Hamels (8-2) keeps Giants off-balance
Over and over, Cole Hamels threw his baffling changeup until even Barry Bonds couldn’t handle it.
Backed by timely situational hitting, Hamels pitched his second complete game to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the San Francisco Giants, 5-2, on Saturday night.
The Phillies had lost four in a row at home after sweeping a three-game series in Atlanta to move a season-best two games over .500.
Hamels (8-2) yielded two runs and five hits to become the league’s first eight-game winner. Relying on a sharp fastball and a changeup, the second-year left-hander kept the Giants off-balance.
With one out and a runner on in the ninth, Hamels threw his changeup five straight times to Bonds. Finally, the slugger struck out swinging.
“I saw he was ahead of the changeup, so I kept throwing it and decided to drop it a little lower,” Hamels said.
Bonds, with 746 homers, certainly was impressed after facing Hamels for the first time.
“He’s good. He’s a pretty good pitcher,” Bonds said.
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