Hamels reflects on a difficult outing
WASHINGTON -- Cole Hamels felt that a crucial balk shouldn't have been called, but he also understood that he wasn't at his best during Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
Hamels pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed the three earned runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and walked three, but struggled to gain any true rhythm. The fact that Hamels threw 118 pitches was an indication that he was laboring.
"One through eight they were hitting pretty well and I got away with a lot and was pretty fortunate," Hamels said.
Ian Desmond scored the winning run. He hit a one-out double down the third base line and advanced to third on a balk before coming home on the sacrifice fly.
He also took a shot at his own home field, Citizens Bank Park when discussing Hairston's sacrifice fly to deep left field.
"I got lucky with Hairston not hitting a homer because I know that would have been 85 rows deep at our field," he said.
"He (first base umpire Chad Fairchild) said that I hitched twice, that I came up, then I turned," Hamels said. "But I think he was just looking at my back foot as opposed to the front leg, because it was continuing (toward second) the whole time."
No naturally, he didn't think a balk should have been called.
"When I spin, my cleat sometimes gets caught and causes a little jump," he said. "I'll keep doing it, and if they keep calling it then I guess I have a problem."
In fact Hamels says he has used that move before and never been called for it.
"That was the first time," he said. "I've been doing the same move ever since I got to the big leagues."
Hamels was coming off Monday's combined no-hitter against Atlanta when he pitched the first six innings.
It's been a long season and he can't be expected to dominate every outing. Even though he was off his game, it was the 19th consecutive start in which he has allowed three or fewer earned runs.
Still, Hamels knows he wasn't on his game but also credited the Nationals, especially Adam LaRoche who belted two home runs.
"If they maintain the way they are playing right now, they are going to be walking in a parade somewhere," he said. "That's a credit to their players, especially LaRoche. I guess I'm glad we don't have to play them anymore."