Burrell's homer keeps Phils atop East

PHILADELPHIA -- This should make Pat Burrell feel better about not making the National League All-Star team.

Big home runs, like the left fielder's three-run poke in Philadelphia's stay-in-first-place 6-3 win over Arizona on Sunday, have a way of soothing disappointment. Judging by Burrell's smile and curtain call, he's over it.

"It's one of those things where I'd like to go," Burrell said. "But the focus is on winning games."

Emboldened after tying the game off D-backs starter Brandon Webb, the Phillies began the eighth inning with singles by Chase Utley and Ryan Howard off reliever Chad Qualls. Burrell worked the count to 2-2 before depositing a slider into the left-field seats.

The 31st sellout crowd of 45,277 wanted a curtain call from Burrell on an 87-degree afternoon. The win guaranteed the Phillies of a first-place finish at the All-Star break for the first time since 2004, when they led the Braves by a game.

Ryan Madson worked the eighth for the win, on a day when Cole Hamels matched Webb for seven innings. Hamels was helped by bad Arizona baserunning in the seventh to escape a jam.

With runners on first and second and one out, Orlando Hudson drove the ball to right, and Stephen Drew started back to second, thinking Geoff Jenkins would make the catch. When Jenkins couldn't make the play, Drew could only reach third, halting Conor Jackson at second. Hudson was halfway to second and fell down, making him an eventual easy second out after running out of the baseline.

After a brief meeting on the mound with manager Charlie Manuel, Hamels went after Mark Reynolds and struck him out on his 98th and final pitch of the afternoon.

Then came Burrell, the non-All-Star.

"He's been hitting home runs, game-winning stuff like that all year long," said closer Brad Lidge, who drove to New York after the game for his second All-Star appearance. "I think they both should be there."

Both, meaning Burrell and Hamels, who received a no-decision and finished the first half at 9-6. Though a trip to the Midsummer Classic would be nice, Hamels has other items ranked higher on his baseball to-do list.

"Making the playoffs and being in the World Series is the only true goal, besides the small goal of making the All-Star Game every year," Hamels said.

(mlb.com)