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Phillies pound Braves

Jul 10, 2011 - 10:21 PM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Raul Ibanez collected two hits, including a three-run homer, and drove in a season-high six runs as Philadelphia rocked Atlanta, 14-1, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

John Mayberry posted a career-high three doubles and four RBI and Michael Martinez notched a career-best four hits and scored twice for the Phillies, who head to the All-Star break having won four of their last six thanks to rapping out a season-high 20 hits.

"To tell you the truth, I didn't want the game to end. Hopefully we can keep going and have a big second half," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

Domonic Brown added three hits and two RBI, Jimmy Rollins picked up three hits and Ryan Howard went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored as Philadelphia remained the top team in baseball at 57-34.

Cole Hamels (11-4) tossed eight effective innings, allowing three hits and one run. The left-hander fanned six and walked two.

Derek Lowe (5-7) yielded 10 hits and four runs over six full frames in defeat for the Braves, who dropped two of three in the series and fell 3 1/2 games back in the NL East.

"The first two games were two great baseball games. Then, in a 162-game (season), you're gonna run into these games, 14-1. You've just got to forget about it," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "The only thing that bothers me a little bit is that we can't play tomorrow. We've got to sit around with the bad taste in our mouth for four days."

The usually reliable Atlanta bullpen bore the brunt of the Philly attack, surrendering 10 hits and 10 runs over the final two innings.

Lowe exited trailing 4-1, then the Phillies opened up the floodgates in the seventh.

Two singles and an intentional walk loaded the bases with one out off Cody Gearrin, then an Ibanez base hit plated two runs. A wild pitch moved two runners into scoring position, then Brown laced a two-run single for an 8-1 score.

Scott Proctor came on, but Mayberry doubled to left to score two more. Proctor remained on the mound for the eighth and fared no better. Martinez hit a leadoff single, Howard singled with one out and Ibanez ripped a shot into the seats in right for a 13-1 contest. Carlos Ruiz doubled, Brown added a base hit and Mayberry's fielder's choice plated the final run of the rout.

After a two-out walk to Brian McCann in the fourth, Hamels ended his outing by retiring the final 13 batters. Kyle Kendrick followed with a scoreless ninth.

"You're gonna see the value in that it allows the bullpen to get their proper rest," Manuel said when asked why his starters go so deep into games and why Hamels was left in for eight innings during a blowout. "We don't change roles in the bullpen, go out of sync, as far as pitching too long in a game or too often."

Dan Uggla doubled to start the second, moved up on a groundout and scored on a Howard error. Brown singled in the home half and scored when Mayberry followed with a double.

Philly took a 3-1 edge in the third on an RBI single from Howard and Uggla's fielding error on an Ibanez grounder.

Mayberry started the fourth with a double, advanced on Hamels' sacrifice, then came in on Rollins' hit to center.

Game Notes

The Phillies' 57 wins at the break ties the franchise record, first set in 1993, when that NL pennant-winning squad went 57-32...Martinez raised his average from .192 to .229...The Braves remained stuck on 9,999 franchise victories including 3,735 in Atlanta...Hamels joined Jair Jurrjens (Atlanta), Kevin Correia (Pittsburgh) and batterymate Roy Halladay as the NL's 11-win pitchers...The Phillies and Braves remained the only clubs in baseball not to have been swept in a three-game series thus far in 2011...Both teams begin their second-half slate next Friday, with Philadelphia at New York and Atlanta hosting Washington.