Hamels, Ruiz Lead Phils Over Rockies 7-2
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cole Hamels threw eight sharp innings, John Mayberry Jr. and Carlos Ruiz hit two-run homers and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the slumping Colorado Rockies 7-2 on Tuesday night.
The last-place Phillies started a 10-game homestand with just their fourth win in 16 games.
The Rockies are 1-11 since June 4.
Hamels (10-3) allowed two runs and six hits, striking out seven. He improved to 7-2 following a Phillies' loss with his best outing since tossing eight scoreless innings against Washington on May 23. The lefty had a 6.07 ERA in his previous four starts.
Rockies starter Josh Outman (0-3) gave up four runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings.
Mayberry connected for the third straight game, driving one out to left to put Philadelphia up 3-1 in the fourth. Mayberry has hit four of his six homers this season in the last five games.
Ruiz ripped a double to left to score Jimmy Rollins for a 4-1 lead in the fifth. He lined a homer just over the wall in left to make it 7-2 in the seventh. Ruiz tied a career-high with his ninth homer. He is hitting .358, which was third-best in the NL coming in.
Hamels struck out five straight batters at one point and retired 13 in a row before walking Todd Helton with two outs in the sixth. Jordan Pacheco followed with a single and Chris Nelson's single to left-center scored Helton to cut it to 4-2. Center fielder Shane Victorino nailed Nelson at second trying to stretch the hit into a double.
The Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the first on Tyler Colvin's RBI single.
Placido Polanco's RBI double down the left-field line tied it at 1 in the third.
Colorado was missing its best hitter, Carlos Gonzalez, for the second straight game. Gonzalez sat out because of a strained left knee. He is hitting .335 with 17 homers and 51 RBIs.
Rollins was 2 for 2 with two walks and three runs, raising his average to .261. He hadn't been above .260 since April 19.
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