Phillies roll past Red Sox

Cole Hamels expects to face the Boston Red Sox again this season with more at stake. If so, he left quite an impression.

Ryan Howard homered twice, and Jimmy Rollins also connected to back another strong outing by Hamels, helping the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Red Sox 8-2 Monday night in an interleague matchup of division leaders.

Hamels (7-4) allowed 2 runs and 7 hits in 7-plus innings. Since consecutive poor outings last month, the left-hander has a 1.50 ERA in his last three starts.

"I believe we're destined to play each other in the World Series," Hamels said. "We can compete with them any day of the week."

Dustin Pedroia and J.D. Drew hit consecutive homers for Boston, which has won twice as many World Series titles in the last four years as the Phillies have in the franchise's 126-year history.

Red Sox starter Bartolo Colon (4-2) gave up 4 runs and 6 hits in 4 innings before leaving with back stiffness.

"I think I did it on a swing," Colon said through a translator. "We'll find out more tomorrow, but I think I'll make my next start."

Howard had his second multihomer game in four nights and finished 3-for-5 with 4 RBI. Howard, who has struggled most of the season, now is tied for second in the NL with 19 homers and he's in a three-way tie with teammate Chase Utley and Adrian Gonzalez for first in RBIs with 62. The 2006 NL MVP is batting just .224.

"I'm just up there trying to be as relaxed as possible," Howard said. "Whatever the numbers are, it doesn't matter as long as we get the win."

The Phillies teed off against Colon in the first inning. Rollins hit his 28th career leadoff homer into the second deck in right field for a 1-0 lead. Shane Victorino followed with a double off the wall in right-center.

After Utley struck out, Howard lined an opposite-field shot into the left-field seats to make it 3-0. Howard hit another opposite-field drive to left-center for a 4-0 lead in the third.

"It's being able to see the ball deep in the zone," Howard said, explaining his power to left field.

Pedroia and Drew went deep in the fifth to cut the deficit to 4-2. But the Phillies scored four runs off reliever Mike Timlin in the sixth to increase their cushion.

Rollins had a 2-run single and scored on Utley's fielder's choice grounder. Howard ripped a triple to right-center off Jacoby Ellsbury's glove to make it 8-2.

Hamels improved to 6-1 following a loss this season.

"He's not the type of guy you want to fall behind," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He's terrific."

Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis was scratched from the lineup because of muscle spasms in the middle of his back.

Marlins 6, Mariners 1: Andrew Miller allowed 1 run and 6 hits over 7 innings as visiting Florida defeated Seattle.

Miller (5-5), who matched his career high with the seven innings, struck out two and retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced to win for the first time in his last five starts.

Giants 8, Tigers 6: John Bowker hit a go-ahead, 3-run homer in the eighth inning to spoil Fernando Rodney's season debut, and host San Francisco beat Detroit.

Marcus Thames homered twice and drove in 3 runs for the Tigers, who had their season-best six-game winning streak snapped.

Mets 9, Angels 6: Carlos Beltran homered twice for New York, and Mike Pelfrey won for the first time in 11 starts as the Mets beat host Los Angeles.

Pelfrey (3-6) allowed 6 runs, 8 hits and 2 walks in 6-plus in his first regular-season start against an AL team.

National League

Braves 7, Rockies 1: Chipper Jones hit a two-run single in the fifth to break open a scoreless game, Jair Jurrjens pitched into the eighth inning without allowing a run, and visiting Atlanta beat Colorado in a makeup from a snow-out on April 10.

Jones, mired in a 2-for-15 slump entering the game, finished 2-for-4 with a walk, raising his average 1 point to .403.

Jeff Francoeur had 2 hits, including a 2-run double in the seventh, and Brandon Jones added a two-out, 2-run single in the ninth.

Jurrjens (7-3) won for the seventh time this season, tops among rookies in the major leagues. He struck out seven and allowed 8 hits in a career-high 7¿ innings.

So much for his ankle bothering him. Jurrjens was scratched from his start last Wednesday after he twisted his left ankle tumbling down the clubhouse stairs at Wrigley Field.

Jurrjens pitched out of jams all night, including the seventh when he gave up a triple to Brad Hawpe to open the inning.

However, after walking Chris Iannetta, Jurrjens struck out Omar Quintanilla, got a nifty over-the-shoulder catch by Jones on Scott Podsednik's blooper to short left and then enticed Willy Taveras to ground out to end the threat.