MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Phillies broke open a pitching duel with six runs in the sixth inning and went on to win 7-2 over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on Thursday.
The win is the fourth in a row for the National League East leading Phillies, while the National League Central pacesetting Brewers have lost three consecutive games.
"This gives us a good chance to get a good look at them," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel told reporters. "They've got a good team; you can tell. Hamels pitched a good game tonight, and their guy was throwing good until we had the big inning on them."
Brewers starter Chris Naverson was near perfect through 5-2/3 innings allowing just one hit and a walk before getting roughed up by the Phillies.
Philadelphia strung together six hits and a walk, all with two outs in the sixth inning, to score six runs and knock Naverson out of the game.
Shane Victorino sparked the outburst with a double off the top of the left field wall and Wilson Valdez followed with another double just out of the reach of Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez.
"It was crazy. You get two quick outs," Narveson said. "I made a pretty good pitch to (Victorino) and he hits it right down the line. You have two outs. He hits a double and you feel, 'OK, just make a pitch to get out of it.'
"Next play 'Go-Go' (Gomez) is just inches away from catching it."
With the Phillies already leading 3-1 the inning was extended on a single by John Mayberry on a close call at first base.
"It's a huge difference," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "I thought he was out. But that changes the game. It changes what we do. If we're only down two runs, we play that game a lot differently."
Phillies starter Cole Hamels gave up solo home runs to Yuniesky Betancourt and Corey Hart, but otherwise was superb in earning his 14th win with a complete game four-hitter.
Hunter Pence paced the Phillies offense with a two-run triple in the decisive sixth inning and drove in Wilson Valdez in the ninth inning for his third RBI of the game.
The Phillies were without Chase Utley who has a concussion, and regulars Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez did not play either, but received solid offense from their replacements who combined to score a run and drive in two.
"When you start winning games and you have success, when you put your reserve players in there, they want to play and be a part of it," Manuel said.
"They want to show they can earn the right to be on our team. That can bring your team completely together."
(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario. Editing by Alastair Himmer)
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