Offense Comes Alive To Help Hamels Earn 100th Career Win, 12-1 Over Reds
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cole Hamels had the perfect opponent for a milestone win.
Hamels threw seven sharp innings to earn his 100th career victory, Domonic Brown had a career-best five RBIs and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds 12-1 on Saturday night to end a four-game losing streak.
Cody Asche snapped Philadelphia's 23-inning scoreless streak with a two-run double that sparked a six-run fourth. Cesar Hernandez capped the scoring with his first career homer.
Hamels (1-2) didn't need much run support.
Coming off a career-high 133-pitch outing at the Mets last Sunday, the three-time All-Star left-hander was impressive. Hamels gave up one run and three hits, striking out 10 on 90 pitches.
Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP, was stuck on 99 wins since last Sept. 14. He improved to 9-0 against the Reds, including the postseason. The Phillies are 12-0 when Hamels starts vs. Cincinnati.
"I guess it's good karma," said Hamels, who earned his first career win against the Reds. "I know it's supposed to feel like a big deal, but to me it's just a win. In a few days when you digest it, it's special to do it with one team."
Homer Bailey (3-3) gave up six runs and seven hits in 3 2-3 innings.
"I didn't have command with anything," Bailey said.
Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg used his 23rd different lineup in 40 games. Jimmy Rollins led off for the second straight game instead of Ben Revere, who has a stomach virus. Asche moved up to sixth from eighth and Brown was dropped to seventh from sixth.
It worked.
"It's good to get runs for Cole," Asche said. "He's been pitching his (behind) off."
Ryan Howard started the fourth with a walk and Marlon Byrd hit a double to end an 0-for-13 slump. Asche then lined a double to right on an 0-2 pitch for a 2-1 lead.
"That was the hit that loosened up the bats," Sandberg said.
Brown followed with a two-run shot into the second deck in right field. Brown got a green light on a 3-0 pitch and didn't miss it, connecting for only his second homer in 234 at-bats, dating to last season. Brown led thePhillies with 27 homers in 2013 and was an NL All-Star in his first full season in the majors.
"It definitely feels good. It's just one game, though," Brown said. "I'm trying to build forward, stay positive and just keep having fun. With getting my number of at-bats, I'm going to do what I have to do on the field. It's just all about keeping my confidence level up and having fun, playing the game of baseball."
Carlos Ruiz chased Bailey with a two-out RBI single. Chase Utley greeted reliever Logan Ondrusek with an RBI single to make it 6-1.
Asche had an RBI single in the seventh, Brown followed with a three-run double and John Mayberry Jr. snapped an 0-for-14 slump with an RBI double.
NOTES: Rollins passed Ed Delahanty for third place on the Phillies' all-time list with his 2,212th career hit. He is six hits from moving ahead of Richie Ashburn and 23 shy of replacing Mike Schmidt as the leader. ... Hamels moved into third place on the team's all-time list with his 25th double-digit strikeout game. He is the seventh pitcher to win 100 games with the Phillies. ... Phillies CF Tony Gwynn Jr. snapped an 0-for-18 slump with a fourth-inning single. ... Reds slugger Joey Votto remained in Cincinnati and the team is uncertain whether he'll need a stint on the DL. Votto has a distal strain of his left quadriceps. ... Reds RHP Mat Latos threw his third bullpen session since suffering a setback in his rehab for a strained flexor. Latos is scheduled to face Reds hitters in a simulated game on Tuesday. ... LHP Tony Cingrani (2-2, 3.34) faces LHP Cliff Lee (3-4, 3.23) of the Phillies in the series finale Sunday.
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