Phillies’ Hamels Has Cool Debut

Cole Hamels’ numbers in the minor leagues suggested he was ready for big things.

His major league debut suggested the same.

The 22-year-old left-hander pitched five scoreless innings on a raw, rainy night Friday at Cincinnati, leading the surging Philadelphia Phillies to an 8-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

“That was probably the first game I’ve ever thrown in the rain,” said Hamels, who gave up one hit in five innings. “We don’t have much rain in San Diego. I was kind of anxious to just get it over with.”

With his 93-mph fastball and swing-stopping changeup, he’s just getting started.

He struck out boyhood favorite Ken Griffey Jr. the first time he faced him, then later struck him out again. He struck out seven overall and gave up only Felipe Lopez’s two-out double in the fifth inning.

The only thing he didn’t get was the victory.

“For his first outing, he did very good,” Manager Charlie Manuel said. “He’s smooth. He looks like a pitcher.”

Shane Victorino had four hits, including a two-run homer, and Ryan Howard added a two-run shot that kept Philadelphia rolling. The Phillies have won 11 of 12 games, a stretch that includes one impressive streak -- nine consecutive victories -- and one equally impressive debut.

“I think he’s a little deceptive,” said outfielder Austin Kearns, who was hitless against Hamels. “I think he’s a guy you need to see a few times. He has a good changeup. He was solid.”

Hamels didn’t get the victory because the guy he replaced in the rotation couldn’t hold on. Ryan Madson (2-2) gave up solo homers to Kearns and Edwin Encarnacion in the sixth, tying the score at 2-2.

Outfielder Adam Dunn, making his first start of the season at first base, let Jimmy Rollins’ grounder deflect off his glove for a two-base error that opened the seventh, and Chase Utley followed with a single off Elizardo Ramirez (1-3), putting the Phillies ahead to stay.

Atlanta 6, Washington 2 -- John Smoltz pitched a four-hitter, and the Braves won for the fourth time in five games at Atlanta.

Smoltz (3-2) made his only big mistake in the fifth, surrendering a two-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman. He pitched his second complete game of the season and struck out seven, moving past Chuck Finley for 21st place on the career list with 2,611.

St. Louis 5, Arizona 3 -- Jim Edmonds homered and brought in three runs and Albert Pujols drove in his major league-leading 44th run in the Cardinals’ victory at St. Louis.

Pittsburgh 12, Florida 9 -- Jason Bay drove in four runs after getting dropped to sixth in the batting order, and the Pirates overcame an early five-run deficit and won at Pittsburgh.

Houston 12, Colorado 2 -- Morgan Ensberg had four runs batted in, including a tie-breaking three-run homer in the sixth inning, and the host Astros gave the Rockies their first three-game losing streak of the season.

Milwaukee 9, New York 6 -- Prince Fielder homered twice, Geoff Jenkins hit a three-run double and the Brewers scored their first seven runs with two outs to win at Milwaukee.

San Diego 10, Chicago 5 -- Mike Piazza had four hits, and San Diego won for the 12th time in 13 games with a victory over the Cubs at Chicago.