your best game ever," Hamelssaid. "It's a huge moment, and you just have to kind of gatheryourself and do what you've been doing since you were five yearsold in the backyard - just go have fun." With the game scoreless after four innings, the Phillies got toNationals starter Tim Redding for three runs in the fifth. Greg Dobbs singled after just missing an upper-deck home rundown the right field line. Redding then hit Carlos Ruiz with apitch before Hamels sacrificed the runners over. Rollins then grounded the first pitch to center for a two-runsingle that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead. "The first couple of innings, I think both sides played a littletight," Rollins said. "It was a situation where I was gonnaget an RBI. I didn't know how - a sac fly or something.Fortunately, I got a single up the middle that brought home two(runs). "I just wasn't gonna let Cole's bunt go to waste. We've beenhaving trouble moving guys over on bunts." Rollins stole second and, one out later, scored on Chase Utley'sdouble down the right field line to make it 3-0. "We've been focused for a while now.," Rollins said. "It's notabout playing on emotion, it's about playing good baseball.This is the playoffs for us. If we lose, we probably don't getin. But if we win, we're probably gonna get in, and that's themind set." Redding (3-6) was removed after giving up a leadoff double toPat Burrell in the sixth inning. Jonathan Albaladejo came onand eventually gave up an RBI grounder by Hamels to make it 4-0after the Nationals failed to turn a double play. Howard extended the lead in the seventh inning when he launchedhis 45th home run, a two-run shot over the left-center fieldwall off lefthander Arnie Munoz. Washington threatened in the second inning by loading the baseswith one out on three singles. However, Hamels got hiscounterpart Redding to hit into an inning-ending double play. Redding went five-plus innings and allowed four runs - threeearned - and six hits. "(Redding) threw the ball well for us, but he ran into ColeHamels," said Nationals manager Manny Acta, who had the one-yearoption on hi contract exercised earlier Friday. "Hamels justflat-out shut us down. He was just dominant."
Hamels, Phillies blank Nationals <h3>PHILADELPHIA 6, WASHINGTON 0</h3>By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- It took 160 games, but the PhiladelphiaPhillies are now all alone atop the National League EastDivision. Lefthander Cole Hamels tossed eight solid innings as thePhillies defeated the Washington Nationals, 6-0, in the openerof the season-ending three-game series Friday. The victory, coupled with New York's 7-4 loss to the FloridaMarlins at Shea Stadium, moved the Phillies (88-72) into firstplace in the NL East ahead of the Mets (87-73). It marks thefirst time this season Philadelphia has had sole possession offirst place. The last time the Phillies led the NL East this late in theseason was on October 1, 1993, which was the last time theyreached the postseason. "I didn't expect to be in this position that we're in rightnow," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "But it doesn'tsurprise me because I've been in this game a long time and I'veseen a lot of things happen. "That's why from the start of the season on, you stay right withit. If you stay with it, good things can happen for you." Jimmy Rollins added a two-run single and Ryan Howard hit atwo-run homer as the Phillies snapped the Nationals' four-gamewinning streak. "Up a game with two to go, we're not playing catch-up anymore,"Rollins said. "We've got to go out there and win out just tomake sure." Citizens Bank Park again resembled a playoff-type atmosphere asthe sellout crowd of 45,084 waved rally towels and roaredwhenever a favorable update from the Marlins-Mets game wasposted on the scoreboard. After Hamels (15-5) gave up four singles in the first twoinnings, he settled in and dominated by retiring eight straightbatters, including five in a row via strikeout. The southpawwound up retiring 19 of the last 22 batters he faced. "I think being able to go out there and put up good numbers isalways great, but it took everybody," Hamels said. "For myself,just to be able to go out there and throw strike one and striketwo, it definitely made things a little bit easier." Hamels gave up six hits and one walk. He struck out 13 battersfor his third double-digit strikeout game of the season. "At this point of the season and where we're at, it's definitelykey to go out and obviously have your best game ever," Hamelssaid. "It's a huge moment, and you just have to kind of gatheryourself and do what you've been doing since you were five yearsold in the backyard - just go have fun." With the game scoreless after four innings, the Phillies got toNationals starter Tim Redding for three runs in the fifth. Greg Dobbs singled after just missing an upper-deck home rundown the right field line. Redding then hit Carlos Ruiz with apitch before Hamels sacrificed the runners over. Rollins then grounded the first pitch to center for a two-runsingle that gave the Phillies a 2-0 lead. "The first couple of innings, I think both sides played a littletight," Rollins said. "It was a situation where I was gonnaget an RBI. I didn't know how - a sac fly or something.Fortunately, I got a single up the middle that brought home two(runs). "I just wasn't gonna let Cole's bunt go to waste. We've beenhaving trouble moving guys over on bunts." Rollins stole second and, one out later, scored on Chase Utley'sdouble down the right field line to make it 3-0. "We've been focused for a while now," Rollins said. "It's notabout playing on emotion, it's about playing good baseball.This is the playoffs for us. If we lose, we probably don't getin. But if we win, we're probably gonna get in, and that's themind set." Redding (3-6) was removed after giving up a leadoff double toPat Burrell in the sixth inning. Jonathan Albaladejo came onand eventually gave up an RBI grounder by Hamels to make it 4-0after the Nationals failed to turn a double play. Howard extended the lead in the seventh inning when he launchedhis 45th home run, a two-run shot over the left-center fieldwall off lefthander Arnie Munoz. Washington threatened in the second inning by loading the baseswith one out on three singles. However, Hamels got hiscounterpart Redding to hit into an inning-ending double play. Redding went five-plus innings and allowed four runs - threeearned - and six hits. "(Redding) threw the ball well for us, but he ran into ColeHamels," said Nationals manager Manny Acta, who had the one-yearoption on his contract exercised earlier Friday. "Hamels justflat-out shut us down. He was just dominant."
