Hamels Dominates Padres Again In Phillies 5-2 Win

Hamels, the Phillies' ace who attended Rancho Bernardo High in San Diego, helped Philadelphia snap a three-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Padres.

As a teenager, Hamels was at Qualcomm Stadium when the Padres clinched the 1998 NL West title. But he's seldom given his hometown team a break, as he ran his career mark to 9-2 against San Diego. In his last eight starts against the Padres he's 6-0.

"I'm not trying to get too high or too low with the emotions of what can transpire during a game," Hamels said. "I'm just trying to get outs, no matter what the score is for us. I'm not trying to out-think myself or get too hyped up in certain moments or situations and it is working to my advantage."

Hamels (9-7) struck out nine in seven innings and allowed a run as he scattered seven hits and a walk. It marked Hamel's 21st straight start in which he was charged with three runs or less.

Over that span he is 8-4 with a 1.86 ERA. Only the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (1.26) has a better ERA.

"His change up was effective when he was behind on the count," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He just seems to find a way. He has a lot of weapons and something usually works, if not everything."

Ben Revere had two RBIs and two hits to pace the Phillies.

Yangervis Solarte, Tommy Medica and Cameron Maybin each had two hits for the Padres.

Eric Stults (7-17) took the loss, pitching 4 1-3 innings and giving up four runs and six hits. His 17th loss ties the Phillies' A.J. Burnett, who lost Tuesday night, for the most in the majors.

Stults retired 12 straight before the Phillies opened the fifth with four consecutive singles. The fourth one, by Freddy Galvis, drove in Darin Ruf and Domonic Brown for a 2-1 lead. After Hamels' sacrifice bunt, Revere's two-run double chased Stults and pushed the Phillies ahead 4-1.

"Four sharp innings," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Then some balls found holes."

In the fifth, Carlos Ruiz's sacrifice fly scored Ruf for a 5-1 cushion, after Ruf doubled and advanced to third.

The Padres struck first in the fourth when Maybin's second hit drove in Medica. After leading off the inning with his second single, Medica stole second base and scored easily on Maybin's single.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: RHP Joaquin Benoit threw another bullpen session on Wednesday and manager Bud Black said Benoit could be available to pitch on Friday, when the Padres open a three-game series against the visiting Giants. Benoit hasn't worked since Aug. 26 because of a sore right shoulder. . Black said there was no update on RHP Tyson Ross and when he might pitch again. Ross is skipping his Thursday start because of soreness in his right arm.

Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins, out of the lineup since Sept. 8 with a strained left hamstring, is increasing his baseball activities. Rollins took ground balls during batting practice.

UP NEXT

Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick (9-12, 4.72 ERA), who pitched six strong innings to beat San Diego on June 12, will face Padres LHP Robbie Erlin (3-4, 4.89). Erlin is making his first start since May 17 at Colorado after battling left elbow soreness.

MW NAMES TROPHY FOR GWYNN

Padres icon Tony Gwynn, who died in June, will be honored by the Mountain West Conference next season. Its player of the year baseball award will be named for Gwynn, who was a two-time All-America at San Diego State and also served as its baseball coach. All MW baseball teams will wear a "TG" logo on their uniforms next season

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE

The Phillies have six players with double-digit home run totals after Domonic Brown's solo shot on Tuesday: Marlon Byrd 25, Ryan Howard 21, Jimmy Rollins 17, Chase Utley 11, Cody Asche 10 and Brown 10. The franchise record was set in 2004 when nine players did it.