The single to start the ninth inning probably caused many Philadelphia fans to mutter in disgust at Charlie Manuel's decision to let Cole Hamels back out on the mound to finish his sparkling effort Thursday night.
Unlike many traditional Philadelphia collapses in the late innings, Hamels regrouped and got the victory. Hamels threw a down and away pitch to Atlanta slugger Mark Teixeira, who hit a rocket to Jimmy Rollins. Rollins calmly backhanded the ground ball, and recovered in time to get a throw off to second baseman Chase Utley who was covering second base. Utley then managed to throw a strike to Ryan Howard at first, completing the double play and letting Hamels off the hook.
Hamels finished his dynamic start by fanning Brave's backstop Brian McCann with a nasty down and away curveball, followed by an emotional fist pump.
Shane Victorinio and Pedro Feliz led the scoring march for the Phils, both hitting home runs and driving in two runs to back Cole's first ever complete game shutout. Hamels was in on the offensive outburst as well, contributing two singles in four at-bats, including a flare into left field with one out in the eighth.
Hamels dominated from the get-go, striking out six and only issuing two walks; both coming in the eighth inning. He came into the ninth having only given up three hits, and his final line showed four hits surrendered, six k's and two free passes in nine innings work.
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