The Philadelphia Phillies completed a first-round playoff sweep by beating Cincinnati 2-0 on Sunday on a brilliant pitching performance by Cole Hamels.
Hamels struck out nine in a dominant five-hitter and Chase Utley hit a home run as the Phillies advanced to the NL championship series for the third consecutive season.
Cole Hamels was the 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player and threw his first career post-season complete game on Sunday.
Photo: REUTERS
“We have experience on our side,” Hamels said. “When you have been in these moments before you know how to handle yourself and how to put the crowd away.”
In the other National League game on Sunday, the San Francisco Giants came from behind to beat Atlanta 3-2 on a series of blunders by infielder Brooks Conrad in game three of their series.
Hamels improved to 7-0 in eight career starts against Cincinnati and 6-3 in 11 career post-season outings overall. He allowed only two runners to reach second and none of the Reds got to third.
‘POSITIVE ENERGY’
“I have positive energy every time I come here,” Hamels said. “We are hitting the ball, stealing bases and able to score. It helps when you are playing good defence and we can do everything.”
That includes Utley who connected against Johnny Cueto in the fifth, giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
It was Utley’s 10th career playoff home run, moving him past teammate Jayson Werth and into first on the club’s career list.
Conrad’s third error of the contest led to Freddy Sanchez scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth inning for San Francisco who lead the NL series two games to one.
“It’s completely embarrassing, once again I felt I let everybody down,” Conrad said. “I feel absolutely terrible right now. I wish I could just dig a hole and go sleep in there. It’s something you have to get over quick.”
ON THE ROAD
The Giants can close out the best-of-five series today. The winner of this series will start the NLCS on the road against Philadelphia on Saturday.
Pinch-hitter Eric Hinske clubbed a two-run homer off Giants pitcher Sergio Romo in the bottom of the eighth to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead. However, San Francisco scored twice in the ninth with two outs.
Aubrey Huff singled in Travis Ishikawa to tie the game, and with runners on first and second, Buster Posey grounded a ball that went through the legs of Conrad and into the outfield.
Braves rookie reliever Craig Kimbrel was within one out of the save before the Giants rallied.
San Francisco’s Jonathan Sanchez took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and ended up striking out 11 in just over seven innings of work. Tim Hudson gave up one unearned run on four hits over seven innings in the start for the Braves.
‘INTENSE’
“A very intense game, great game,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “There are two starting pitchers that were going at it and pitching very well, but that ninth inning, emotions were running high.”
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