NewsNorth of the border, Hamels gets nod
Philadelphia (37-33) at Toronto (40-34), 7:07 p.m. ET
By Todd Zolecki / MLB.com
06/25/09 11:40 PM ET
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Phillies tweaked their rotation for this weekend's series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.
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Left-hander Cole Hamels will pitch the series opener Friday night. Left-hander J.A. Happ will pitch Saturday afternoon instead.
Left-hander Jamie Moyer will pitch Sunday as scheduled.
"It lines [Hamels] up to pitch the game before the All-Star Game," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Thursday afternoon at Tropicana Field. "That was the thought process there. That will give him an extra start before the All-Star Game."
Hamels will pitch July 2 against Atlanta at Turner Field, July 7 against Cincinnati and July 12 against Pittsburgh.
Had the Phillies not flipped Hamels and Happ in the rotation, Happ would have made the team's final start before the break.
Pitching matchup
PHI: LHP Cole Hamels (4-3, 3.47 ERA)
Hamels is coming off one of his best starts of the season, reaching double-digit strikeouts for the first time since June 11, 2008. He allowed two runs over eight innings -- important for Hamels, who had talked about the need to pitch deeper into games -- and had lasted seven innings only twice this year. The 25-year-old lefty got a no-decision on June 16 in his only career outing against the Blue Jays; a pitch count of 110 ensured his departure after six innings, even though he had allowed just two runs.
Romero went seven innings for the second start in a row, recording a win in a 9-4 victory over the Nationals on Sunday in Washington. He allowed two runs -- both on a single in the second inning that plated two -- on eight hits, while issuing three walks and striking out six. Romero has one career start against the Phillies -- a seven-inning effort on June 16 at Citizens Bank Park, where the left-hander gave up three runs on his way to a no-decision. Tidbits
Ryan Howard's consecutive games streak ended Sunday at 343 games, which was the longest in the Majors. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was the longest consecutive games streak for the Phillies since Pete Rose played 717 consecutive games from April 6, 1979, to Aug. 23, 1983. ... The Phils are the only team in the Majors to have an extra-base hit in every game this season. Tickets
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• WPHT 1210, WUBA 1480 (Español) Up next
• Saturday: Phillies (J.A. Happ, 4-0, 3.47) at Blue Jays (Brad Mills, 0-0, 9.82), 1:07 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Phillies (Jamie Moyer, 5-6, 5.97) at Blue Jays (Brian Tallet, 5-4, 4.36), 1:07 p.m. ET
• Monday: Off-day
Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
