The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page D01

Complete high school sports coverage on D10-11 and at www.philly.comrally. SECTION SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2010 Wk iPfnlaMpftia ilnquirer WWW.PHILLY.COM Hamels, Phils blank Brewers Keys to the Game ICole Hamels pitched seven shutout innings to run his scoreless streak to 18 straight. 2 Ryan Braun let a ball drop in the second that later resulted in the lone run. 3 Ryan Madson earned his first save since April 24. Phillies Numbers The lefty made a one-run lead stand up.

0 1 Brewers Phillies Next: Brewers (Bush 7-11) at Phillies (Halladay 16-10), Saturday at 7:05 p.m. BATTING AB Bl Avg. Rollins ss 4 0 0 0 .240 Utley 2b 3 0 0 0 .271 Polanco 3b 3 0 1 0 .308 Howard 1b 3 0 1 0 .277 Werth rf 3 0 1 0 .297 Victorino cf 2 110 .255 Ibanez If 3 0 0 0 .258 Ruiz 3 0 0 1 .285 Brown ph 1 0 0 0 .226 PITCHING IP RWK NP ERA Hamels (W) 7 3 0 37 103 3.18 Contreras (H) 1 0 0 02 1 5 3.02 Madson (S) 1 0 0 01 1 1 2.95 an inning gone wayward. A few lazy days in between starts and Hamels wasn't as strong as he used to be when he took the mound. In 2010, Hamels has learned the importance of understanding the meaning of every action.

There was the rigorous off-season conditioning program to strengthen his arm. He has taken clues from Roy Halladay and made it his goal to work harder in the four days in between starts so he can make the day he takes the mound easier. Hamels said he's put on 10 pounds to crack the 200-pound mark, something he said he's been trying to do for five years. That has resulted in a consistently higher fastball velocity. See PHILLIES on D5 By Matt Gelb INQUIRER STAFF WRITER After Alcides Escobar fouled off the third straight Cole Hamels fastball in the seventh inning, Carlos Ruiz realized the Brewers shortstop was slightly more out in front of the pitch than before.

He was catching up to the fastball. So Ruiz, with two runners on, called for Hamels' 103d pitch of the night to be a change-up. "That's a little thing you have to notice," Ruiz said after the Phillies' 1-0 victory over Milwaukee on Friday. Hamels shook off his catcher. It had to be a fastball.

So many times in 2009, it was the little things that befell Hamels. A few unlucky breaks here and Hamels was staring at Braves 78-57 PHILLIES 77-58 1 PHILLIES 77-58 Giants 74-60 2V2 Cardinals 70-62 51fe Rockies 69-64 7 philly com The Phillies Zone blog is updated all day at http:go.philly.compzone. FRIDAY Marlins 6, Braves 1 STEVEN M. FALK Staff Photographer Cole Hamels allowed just three hits through seven innings. He faced the minimum 1 5 batters through the first five.

A Fantastic Finish Temple rumbles past 'Nova in Mayor's Cup thriller Happy Valley's eyes on newQB Robert Bolden, starting against Youngstown State in the opener, is the focus at Penn State. By Kevin Tatum INQUIRER STAFF WRITER A mass of red-and-white jerseys had massed near the 20- yard line on Friday evening at Lincoln Financial Field. There, players from visiting Villanova and Temple were exchanging handshakes and hugs af Temple 31 ter another naiiwter in Villanova 24 the second annual Mayor's Cup. With three seconds remaining, Temple's Brandon McManus a sophomore who in the first half had nailed a career-best 53-yard field goal hit a 43-yarder and the Owls took a 31-24 victory in a nonconfer-ence battle that was the season opener for both squads. "We had our opportunities to win the game," Villanova coach Andy Talley said.

"That was a fantastic game that could have gone either way. People in Philadelphia should really embrace college football, because if you have two teams that can put on a game like this, it's tremendous for the people who came and both programs." The final margin was established when Temple defensive back Justin Gildea ran 26 yards with a fumble for a touchdown with no time remaining. After McManus' last three-pointer gave the Owls a 25-24 edge, Villanova took the kickoff and tried to keep the game alive with a series of laterals before losing control of the ball. Last year, 'Nova took the trophy home after securing a 27-24 victory with a last-second field goal. The rematch drew a crowd of 32,193.

"I thought Brandon would hit it," Temple coach Al Golden said about the game-winner. "You've got to believe in the guys, and then you have to let the guys win the game." Villanova, which had a 14-10 edge at halftime, was up by 21- 13 with 14 minutes, 47 seconds to go. Temple went ahead, 22- 21, before the Wildcats' Nick Yako kicked a 41-yard field goal with 1:51 showing on the clock. Yako's kick, which put his team See OWLS on D3 By Joe Juliano INQUIRER STAFF WRITER STATE COLLEGE, Pa. Because Penn State usually plays a less-than-riveting opening game at Beaver Stadium, fans spend more time tailgating while students sleep in, show up late, and leave early for the nearest party.

But there could be more people in their seats Youngstown for lon.ger period of time State at Saturday to Penn State watch true freshman Rob- Saturday at ert Bol(Jen noon TV- Bia Ten now' his two back- Network ups in the curtain-raiser for the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions against Youngstown State. It doesn't figure to be much of a game. The Football Championship Subdivision Penguins have been outscored, 197-12, since 2005 in five games against Football Bowl Subdivision squads -Penn State once, and Ohio State and Pittsburgh twice each. Still, just to see a quarterback for a Joe Paterno-coached team take the field as a starter in his first-ever game wearing the blue and white is enough to fascinate. There seems to be little doubt that the 6-foot-3, 221-pound Bold-en, of Orchard Park, is going to be good.

But the theory was that Paterno would go early with one of his sophomores, 2009 backup Kevin Newsome or Matt McGloin, and allow Bolden to get more seasoning. But in the end, Paterno obviously wasn't blown away by his sophomores, and couldn't ignore the positive signs he saw from Bolden. "It was a tough decision," Paterno said Thursday night on his radio show. "A little thing here, a little thing there, maybe the way Bolden handled one See PENN STATE on D5 RON CORTES Staff Photographer Temple kicker Brandon McManus celebrates his winning 43-yard field goal with teammate Matt Balasavage (89). As wild and crazy as it gets after his team came back for a stunning last-second win.

"That was not one of them. This is going to be a great game, for years to come. Great college football game, two years in a row." "I think Philly can be proud of the game," Villanova coach Andy Talley said. "People in Philadelphia really should embrace college football in the area." See VILLANOVA on D3 The football teams from Temple and Villanova did their part for the second year in a row. An announced crowd of 32,000 fans which looked and felt about right did its part, too, turning Lincoln Financial Field into a pretty good college football stadium.

You wonder, though, what it will take to fill the other half of the place. Other than a visit from Penn State, that is. "There were a lot of irrelevant games in college football this weekend," Temple coach Al Golden said Eagles shore up 0-line before making cuts Starting in Sunday's Inquirer FRESH START THE EAGLES Cardinals guard Reggie Wells, a consistent starter over the last six years who had likely lost his job in training camp. Jackson, meanwhile, said he is "99.9" percent sure he will play in the Eagles' season opener on Sept. 12 against visiting Green Bay.

To get Wells, the Eagles gave up a sixth-round pick in 2011, a bargain price that indicates he was likely on his way out of Arizona one way or another. The Cardinals had added two free agents this off-season, had a glut of guards, and had moved Wells from the left to the right side. Wells started every game for a prolific Cardinals offense for five of the last six years, including five playoff games and a Super Bowl. A broken ankle limited him to nine games in 2005. Nearly every start came at left guard, though he has also played some tackle.

But he moved to right guard after See EAGLES on D8 By Jonathan Tamari INQUIRER STAFF WRITER A day before final cuts, the Eagles acquired a guard Friday and got good news from Jamaal Jackson on Thursday night, two developments that could help solidify the offensive line, one of the team's biggest questions heading into the regular season. The team must get down to 53 players by 6 p.m. Saturday. The Eagles traded for Arizona It's Kevin Kolb's team now, and The Inquirer traces the quarterback's journey from Stephenville, Texas, to Philadelphia in a five-part series. Plus, a weeklong preview of the Eagles by position.

The Eagles got guard Reggie Wells from Arizona for a sixth-round pick in 201 1.