By Larry Dougherty
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Cole Hamels threw his first major
league shutout and the Philadelphia Phillies hit three home runs
in a 5-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday.
Shane Victorino connected on two-run homer while Pedro Feliz and
Ryan Howard added solo shots to power the Phillies. The three
long balls increased Philadelphia's major league-leading total
to 59 homers.
Hamels (5-3), who picked up his first career complete game, was
imposing on the mound, retiring 15 batters in a row following a
one-out single to Omar Infante in the first inning. Gregor
Blanco, who entered the game in the fifth inning via a double
switch, delivered a one-out single in the sixth, but Hamels
retired the next two batters to end the frame.
After the Phillies left the bases loaded in the first inning,
Feliz belted his sixth homer of the year on the first pitch by
starter Chuck James (2-3) to lead off the second.
Howard delivered a solo shot in the third, his ninth of the
season and second in as many games, with one out in the third.
Feliz just missed another homer as his long single hit off the
top of the left field fence to score Pat Burrell, making it 3-0
after three innings.
Victorino gave the Phillies a five-run lead with his two-run
shot in the fourth.
Meanwhile, Hamels was overpowering the Braves hitters, who were
missing the major league's leading hitter, Chipper Jones (.418).
The Atlanta third baseman was held out of the lineup after
experiencing discomfort in his right groin muscle prior to the
game.
The Phillies lefthander allowed just four hits while striking
out six. He also added two hits in the game, increasing his
batting average to .320 on the season.
After a leadoff single by Infante in the ninth, Jimmy Rollins
helped preserve Hamels' shutout with a hard-hit double-play ball
that knocked the reigning National League MVP on his backside.
Rollins quickly recovered on the ball hit by Jeff Francoeur to
turn the twin-killing. Hamels then struck out Mark Teixeira to
end the game.
The one bright spot for Atlanta was its bullpen. Jorge Campillo
tossed three scoreless inning and Chris Resop added one,
allowed just a single by Hamels in the eighth.
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