Phils return home to face Nationals

The Phillies appeared headed for a let down on Wednesday when they wrapped up a stretch of 20 games in 20 days before showing the confidence that has helped them to the best record in the majors.

After a much-needed off day and a return to Philadelphia, Cole Hamels looks to keep the momentum going this evening in the opener of a three-game series with the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies went 16-4 over their 20-game stretch, but had to really earn that last victory at Los Angeles two days ago. They fell behind 6-0 after the third inning, but plated nine runs over the next three frames to rally for a 9-8 win. That helped Philadelphia conclude the best 10-game road trip in club history with a 9-1 mark.

Ryan Howard's two-run homer capped a four-run sixth inning that finally put the Phils ahead. Hunter Pence also hit a two-run homer and the bullpen combined to give up just two runs over the final five innings.

"Our pitchers held them and gave us a chance to win and Ryan found a way to get a big hit," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.Thansk

Philadelphia's 12th victory in 13 games has it 8 1/2 contests ahead of Atlanta for first place in the National League East thanks to a major-league best 77-40 record. The Phillies turn to Hamels tonight and the left-hander fell one out shy of posting his first shutout of the season on Saturday versus the Giants.

Hamels still went the distance for the second time in 2011, posting a seven- hitter. The lone run he gave up came on a two-out homer in the ninth and the 27-year-old hurled at least eight innings for the fourth time in seven starts. At one point, Hamels threw 23 straight first-pitch strikes and did not walk a batter.

"I think that's something that we always stress is to get ahead of the hitter and to get the first-pitch strike," Hamels said. "When you're able to do that, you get a lot of quick outs. That's the key to pitch deep in the ball game and keep them off-balance. That's what I was able to do."

Hamels improved to 13-6 with a 2.53 earned run average in 24 starts this year and tonight will face the other club he went the distance against this year. He gave up a run on five hits with six strikeouts at home over the Nationals on May 3, improving to 10-3 with a 2.61 ERA lifetime against the franchise.

Livan Hernandez took the loss against Hamels on that day in one of his three starts versus the Phillies this year. The other two have come in Washington and he is 1-1 in the three starts with a 4.19 ERA. The right-hander was touched for four runs over 6 1/3 innings back in Philadelphia and owns a career mark of 12-11 with a 3.65 ERA in this series.

Howard has given Hernandez fits this year, going 4-for-9 against him with a pair of homers and three RBI. Raul Ibanez is 3-for-8 with a homer.

Hernandez has lost three of his last four decisions and was drilled last time out at Colorado on Saturday. In one of his worst starts of the year, the 36- year-old was charged with nine runs -- seven earned -- on nine hits and two homers. He did not walk a batter, but also did not record a strikeouts over his 3 2/3 innings.

"His stuff wasn't as sharp, and when he's not on bad things happen," Washington manager Davey Johnson said of his starter.

The veteran has failed to pitch past the fourth inning in four of his past nine starts since a three-hit shutout versus the Cardinals on June 15 and is 6-11 in 24 games this season with a 4.41 ERA.

Washington plays the last leg of its 10-game road trip this weekend and is 3-4 thus far on the swing. It dropped back-to-back games in Chicago, including Thursday's 4-3 defeat.

Jordan Zimmermann allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks through 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven. Washington took an early lead on Ryan Zimmerman's two-out, solo home run in the first that extended his hitting streak to 19 straight games, but only plated one run in the final inning despite loading the bases with nobody out.

"We didn't wake up until about the eighth inning," Johnson said. "I really thought we had them."

Washington's Michael Morse is day-to-day as he left yesterday's game in the seventh inning after getting hit by a pitch on the wrist.

Though the Nats have won their last two encounters with the Phillies, Philadelphia is 36-12 over the past 48 meetings. The Phils are 21-3 at home against Washington in that span.