Phillies 5 - 1 Mets
Final
  for this game

Hamels hopes for some run support against Mets

Apr 28, 2013 - 2:50 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies have won five straight games at Citi Field. Cole Hamels hopes the recent good fortunes in Flushing can rub off on him as he searches for his first victory of 2013.

A 17-game winner last year, Hamels has struggled to get run support. The Phillies have totaled just four runs in the last three games he's started. Most recently Hamels threw eight innings in a 2-0 loss to the Pirates on Tuesday.

Hamels, who is just 5-10 with a 4.33 ERA in 21 starts against the Mets, may be throwing to a familiar face on Sunday, as catcher Carlos Ruiz was activated from the restricted list.

Ruiz had been suspended for the first 25 games following a positive banned stimulant test in the offseason.

"The last two years, he's come into his own as a hitter," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's gonna help us offensively. Gonna give us some different options in our lineup."

Ruiz enjoyed a career year last season, hitting .325 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI.

Jonathon Niese, meanwhile, left his last start Tuesday against the Dodgers after being hit by a batted ball on his right leg. He departed after 2 1/3 innings. The lefty is 5-5 with a 3.63 ERA in 13 games when facing the Phillies.

Yesterday, Domonic Brown and John Mayberry, Jr. clubbed back-to-back homers to highlight a five-run fifth inning that helped lift the Phillies to a 9-4 win.

Ryan Howard drove in two runs for the Phillies, while starter Jonathan Pettibone (1-0) picked up his first major league win in his second career start. Pettibone gave up three runs on seven hits and walked two in five innings.

"It seems to me when he fell behind he made pretty good pitches and got out of it," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "When he got ahead in the count he was having some problems."

David Wright went 2-for-4 with one RBI for New York, which was shut down by Kyle Kendrick in Friday's series opener, managing just three hits -- all singles -- in a 4-0 loss.

Shaun Marcum (0-1) came off the 15-day disabled list to make his Mets debut against the Phillies. Signed to a one-year contract in January, Marcum had been sidelined with a neck injury.

The right-hander departed after four frames, replaced by Robert Carson with the Mets down 3-2.

"I felt like I had a lot more left in me," Marcum said of his short outing.

The Phillies have won nine of their last 12 at Citi Field.






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