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Gonzalez, Marlins blast Phillies

Jun 1, 2008 - 4:00 AM By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - There was another offensive explosion at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. However, it came from the bats of the Florida Marlins.

Luis Gonzalez, Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross each homered off Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels as the Marlins snapped a three-game losing streak with a 7-3 victory over the Phillies. Philadelphia saw its five-game winning streak come to an end.

Philadelphia had entered the contest averaging 12 runs in its last five games, but was stymied by Florida starter Ricky Nolasco (5-3), who won his fourth straight decision.

"It's easier to seek consistency as a main goal," Nolasco said. "Whether I get the decisions or not, as long as the team is in a good position by the time I leave the game and we come out with a W, that's the No. 1 priority."

Nolasco's performance came a day after the Marlins were routed, 12-3, in the series opener.

"It was a big game tonight and I don't think it's intimidating (to face the Phillies)," Nolasco said after Florida regained first place in the National League East from Philadelphia. "It gives us a chance to come out and win the series (on Sunday)."

Nolasco went 6 2/3 innings and gave up two runs and four hits. The righthander walked two and struck out five. He also hit a batter and committed two balks, but held the Phillies hitless after the third inning, retiring 14 of the last 16 batters he faced.

"The player of the game is Ricky," Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "To get that deep in the ballgame against that pretty hot-hitting Philadelphia Phillies club, you've got to tip your hat to him."

Florida was trailing 2-0 and Hamels had faced the minimum number of batters through the first three innings. However, the Marlins got to him in the fourth with four runs.

Hanley Ramirez, who left Friday's game with an injured left thumb, was back in the lineup and led off with a double. Jeremy Hermida followed with a single and out later, former Phillie Wes Helms lined a two-run double to left-center to tie the game.

"(Hamels) definitely had his stuff tonight," Helms said. "We watched him over there. We talked about it as hitters after our at-bats and what he's trying to do to us. Guys started going up there looking for that."

Later in the frame, Gonzalez hit a 3-2 pitch into the right field seats for a two-run home run to give the Marlins a 4-2 lead. For Gonzalez, it was his 350th career homer. Hamels ended up throwing 40 pitches in the inning.

"That one inning, we were able to put it together," Helms said. "Then, we were able to get his pitch count up and that's key on an ace of a staff. The hitters did a good job of that tonight."

The Marlins added to their advantage with three runs in the sixth to chase Hamels from the game. Cantu hit Hamels' first pitch of the frame over the left field fence for a home run. Later in the inning, Ross hit a first-pitch offering to left for a two-run homer to give the Marlins a 7-2 lead.

"I'm more frustrated at letting the team down," Hamels said. "We've been playing so well for the past week. I didn't put the team in a good enough situation to be able to compete until the last out and come away with a victory."

Hamels (5-4) went 5 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits.

"I didn't have my good stuff and I wasn't smart enough to get away with it," Hamels said.

Chase Utley hit his major-league leading 19th home run in the eighth off Runyel Pinto to complete the scoring.

"You're not gonna score eight or nine runs every night," Utley said. "We didn't have too many opportunities to score some runs."

Philadelphia staked Hamels to a 2-0 lead on an RBI single by Pat Burrell in the first inning and an RBI groundout by Ryan Howard in the third.