Errors cost Atlanta Braves as Philadelphia Phillies win 3-1
Cole Hamels is getting hot at just the right time. With the division title and a playoff berth on the line Hamels pitched another great game Monday night leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-1 victory
over the Atlanta Braves.
After giving up four hits and a run in the first two innings, Hamels settled down and held the Braves to just three base runners, two hits and a walk, the next six innings to take control of the game. Brad
Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth inning for save number 24 on the season.
The win was his fifth in row, a career best wining streak, for Hamels after going a span of eight starts without a win from mid-July to late August. Over those five starts he has an ERA of .49 and a season
ERA of 2.93, the lowest of his career.
“I’m just making the right pitches at the right time, staying down in the zone, keeping them off-balance,” Hamels said. “I’ve been able to narrow my focus and I’m making my pitches.”
Braves starter Jair Jurrjens was a late scratch; Atlanta called up minor leaguer Brandon Beachy to start the game. He pitched well overall giving up just one earned run to the Phillies, but two errors in
the fifth inning led to two runs for the Phillies and the loss for Beachy.
“The kid did real well under the circumstances,” Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
One of the errors was by Rookie of the year candidate Jason Heyward, mishandling a line drive to right field.
"It knuckled," Heyward said. "He inside-outed it and it got in the wind. I got a great jump right off the bat with it. I was right there the whole way. I didn't take it lightly at all. I wanted to hurry up
and get under it as fast as possible. The last few rotations there took it out of my reach."
The game was briefly delayed due to a fan in a mask and red spandex outfit running out on to the field. Matt Diaz ended up assisting security personnel in apprehending the runner.
With the win the Phillies improved to 90-61 on the season and increased their lead in the NL East to four games over the Braves. The Braves have a two-game lead in the wild card spot on the San Diego Padres
who were idle on Monday.
Scheduled to take the mound for the Phillies in game two of the three-game series with the Braves on Tuesday is veteran Roy Halladay against rookie Mike Minor for the Braves. Halladay will try to become only
the second pitcher this season to win 20 games, and the first Phillies player to do so since Steve Carlton in 1982.
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