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Phillies hope Hamels can end slide vs. Angels

Jun 22, 2008 - 2:10 PM LA Angels (45-30) at Philadelphia (42-34) 1:35 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Ace Cole Hamels takes the hill looking to put an end to the Philadelphia Phillies' season-high four-game losing streak on Sunday in the finale of a three-game interleague series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Vladimir Guerrero blasted a pair of home runs and former Phillies' draft pick Joe Saunders threw seven strong innings to lead the Angels to a 6-2 victory on Saturday.

Anaheim's solid pitching staff has stifled Philadelphia's prolific offense. The Phillies, who are third in baseball with 394 runs, have been outscored, 13-3, in dropping the first two games of the series. Part of the reason is the horrible rut that Chase Utley is stuck in.

The slugging second baseman is second in baseball with 22 home runs, but is mired in a 0-for-23 slump and was given the day off Saturday. Utley's possible return combined with Hamels being on the hill figures to be a good recipe for success.

Hamels (7-4, 3.23 ERA) is seeking his third straight win. The lefthander is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last three starts.

The Angels, who have won 12 of their last 18 contests, send Jered Weaver (6-7, 4.73) to the hill. Weaver was rocked for six runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 9-6 loss to the New York Mets on Monday.