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King Cole: Hamels masters Braves as Phillies take series

Apr 10, 2011 - 10:21 PM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Cole Hamels rebounded from a difficult season debut, tossing seven strong innings to outduel Derek Lowe, as the Philadelphia Phillies stymied the Atlanta Braves, 3-0, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Turner Field.

Hamels (1-1) surrendered six runs and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings of a 7-1 loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday. The left-hander limited the Braves to four hits on Sunday, walked one and struck out eight.

"I felt really good (during my first outing), but things just didn't turn out well," Hamels said.

Ryan Madson worked around a single in the eighth, while Jose Contreras closed the door in the ninth to notch his second save of the season.

Shane Victorino finished 3-for-4 with a solo home run for Philadelphia, which has won seven of nine games to begin the season.

Lowe (1-2), meanwhile, was a hard-luck loser again after giving up two runs on seven hits in seven full frames. The sinkerball specialist threw 5 2/3 shutout innings in a 2-0 win at Washington on Opening Day and then allowed the only run in a 1-0 setback at Milwaukee on Tuesday.

"I made a couple mistakes and (Hamels) didn't," Lowe said. "I don't believe in any quality start stat. You either win or lose and that's it."

Nate McLouth doubled for the Braves, who have dropped five of six.

Philadelphia got on the board in the fourth inning, as Victorino, who led off with a single and advanced to third on a base hit by Placido Polanco, scored after Jimmy Rollins grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Victorino started the sixth with a drive over the right-field wall to put the Phillies up 2-0.

Hamels pitched out of trouble in the sixth and seventh innings. He retired Chipper Jones on a grounder to third to strand a pair of base runners, then got Freddie Freeman on another groundball to escape a first-and-third jam.

Ryan Howard tacked on an insurance run off Atlanta reliever Craig Kimbrel with an RBI groundout in the ninth.

Game Notes

Carlos Ruiz had two hits for Philadelphia, which posted a 10-8 record against the Braves last season...Time of game: 2:20.