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9! Offense Surges, Eases Past Dodgers

They did it again, this time with less longball and more situational ball, en route to a 9-2 win over the Dodgers.

Pat Burrell had five RBI. He launched his 30th home run in the first inning, a three-run shot that put him into the 30-home run club with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. It’s the third time in franchise history the Phils have had three 30-HR hitters (it happened last year, too). Burrell added an RBI when Matt Kemp lost the ball in the sun, and capped it off with a single scoring Cole Hamels in the seventh.

Ryan Howard drove in a pair with a double in the fifth, following Kemp’s miscue. Shane Victorino drove in two with a hit in the sixth. And just as important, Jimmy Rollins got on base twice, scoring twice. In all, the Phils had 10 hits and made most of them count.

Hamels reaped the benefits, getting his 11th win with a fine seven-inning performance. He struck out five and let up just five hits, letting two score. The Dodgers had just six baserunners in the game, but with the Phils offense backing him up, Hamels didn’t need to be that perfect. The nine runs were the most he has received in a quality start all season.

Associated Press photo

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.