Unbeaten Happ pitches Phils past Marlins 5-0

[July 20, 2009]  MIAMI (AP) -- Unbeaten rookie J.A. Happ won again, and so did the Philadelphia Phillies.

Happ allowed five hits in seven innings, and the Phillies extended their longest winning streak since 2006 to eight games by beating the Florida Marlins 5-0 Sunday.

Happ (7-0) also singled with two outs to start a three-run rally in the second inning.

Jimmy Rollins had three hits by the third and came within a home run of the cycle, while Raul Ibanez doubled home two runs to help the Phillies complete their second three-game sweep in Miami this season. They've won eight in a row in Miami while outscoring the Marlins 49-18.

Philadelphia won for the 12th time in the past 13 games. The winning streak is the Phillies' longest since they won nine in a row April 30-May 9, 2006.

With the sweep, the Phils improved to 29-15 on the road, best in the majors. Florida fell seven games behind Philadelphia in the NL East.

Happ, who leads NL rookies in wins, pitched at least seven innings for the fifth start in a row and lowered his ERA to 2.68. Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge completed the eight-hit shutout.

Andrew Miller (3-5) lasted only 2 2-3 innings for the second game in a row. He allowed six hits, four walks and four runs, and he fell to 0-3 in six career starts against the Phils.

Rollins came into the game 1 for 15 against Miller, but by the third inning he had a single, double and triple. Rollins struck out in the fifth and hit into a double play in the eighth.

Miller gave up three runs in the second after retiring the first two batters. Happ reached on an infield single, Rollins singled and Shane Victorino loaded the bases with an infield single. Chase Utley fell behind 0-2 but was hit by a pitch to force in a run, and Ibanez doubled to make it 3-0.

Rollins doubled home a run in the third to end Miller's afternoon.

NOTES: Between innings, former Marlins manager Jack McKeon unveiled a sign on the left field wall counting down the home games until the opening of the team's new ballpark. The number Sunday stood at 194. ... Phils 1B Ryan Howard, who is 1 for 12 against Miller, was held out of the starting lineup. ... RHP Rodrigo Lopez, scheduled to start Monday for the Phillies against the Cubs, allowed eight earned runs in 4 2-3 innings the only other time he faced Chicago two years ago.

[Associated Press; By STEVEN WINE]

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