Jul 9, 2006, 21:00 GMT
Philadelphia, PA - Aaron Rowand and Chris Coste each drove in two runs as the Philadelphia Phillies headed into the All-Star break with an 8-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the rubber match of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.
Chase Utley went 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI to extend his career- high hitting streak to 15 games while Bobby Abreu ended 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Abreu has now reached base safely in 34 straight games.
The victory, the Phillies' second in a row, gave them a series win for the first time since sweeping Arizona on June 5-7. They had lost eight straight series.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, lost its eighth straight series since taking three of four against San Francisco in early June.
Cole Hamels (2-4) allowed three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in five innings of work to snap a personal four-game losing streak.
Joe Randa drove in a pair of runs on two hits while Jason Bay also added two hits and an RBI for the Pirates, who have lost five of six. Zach Duke (5-8) was tagged for seven runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Pittsburgh's Jose Bautista finished 2-for-4 and has now hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games.
After falling behind twice and battling back, Philadelphia grabbed its first lead of the game at 5-3 in the fifth. Pat Burrell singled and Rowand walked to begin the frame before a Coste single scored Burrell. Rowand had moved to third on the base hit and scored as the next hitter, David Bell, lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.
The Phillies then put the game away with three runs in the sixth. Jimmy Rollins started the inning with a double, later moved to third on Abreu's one- out single and then scored as Burrell ripped a double to left.
After Rowand grounded out to short for the second out, Coste hit a screaming liner back up the middle that reliever Matt Capps knocked down with his glove. However, his ensuing throw to first was wide, allowing Abreu and Burrell to both score to stake the Phillies to an 8-3 lead.
The Pirates got their first two runners on base in the eighth inning of Geoff Geary, but the Phillies reliever avoided damage by recording three straight force outs. Rick White then tossed a scoreless ninth for Philadelphia.
The Pirates plated a pair of runs in the top of the first to grab a quick lead as Bay knocked in the first run with a sacrifice fly before Randa's run- scoring single to left scored Nate McLouth.
The lead was short-lived though as Philadelphia scored two runs in the bottom of the frame. A double by Utley scored Rollins and Abreu's subsequent single moved Utley to third. Two batters later, Rowand hit a grounder to third and beat out a double-play attempt which allowed Utley to cross the plate.
Pittsburgh grabbed a 3-2 advantage in the third inning after Randa's groundout to short scored Freddy Sanchez. The Phillies, though, responded again in the same inning to tie the contest on Rowand's RBI double.
Game Notes
Hamels threw 99 pitches through his five frames. His career-high for strikeouts is eight, set on June 11 at Washington.Abreu's streak, which is tied with Burrell for the fourth longest on-base streak for Philadelphia since 1993, is the second longest of his career. He reached base in 48 consecutive games in 2001.Philadelphia has allowed 25 first-inning runs over its last 24 games.Rollins needs two more hits for 1,000 in his career.Bay and Utley will start Tuesday's All-Star game.Pittsburgh resumes its season Friday against Washington while Philadelphia will be in San Francisco.
Hamels threw 99 pitches through his five frames. His career-high for strikeouts is eight, set on June 11 at Washington.
Abreu's streak, which is tied with Burrell for the fourth longest on-base streak for Philadelphia since 1993, is the second longest of his career. He reached base in 48 consecutive games in 2001.
Philadelphia has allowed 25 first-inning runs over its last 24 games.
Rollins needs two more hits for 1,000 in his career.
Bay and Utley will start Tuesday's All-Star game.
Pittsburgh resumes its season Friday against Washington while Philadelphia will be in San Francisco.
© 2006 The Sports Network
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