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Ryan Howard homered and knocked in four runs as the Philadelphia Phillies took down the Colorado Rockies, 8-6, to sweep a three-game series at Coors Field.
Denver, CO (Sports Network) – Ryan Howard homered and knocked in four runs as the Philadelphia Phillies took down the Colorado Rockies, 8-6, to sweep a three-game series at Coors Field.
Chase Utley was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Jimmy Rollins scored twice and knocked in a run for the Phillies, winners of six straight.
Roy Halladay (14-4) gave up five runs — four earned — on eight hits and fanned seven over seven frames.
Todd Helton had two hits, including a solo homer, and three RBI and Dexter Fowler tripled and scored three times as the Rockies dropped their fourth straight.
Jason Hammel (6-11) lasted five innings after he surrendered six runs on eight hits.
Eight innings, four hits, seven strikeouts. That wasn’t Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee’s line tonight, it was Kyle Kendrick’s. The righty turned in the best performance of his career as the Phillies shut out the Rockies and extended their NL East lead to 8 games.
Ryan Howard homered twice and Hunter Pence went 2-3 as the Phillies continue to cruise. They’ve now won five straight and eight of their last ten. Meanwhile, the Braves, the only real threat in the NL East, have started to flounder. With their loss to the Nationals tonight, Atlanta has won just four of their last ten and have seen their deficit in the NL East fall to a season high eight games. What’s worse, their lead in the NL wildcard, which was once five games, could dwindle down to one should the Diamondbacks hold on for a win over San Francisco tonight.
Roy Halladay takes the hill tomorrow afternoon as the Phillies go for their second straight series sweep.
John Mayberry Jr. hit a two-out, two-run home run the bottom of the ninth send the game to extra innings and Shane Victorino hit a solo shot in the 10th as the Phillies came from behind to beat the Rockies 4-3 in the opening game of their series at Coors Field.
The Phillies trailed nearly the entire game as Seth Smith hit a two run homer in the second. However, the Rockies would fail to capitalize on their opportunities and that would come back to bite them. They actually were able to load the bases with one out in the fifth, but Cole Hamels rallied to strike out Mark Ellis and Troy Tulowitzki with bases loaded to end the threat.
Hamels did not get his NL leading 13th win, but he did turn in a solid effort throwing six innings of two run ball, while striking out five. Ryan Madson threw a 1-2-3 10th for his 19th save of the year.
The Phillies are now a season high 30 games over .500 (69-39) and they have extended their lead in the NL East to a season high seven games (8 in the loss column) after Atlanta lost to Washington earlier tonight.
Cole Hamels will look to tie Roy Halladay for the team and NL leading 13th win against the Colorado Rockies this evening in Colorado. It would be Hamels highest win total since he won 14 games in 2008. The lefty is coming off back to back strong starts and in his last outing against the Rockies, threw eight innings of one run ball.
He will be opposed by Jhoulys Chacin, who hasn't won since July 15th, and has turned in a series of mixed results. He's given up five runs twice and three runs once over his last three outings.
While the Phillies were buyers over the weekend acquiring all star outfielder Hunter Pence, the Rockies were sellers, dealing ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians for four prospects. The Rockies are currently 10 games out in the NL West and have lost six of their last 10.
The Phillies, meanwhile, remain in first the NL East with a six game lead over the Braves and the best record in baseball.
The Best Phillies Road Game Sign Ever
by Jason Brewer
Gotta love the sign this Phillies fan brought to the game in Colorado against the Rockies this week. Simple, to the point, awesome....
Aug 04 1:04p