Major League Baseball

Phillies' Hamels is good with bad luck

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:15 a.m. ET

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SAN FRANCISCO - In Cole Hamels' blessed and wonderful world, home-plate umpire Ted Barrett was "phenomenal."

Opposing starter Matt Cain, "phenomenal, phenomenal."

Unfortunately for Hamels, Giant sprite Cody Ross, the deadly oxymoron, is abnormal, according to Hamels, and former teammate Pat Burrell is a great guesser.

Hamels, himself?

Pretty darned good; just a little unfortunate.

"I feel like I did a very good job of making the right type of pitches," Hamels said. "Just didn't have the type of luck."

Hamels, who shut out the Reds in Game 3 and clinched the National League Division Series, gave up all three runs on five hits in six innings yesterday in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, which the Phillies lost, 3-0.

Regrets?

Not a one.

Not even in the crucial fourth inning, when the Giants squeezed two runs from the bloodless lefty. Edgar Renteria fought off a fastball for an opposite-field single. Two outs later, with Renteria on second, Burrell took a borderline 1-1 changeup - which elicited Hamels' compliment to Barrett - then walked two pitches later.

"When he walked Burrell, I thought that was big," disappointed Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.

"That's the hard part, where when you play with a guy, and especially Pat, because I've had quite a few years that he's played behind me," said Hamels, who played with Burrell for three seasons. "He kind of knows the sequence of pitches that I'll throw. I think he knows sometimes certain pitches that I'll go to. And I think he just guessed right. I thought I threw a few really good changeups, but he didn't go for them."

Hamels never has played with Ross, and Ross had worn him out: 9-for-30 with four homers, and Ross followed Burrell.

Hamels fired a 2-1 fastball low and away. Ross hooked it into the leftfield corner, scoring Renteria and moving Burrell to third.

"I was very happy with the execution. Most guys take that or most guys hit it right to the third baseman," Hamels said.

"That's usually a ground ball," catcher Carlos Ruiz said.

Instead, it was a single, Ross' fourth hit of the series, but first that was not a home run.

It set up Aubrey Huff's RBI single to rightfield. The Giants scored again, in the fifth, when Chase Utley botched a play at second base (ruled a hit), making the score 3-0.

Hamels lasted another inning. He struck out eight. Burrell was his only walk. He rarely missed a spot.

He hit his spot against Ross. It's just that Ross is living in a world where every time he swings, it seems, something good happens.

The Giants claimed him off waivers to keep him away from punchless NL West opponent San Diego. Now, he's their No. 5 hitter, 8-for-23 with four homers and seven RBI in seven postseason games.

"He's definitely hot," Hamels said. "He's been battling and hitting pitches that most normal people can't hit at this time."

The best strategy against Ross?

"Hit him," Hamels joked.

Phenomenal. *

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