The left-hander added another win to his resume of success in Cincinnati, going six innings to stay unbeaten against the Reds, and the Philadelphia Phillies held on Tuesday night for a 4-3 victory, their fifth in a row.
The NL East leaders matched their longest winning streak of the season behind Hamels (2-2), who made his big league debut on May 12, 2006, giving up one hit in five innings at Great American Ball Park. He's always been tough on Cincinnati's predominantly left-handed lineup.
"It's kind of a special place, kind of where everything started for me," said Hamels, who is 3-0 at Great American. "I want to make an impact every time I come here. I know they probably don't want to see that, but that's kind of my goal."
He reached it, with help from some of the Phillies' old dependables.
Ryan Howard hit a solo homer, and slumping Jimmy Rollins doubled and scored during Philadelphia's decisive three-run fifth inning off Johnny Cueto (4-2).
Hamels improved to 4-0 in five starts against Cincinnati, which got solo homers from Jay Bruce and Jerry Hairston Jr.
The Reds have lost a season-high four straight because their depleted offense is in a rut, scoring four runs in the last 28 innings. They wasted a chance in the ninth.
Phillies star closer Brad Lidge allowed an infield single to Alex Gonzalez and walked Laynce Nix with one out in the ninth, then struck out Willy Taveras, in an 0-for-19 slump, and retired Hairston on a routine fly.
"We got runners in scoring position in the seventh, eighth and ninth, but we couldn't get that big hit," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "We had Lidge on the ropes there. We were one hit away."
REDS NOTES:
The Reds opened the series unsure when they would have first baseman Joey Votto back in the lineup.
Votto, the team's top hitter at .366, came down with a severe case of the flu earlier this month and had to leave two games last weekend in San Diego because of dizziness. He had additional tests Tuesday, and more were scheduled for the next few days.
The Reds have not placed Votto on the disabled list as they await the tst reports. This leaves manager Dusty Baker one roster spot short.
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