Phillies Notes: Hamels gets no decision but relishes a Phillies victory

Seven strong innings still left Cole Hamels stuck with his third straight no decision Sunday afternoon. His slim chance to capture the National League Cy Young Award has now dwindled to none.

No matter, Hamels is having fun because the Phillies are winning again.

The lefthander was in the home clubhouse when John Mayberry Jr. delivered a bases-loaded, game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Phillies a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader.

"It's fun to watch, and I think that's what we really need to stick to . . . just going out there and doing what we can do and win ball games," Hamels said.

Hamels' contribution to the Phillies' first-game victory was a seven-inning, two-run performance that included six strikeouts and just one walk. The performance lowered his ERA by the slimmest of margins - from 3.04 to 3.03 - and left his win total at 14 for the season. He has never won more than 14 games.

After Hamels left, the bullpen contributed two scoreless innings to set the scene for Mayberry's game-winning hit. Antonio Bastardo and Phillipe Aumont combined for three outs in the eighth inning against the heart of the Rockies' order.

After giving up a leadoff single to Dexter Fowler, Bastardo struck out Josh Rutledge and all-star Carlos Gonzales before Aumont came on to retire dangerous rookie Wilin Rosario.

"We have a lot of guys who throw hard now," Hamels said. "Since I've been here, we really didn't have those guys that throw 94 to 96 or 97 [m.p.h.], and those guys are fun. They're fun to watch and they power through lineups."

Hamels believes the influx of young arms and new players has changed the atmosphere of the clubhouse. After a doubleheader sweep of the Rockies, the Phillies improved to 32-21 since the all-star break and 24-14 since the deadline trades that sent Shane Victorino to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Hunter Pence to the San Francisco Giants.

"Every guy wants to get that opportunity to be able to prove that they're a big-league ballplayer," Hamels said. "It's been fun, it really has."

Darin Ruf's phenomenal season at double-A Reading ended Sunday when his team bowed out of the Eastern League playoffs against the Trenton Thunder. His big-league debut, however, is likely to come Monday night against the Miami Marlins.

Manager Charlie Manuel said after the Phillies' sweep that he planned to play the 26-year-old slugger against Marlins lefty Wade LeBlanc in the first game of the three-game series.

"I want to see him," Manuel said.

Ruf batted .317 with 32 doubles, 38 home runs, and 104 RBIs at Reading during the regular season and was named the Eastern League MVP. He hit his 39th home run Sunday in the R-Phils' 5-4 playoff loss to Trenton.

Ruf played primarily at first base for Reading this season, but spent much of the last month working in left field, which is where he likely will play for the Phillies Monday night. To make room on the 60-man roster, the Phillies moved pitcher Mike Stutes to the 60-day disabled list.

The Phillies officially placed lefthander Raul Valdes on the disabled list Sunday retroactive to Aug. 31. He will have surgery Monday to repair torn meniscus in his right knee. . . . The Phillies' victory in the first game was their 11th walk-off win of the season, which ranks second in the big leagues. . . . Catcher Carlos Ruiz made his first appearance in a game since Aug. 2 when he delivered a pinch-hit single in the sixth inning of the second game Sunday. Ruiz, sidelined by a left foot injury, remained in the game at catcher and later added an RBI single.