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Twins-Phillies Preview

Jun 19, 2010 - 4:06 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Minnesota (38-28) at Philadelphia (34-30), 4:10 p.m. EDT

Cole Hamels hasn't benefited from much run support. The way the Philadelphia Phillies are swinging the bats, however, Hamels could be working with a large cushion Saturday afternoon against the Minnesota Twins.

Hamels looks to build off one of his best starts of the season as the Phillies try to win their first interleague series at home in more than three years.

With a 3.86 run support average, Hamels (6-5, 3.74 ERA) hasn't had much room for error. He didn't need much help from the Phillies' offense in his last start, striking out eight and throwing seven innings of five-hit ball in Sunday's 5-3 victory at Boston.

"When he's got a good fastball, that's when he's good," manager Charlie Manuel said of Hamels, who has yielded three runs or fewer in eight consecutive starts.

Trying to win four straight for the first time since May 14-17, the Phillies (35-30) are starting to resemble the team that led the NL in runs last season. Philadelphia is averaging 7.3 runs during its winning streak after scoring 2.3 per game and getting shut out six times during a 5-14 stretch May 22-June 12.

Better at-bats from Chase Utley could help the Phillies continue that hot streak. After denying comments made by Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes that he's been hampered by a knee injury, Utley hit a three-run homer and drove in a season high-tying four runs Friday. It was his first home run in 88 at-bats.

"(Utley) comes to the ballpark and works as hard if he gets no hits," Manuel said. "I know he's going to hit because he works so hard."

So does Ryan Howard. The two-time NL home run champ had a career-high four extra-base hits Friday, including his first two-homer game of the season. Howard is batting .500 with three homers and six RBIs during the Phillies' winning streak.

"We know the scouting report and we know what we're supposed to do (against Howard)," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, whose team has dropped four of six and leads surging Detroit by one-half game for the AL Central lead. "Tonight we just didn't execute anything against him. He's a great hitter. You throw the ball up there like we did to him, he's going to hit it."

While Philadelphia looks for its first interleague series win at home since sweeping the Chicago White Sox from June 11-13, 2007, Minnesota needs a victory for a chance to extend its consecutive series wins in NL parks to six.

The Twins (38-29) will look for a solid start from right-hander Kevin Slowey (6-3, 4.96), who is 7-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 13 career interleague starts.

Despite his success against the NL and winning his previous three decisions, Slowey surrendered season highs of six runs and nine hits in Sunday's 7-3 loss to Atlanta. He gave up four first-inning runs, and failed to reach the sixth inning for the ninth time in 13 starts.

"He battled through a couple innings, but he was up, up, up and pretty much got hammered," Gardenhire told the Twins' official website. "He never really got into a good flow. When you get behind like that, then it's a battle."

Slowey has never faced Philadelphia.

Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson went 0 for 5 on Friday after missing the previous nine games with a sprained left wrist. Hudson is 2 for 12 with four strikeouts lifetime versus Hamels.