Phillies 5 - 8 Giants
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Jul 11, 2015 - 7:13 AM San Francisco pummeled one of baseball's best pitchers in its series opener with Philadelphia.

Imagine what the Giants might do against a starter who hasn't won in almost a year.

They hope to carry the momentum from a breakout performance Saturday night against David Buchanan and the visiting Phillies.

The Giants (44-43) had been sluggish of late, totaling 21 runs during a 1-8 stretch. Cole Hamels entered Friday's matchup having thrown seven innings while yielding two runs or fewer in nine of his last 11 starts, but they teed off against the former World Series MVP, who surrendered nine runs and 12 hits over 3 1-3 innings in the 15-2 loss.

Hunter Pence hit a grand slam against Hamels, while Nos. 1-3 hitters Angel Pagan, Joe Panik and Matt Duffy combined to go 11 for 18 with seven RBIs, and Buster Posey singled twice after missing two games with a hamstring injury.

San Francisco's 22 hits were an AT&T Park record and its most in any game since Sept. 14, 2013.

"They broke out tonight ... We had some guys that had been struggling," manager Bruce Bochy said. "I'm really happy for them, they had some good at-bats.They needed it for their confidence."

The major league-worst Phillies (29-60) are one defeat away from matching a club record for the most losses ever before the All-Star break. Philadelphia, which has totaled two runs during a three-game skid, was 24-61 at the break in 1997.

Buchanan (0-5, 8.76 ERA) has lost each start this year while walking 15 in 24 2-3 innings. He's 0-8 with a 4.81 ERA in 14 games since his last victory Aug. 6.

The right-hander is being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he was sent after allowing a career high-tying seven runs over 4 1-3 innings of a 9-3 loss at St. Louis on April 30.

"Once the season started, I put unneeded pressure on myself," he told MLB"s official website. "I started trying to do more than I had to.

"Once you get sent down, you can't wait to get back. I've been doing everything I can to get back."

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in four starts for the IronPigs since returning from an ankle injury.

He lost his only previous matchup with San Francisco, allowing three runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 5-2 road defeat Aug. 17.

Ryan Vogelsong (6-6, 4.10) gets the ball for the Giants after his first career ejection in his last outing. He was tossed Sunday at Washington when he started to approach home plate following a questionable ball called by umpire Phil Cuzzi, and Bochy was booted moments later.

"I pitch with a lot of emotion all the time. Tonight it just boiled over and got the best of me," Vogelsong told MLB's official website. "it's not going to stop me from pitching with emotion. I just have to do a better job of containing it."

Vogelsong gave up one run in his four innings.

He has struggled in his last two starts against Philadelphia, allowing eight earned runs and 18 hits over 9 2-3 innings. He was charged with five in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-4 road loss June 7.

Ryan Howard, who is batting .118 over his last 11 games, is 5 for 10 against Vogelsong.






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