Phils End First Half in First

The Phillies, on the strength of a Pat Burrell 3 run homer, beat the D-backs by a score of 6 - 3 and in doing so, ended the first half of the season in first place.

For 7 innings, Brandon Webb and Cole Hamels dueled, giving up only 2 runs apiece. One of the runs scratched out by the Phils against Webb was courtesy of a Cole Hamels double in the 5th inning. Hamels almost cracked in the 7th inning, when he gave up 2 lead-off singles, only to wriggle off the hook on a botched sacrifice, a horrible baserunning play by Orlando Hudson, and a Mark Reynolds strikeout.

Hamels' high-wire act in the 7th gave way to the Phillies' heroics in the 8th, when Chad Qualls, in relief of Brandon Webb, gave up hits to Utley, Howard, and ultimately, the kill shot courtesy of Pat Burrell. Pedro Feliz followed two batters later, with a line drive home run right into the left field flower box.

Notes:

- No matter the outcome of the Mets game tonite (still in progress as I write this....they are up 7 - 0), the Phils will end the first half in 1st place.

- Jimmy Rollins: 2 steals today, giving him 24 on the year.

- Victorino and Utley combined to leave 8 men on base. Utley is hitting a less-than-robust .247 with runners in scoring position.

Picture: Yahoo.com ((AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)