Homer happy Braves take series finale 5-2

Cole Hamels brought his.  He brought what he needed to help the Phillies win.  Just like with Cliff Lee two nights ago, the Phillies wasted a good start by one of their aces.  Friday night, Lee struck out a career best 16 Atlanta Braves but left the game trailing 3-0.  The Phillies would end up losing that game 5-0.

Hamels went seven innings allowed three runs on five hits and struck out a season high nine batters.  He left the game with the Phillies down 3-1.

Jair Jurrjens continued his hot start to the season going 6.1 innings allowing only one run and eight hits.  He is now 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA for the season.  Jurrjens only struck out two hitters, but was able to get the outs when he needed to.  The Phillies either stranded at least one runner or grounded into a double play every inning except for the fifth.  In the fifth, they went one-two-three.

The Phillies did out hit the Braves 12-8.  They just didn’t get the hits when it mattered.  All five runs for the Braves were scored via the long ball.  Hamels had given up two home runs all season coming into tonight’s game.  He gave up two home runs tonight to spot the Braves a three run lead.

Michael Stutes came into the eighth inning and quickly got into trouble.  He walked Nate McLouth on five pitches.  Pinch hitter Eric Hinske followed with a two run home run.  Another walk to Jason Heyward two batters later and Stutes was out.

Shane Victorino had a double and a triple in the game.  In the first inning he took Jurrjens deep to the gap but only ended up on second base when it looked like he could have made third.  Placido Polanco

followed with a sac fly sending Victorino to third.  Had he been on third already, he could have most likely tagged and scored.  Who knows how this would have effected the rest of the game.

Having gone hitless in the first two games in the series, Raul Ibanez had two hits tonight along with Victorino and Polanco.

The Phillies are hitting now, they just can not score at all.  This team is not the Padres, but they need to start scoring some runs.  The Phillies hit the road for eight games; first to Florida, followed by another series with Atlanta and then a two game quickie in St. Louis.

We should see Joe Blanton back tomorrow and could see Carlos Ruiz and Roy Oswalt by the end of the week.