Chicago, IL - Cole Hamels baffled the Cubs for eight innings, and Brett Myers finished them off in the ninth as the Philadelphia Phillies topped Chicago, 4-1, in the opener of a four-game set.
Hamels (12-5) allowed only three hits and one run in eight innings while fanning eight. Aaron Rowand belted a three-run homer, and Tadahito Iguchi also homered for the red-hot Phillies, who have won nine of ten.
More important than the game, though, may be the injuries Philadelphia suffered. The Phillies lost rightfielder Shane Victorino in the fourth inning when he suffered a right calf strain running out a ground ball. He was replaced by Michael Bourn, who fell awkwardly on the bullpen mound while chasing down a foul ball with two outs in the fifth inning. After taking a few minutes to recover, Bourn remained in the game, but then left in the seventh inning with a sprained left ankle.
Ted Lilly (11-5), who had been virtually unhittable of late, surrendered seven hits and four runs in five innings, with three walks and three strikeouts. Ryan Theriot’s solo shot provided the offense for the Cubs, who have dropped three of five.
Iguchi worked a one-out walk in the third and, after Jimmy Rollins fouled out, Ryan Howard ripped a double into right. Rowand came through in the clutch for the Phils, belting the first pitch of the at-bat over the fence in center to put Philadelphia on top.
Iguchi added to the lead with his first National League home run, leading off the fifth to give the Phils a 4-0 lead.
Lilly was lifted in the fifth for pinch-hitter Ronny Cedeno when, thanks to two Hamels walks, the pitcher’s spot in the lineup came up with two men on and one out. Cedeno popped out, though, and Alfonso Soriano struck out to end the threat.
“We were looking for a little offense,” said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. “He just popped up a pitch; it didn’t work.”
Theriot finally got the Cubs on the board in the sixth when he pulled a 2-0 pitch into the bleachers in left, cutting the Philadelphia lead to three. Hamels bore down after the homer, though, retiring the last nine batters he faced.
Myers came on in the ninth and, in his first save situation since returning from the disabled list, set the Cubs down in order to pick up his seventh save.
Game Notes
In their last 50 games against the NL Central, the Phillies are 35-15, dating to last season…Lilly saw his seven-decision win streak come to an end…Attendance was 41,686.
