Sweeney goes deep as Phils sweep Padres

SAN DIEGO - As Mike Sweeney rounded first base today, he pointed to Chad Durbin, who was sitting in the visitors' bullpen down the right-field line. All of a sudden Cole Hamels had a bounty of run support (seriously) and the Phillies were well on their way to a 5-0 win over the San Diego Padres and a sweep of the best team in the National League.

Sweeney remembered a friendly conversation with Durbin before the game.

"I played with him in Kansas City when he had 140 RBIs," Durbin said. "I know the guy can barrel a baseball and he will. I gave him a hard time earlier because he beat that ball out at first [Saturday] to give us a run. I said, 'Hey, no more beating balls out at first.' Let's get some over the fence."

Consider it done. In the seventh inning, Sweeney hit his first home run since May 26.

"Hey, whatever motivates him," a grinning Durbin said.

Sweeney's home run gave the Phillies a three-run lead and, finally, a victory for Hamels. The Phillies swept the Padres (handing them their first four-game losing streak of the season), just days after losing four in a row to meddling Houston. Care to explain, Charlie Manuel?

"I can't," the manager said. "I absolutely can't. No sense in me trying. I don't know."

The five runs represented more than the Phillies had scored in Hamels' previous four starts combined (four runs). Hamels won for the first time since July 11 despite a 2.47 ERA since the all-star break.

With friends and family in the stands at Petco Park, the native San Diegan pitched eight shutout innings, striking out six and walking none.

"I'm just happy to win," Hamels said.

Did it feel like it took forever?

"No," Hamels said. "I've been able to go out game after game and put together good innings and good games. It was just a matter of time."

The lefthander needed 50 pitches to navigate the first two innings, but after that, the script followed a typical Hamels start. He put up zero after zero while his teammates kept the opposition in the game, scoring just one unearned run in the first six innings.

With two outs in the seventh, Jayson Werth walked. That brought Sweeney to the plate.

Sweeney started only because Manuel decided that Ryan Howard needed a day of rest. Howard is hitting .121 (4 for 33) since coming off the disabled list from a sprained ankle on Aug. 21.

So Sweeney started for just the second time in nine games. He was looking for a first-pitch fastball from San Diego lefthander Clayton Richard. He got one.

"I'm just embracing being here," Sweeney said. "Any time I can go out there and play, whether it is as a pinch-hitter or giving Big Ryan a day off, I want to do everything I can to help this team win. It's just . . . I don't know. I'm thankful I was able to do that today."

Literally, he's embracing it. Sweeney has a gregarious personality and is well-known around baseball circles for his hugging affinity.

"He is definitely one of a kind," Jimmy Rollins said. "He likes to give a lot of hugs. He gave me a hug after his home run. Usually, it's you trying to initiate the hug. He's like, 'Give me a hug.' All right, Sweeney."

The Phillies acquired Sweeney from the Seattle Mariners earlier this month. Since then, his young son, Mike Jr., has become a fixture in the clubhouse. So has the hugging.

"He can give you some hugs," Manuel said. "He's got a lot of energy, which is great. He's good for our bench. He's good for our clubhouse. Most of all, he's good when he's in the batter's box."