Hamels’ eight strikeouts help Phillies clinch second-straight outing over Padres: MLB Update
The Philadelphia Phillies crushed their league rival, the San Diego Padres, by 2-0 in a pitcher’s dominated second-outing of the four-game series at the Petco Park in California on Friday night, April 22.
The Phillies’ bullpen has gained the form they had in 2008, when they bagged the Major League Baseball World Series. The starter, Cole Hamels, had a splendid day with the ball, as he made eight strikeouts in his eight-inning pitches. The 27-year-old
pitcher allowed just four scoreless hits and three walks to earn his second win in three starts.
Hamels said, "I like pitching in any ballpark. Truly, I pitch well in small ballparks, big ballparks, good weather, and bad weather. It is just coming out and trying to get the team. It is not necessarily how big the ballpark is, it is whom you are
facing. I have been able to do well against certain teams, and the Padres are on that list. Thank God Adrian left."
Hamels’ performance against the Padres extended the sensational momentum set by Roy Oswalt on Thursday night, when Oswalt made his third win in the season.
The reliever, Ryan Madson, kept the momentum set by Hamels and did not allow any run in his one-inning pitch and earned his first save of the season.
The Padres’ starter, Clayton Richard, also had a strong start in first two innings, but went slack in third. The Phillies’ hitters, Shane Victorino and Placido Rollins, drove in a single, while Ryan Howard hit a RBI double off Richard to score the
club’s only runs. Richard remained wobbly and allowed four walks and three more hits, however, felt lucky not to concede anymore runs.
The closer, Ernesto Frieri, did not allow any run in 1 and 2/3 innings and made one strikeout for his another save.
The Padres batting line-up has become a problem for the manager, Bud Black, as it failed to score a run in the second-straight game. Bud was furious at the line-up when he said. "No matter when you face them, you are going to be in for it,” Bud further
added. “You have to be on your game to score runs against these guys. Runs are hard to come by."
The Padres also had some bad news in the field when their third baseman, Chase Headley, did not throw due to illness, but entered during a double switch in the eighth. The outfielder, Chris Denorfia, went off the field due to a strained groin.
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