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Phillies fabulous in opening win over Brewers


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Hamels, who didn’t get much run support as he went 14-10 in the regular season, didn’t need any more. The Phillies had just four hits.

Hart lined a single to right on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the fifth for Milwaukee’s first hit. Hamels pitched out of his only jam in the sixth. Craig Counsell singled with one out and Cameron walked. But Hamels fanned Hall on a down-and-away changeup and got Ryan Braun to pop out.

A sellout crowd of 45,929 at Citizens Bank Park withstood a steady rain for most of the game, waved their “Fightin’ Phils” rally towels and savored a rare playoff victory.

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This championship-starved city hasn’t celebrated a title since the NBA’s 76ers won it all in 1983.

The Brewers, in the postseason for the first time in 26 years, now turn to Sabathia. The burly left-hander almost single-handedly carried Milwaukee into the playoffs, going 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA after he was acquired July 7 from Cleveland. But Sabathia is just 2-2 with a 7.17 ERA in four postseason starts.

“We hit enough to win the game,” Manuel said. “Maybe tomorrow we’ll get after big CC.”

The Brewers haven’t fared well in Philly this year. They were swept in a four-game series here three weeks ago. Manager Ned Yost was fired with 12 games remaining after that series and Sveum, previously the third-base coach, took over.

Milwaukee entered September with a 5½-game lead in the wild-card standings, but didn’t clinch a spot until the New York Mets lost to Florida on the final day of the season.

Notes: Philadelphia’s previous postseason win was a 2-0 victory over Toronto on Curt Schilling’s five-hitter Oct. 21, 1993. The Blue Jays clinched the series on Joe Carter’s homer off Mitch Williams in Game 6. ... Milwaukee’s last postseason victory was against St. Louis on Oct. 17, 1982, in Game 5 of the World Series. The Brewers lost the next two games. ... Williams threw out the first pitch. Of course, “Wild Thing” tossed it way over the catcher’s head. ... Burrell was in the lineup a day after he left a workout with back discomfort. He went 0-for-2 with a walk. ... Hamels had 11 starts this season in which he allowed three runs or less and didn’t get a win.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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