SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Pitcher Cole Hamels shut down the San Diego Padres in eight scoreless innings to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 5-0 victory and series sweep on Sunday.
The left-hander struck out six batters and allowed just four hits as the Phillies won their third successive game against the National League West-leading Padres (76-53).
San Diego was dominated by the Philadelphia pitchers during the three-game series and scored just three runs.
"They pitched great," Padres manager Bud Black told reporters. "(Roy) Oswalt was good, (Joe) Blanton did his thing and I think Hamels was very good.
"We got some singles, but we couldn't get to him."
The Padres have now lost four successive games and had their divisional lead over the San Francisco Giants cut to five games.
The Phillies (73-57) have a 1- game lead in the wild card chase and trail the Atlanta Braves by two games in the NL East.
Mike Sweeney, who was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners on August 4, hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to lead the Phillies' offense and give them a 3-0 lead.
"I'm just embracing being here as a new member of the Philadelphia Phillies," Sweeney said.
"I want to do everything I can to help this team win. I'm thankful I was able to do that today."
Philadelphia added another run in the eighth when they ended starter Clayton Richard's game.
Richard (12-6) allowed four runs in 7 2/3 innings and made throwing errors that led to runs in the third and eighth innings. San Diego made two other errors in the field.
Jayson Werth added a solo home run in the ninth for the Phillies while Padres' first baseman Adrian Gonzalez recorded three of his team's five hits.
(Reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
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