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Hamels hopes to put sore hand behind him against Marlins

Jul 5, 2011 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - The way the Phillies have pitched this season, starter Cole Hamels may only need one good hand to extend his team's winning streak over the Marlins.

After leaving his last start early due to injury, Hamels hopes to hurl Philadelphia to a seventh straight victory over Florida this evening in the middle portion of a three-game series at Sun Life Stadium.

One of three Phillies starters selected for next week's All-Star Game -- joining Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee -- Hamels picked up his ninth victory of the season with seven-plus innings of one-run ball against the Marlins back on June 14. However, he lost back-to-back starts following that win and then lasted just four innings versus Boston on Thursday after taking a liner off his non-pitching hand.

Hamels recorded one more out after getting hit, but did not return for the fifth inning. He is 9-4 with a 2.41 earned run average in 17 starts this year, though Philadelphia has scored just three runs in the 27-year-old left- hander's last three appearances.

Hamels, who is 5-7 with a 3.50 ERA in his career versus the Marlins, may have to wonder how much run support he will get tonight. Philadelphia managed to cross the plate just once in last night's 1-0 series-opening victory, but it did get to Marlins starter Chris Volstad for eight runs when he last faced the Phillies on June 14.

Volstad gave up a season high in runs and served up homers to Domonic Brown, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley over his 5 2/3 innings. He fell to 2-4 with a 5.22 ERA in 11 career games against the Phillies.

That setback ran Volstad's losing streak to a career-worst six straight decisions but he has won consecutive outings following a no-decision versus the Rays on June 19.

Picking up his first victory since April 26, the righty held the Mariners to just two runs over 6 2/3 innings on June 25, then was on point at Oakland on Thursday. The 24-year-old Nolasco pitched seven innings in a 5-4 win, giving up just one unearned run to improve to 4-7 with a 5.01 ERA in 16 starts.

Volstad will try to end Florida's recent frustrations after last night's close defeat that saw several close plays go against the Marlins, leading to ejections for both Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck.

The Marlins have split four games this month after a 5-23 record in June and continued to struggle versus the Phillies. Philadelphia has won eight of the 10 meetings between the clubs this year and 17 of the last 20 overall.

The Phils have been just as successful in Miami, taking 19 of the past 23 matchups there. That has led to some trying times for the Fish.

"We're not catching any breaks at all right now. Everything is going against us and it's tough. That's just the way it is right now for us," said Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco, who allowed the game's only run on a close play at the plate in the seventh inning.

Nolasco took the hard-luck loss despite his strong seven-inning outing as the Marlins managed just two hits off Phillies starter Vance Worley, who ended with seven scoreless innings of work to improve to 2-0 with a 0.72 ERA in four starts since joining Philadelphia's rotation due to injury.

"He's picked up some slack for us. We knew he could throw the ball, but the way he's been throwing the ball has exceeded our expectations," said Phillies catcher Brian Schneider about Worley.

Worley combined with Michael Stutes and Antonio Bastardo on the shutout, while Brown scored on Michael Martinez's single in the seventh inning, just getting by the tag of Buck.

The major-league leading Phillies won for the sixth time in eight games despite grinding out just six hits and playing with Shane Victorino for a second straight game due to a right thumb injury. The center fielder may also sit out tonight.