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Ruiz, Phillies top Cubs after failed comeback

May 18, 2012 - 6:20 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Carlos Ruiz collected four hits and drove in three runs, as Philadelphia held off a late charge by the Cubs to win, 8-7, and sweep a two-game set on Thursday.

"He's staying strong on his backside, he just goes with the pitches, strokes the ball," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of his hot-hitting catcher. "If you watch him, he just hits line drives. That's good."

Hunter Pence had two RBI and scored twice, Jimmy Rollins crossed the plate three times, and Roy Halladay, who earned his first win in over a month, also had two hits and scored twice.

The Phillies extended their season-long winning streak to five games and moved above .500 for the first time since Opening Day.

Halladay (4-3), who allowed three runs on seven hits without a walk, departed with an 8-3 lead after eight innings that almost evaporated in the ninth.

Jake Diekman loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a hit batter for Welington Castillo, who cleared the bases with a two-out double.

Jonathan Papelbon entered and allowed the Cubs to pull within one on Darwin Barney's RBI single, but he got Reed Johnson to ground out to end the game.

Castillo also hit a solo homer for the Cubs, as did Starlin Castro, while starter Chris Volstad (0-6) was touched for four runs on six hits and three walks in just two innings.

"I forced it instead of letting my ability take over. I mean, I know it's in there, it's just a matter of tapping into it and finding it at this point," said the struggling Volstad.

The Phillies jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on Ruiz's RBI single, but Hector Luna -- who hit his first career grand slam in Wednesday's contest -- fouled out with the bases loaded to end the top of the first and Starlin Castro tied with game with a sacrifice fly in the home half.

Halladay began a three-run second inning with a one-out single, and was at third after a walk and another base hit when Shane Victorino came to the plate. Victorino's slow roller to first plated his pitcher.

Pence then ripped a ground ball single under the glove of Castro, bringing home Rollins and Juan Pierre.

Ruiz pushed Philadelphia's lead to 5-1 in the fifth when he scored Pence, who had led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch.

Castro's blast pulled the Cubs within three in the seventh, but Halladay and Rollins scored a half-inning later on Chicago reliever Blake Parker's errant attempt to throw out Pence, who then crossed the plate on a Ruiz double.

Castillo, a last-minute fill in for Giovanni Soto, led off the eighth with his first homer of the season.

Game Notes

The Phillies had lost in each of Halladay's previous five starts, during which the ace went gone 0-3 with a 4.59 earned run average, tying the longest losing streak of his career ... Only one other time in Halladay's career had his team lost five consecutive games in which he was the starting pitcher...It was Ruiz's sixth career four-hit game...Soto was a late scratch due to left knee inflammation...Ruiz's four hits are the most by a Phillies player in a game this season...Volstad has not recorded a victory since July 10, 2011.