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Hamels tries to extend Phils' success in San Diego

Apr 22, 2011 - 3:03 PM (Sports Network) - Cole Hamels' road to the major leagues began as a high school pitcher in San Diego. He's now part of a Philadelphia rotation that has helped the club dominate when visiting his hometown.

The Phillies take aim at a ninth straight victory at Petco Park tonight when they play the second of four straight against the hosting Padres.

The San Diego-born Hamels has gone 2-1 with a 1.57 earned run average in four career starts at Petco Park, with both victories coming during the Phillies' current win streak there. He last pitched in San Diego on Aug. 29, hurling eight shutout innings of four-hit ball with six strikeouts, improving to 4-2 with a 2.75 ERA in nine career starts against the Padres.

The 27-year-old lefty has rebounded from a rough start to the season -- a six- run outing to the Mets on April 5 in which he lasted just 2 2/3 innings -- to yield just two runs over his last two starts. Hamels beat the Braves with seven scoreless innings on April 10, then did not factor into the decision of Sunday's 3-2 win over the Marlins even though he gave up just two runs over seven innings with seven strikeouts.

"I felt good early on, and even better when I was able to make the pitches," Hamels told the Phils' official website. "I was able to do that in some situations, but I wasn't able to do that the whole time."

Philadelphia extended its winning streak at Petco Park, where it hasn't lost since Aug. 16, 2008, in last night's opener with a 3-0 win. Roy Oswalt showed no signs of a back issue that forced him out of his last start early, throwing six scoreless innings of one-hit ball to win his third game of the season.

Ben Francisco and Brian Schneider backed Oswalt with second-inning solo homers off San Diego starter Mat Latos to give the Phillies a second straight win since losing consecutive games for the first time this season. Philadelphia also bested San Diego for the 11th time in the past 13 meetings overall.

"We made (Latos) work," Francisco said. "He made mistakes and we were able to hit him."

Philadelphia won despite getting held to four runs or less for a 10th straight time, while San Diego managed just four hits and is last in the majors with a collective .217 batting average.

Latos also struggled over his 4 1/3-inning start, giving up three runs while throwing only 59 of his 107 pitches for strikes. He did strike out seven, but San Diego dropped its third game in its last four and was shut out for an MLB- leading fifth time on the season.

"It just looked like he was out of sync," Padres manager Bud Black said of Latos. "He had some good at-bats against certain guys."

Clayton Richard will start against the Phillies for just the second time in his career. He countered Hamels back on Aug. 29 and took the loss after allowing four runs -- two earned -- on four hits over 7 2/3 innings.

Richard is winless in three starts since getting a victory in his first appearance on April 2 and is coming off his worst outing of the young season. The 27-year-old southpaw was drilled for six runs on seven hits over just 5 1/3 innings at Houston on Sunday, but got his third straight no-decision in the club's 8-6 win.

Richard is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA on the season.