Cole Hamels won his ninth game of the season tonight, 7-2 over the White Sox, to lead the NL. He also leads in strikeouts (104) and home runs allowed (16).

Hamels could become the first Phillies pitcher 23 years or younger to win twenty games since Robin Roberts did it at the age of 23 in 1950. There is only one other Phils pitcher since the beginning of the twentieth century to do so (George McQuillan in 1908).

Here are the only Phillies pitchers 23 or younger to win twenty games:

When Hamels wins his next game, he will join a short list of Phillie pitcher under 24 to win ten or more games. There have been just twenty. In the last fifty years, there have been just five pitchers who have won 13 or more games in a Phillies uniform before turning 24:

The win also puts the Phils three games over .500 for the first time this season. They are just a game out of second place and three and one-half out of the division lead.

Unfortunately, they will throw rookie Kyle Kendrick, whose moniker resembles a "Name Game" variation of George Hendrick's, in tomorrow's start. A win would seal a three-game sweep of the reeling White Sox. With A.J. Happ injured and Zack Segovia ineffective in Triple-A, recalling Kendrick from Double-A was the best available option. Despite a 4-7 record, he had a 3.21 ERA and decent strikeout numbers (50 in 81.1 innings). He did, however, take three years (2003-06) to get out of Single-A, so a move to the majors might be a bit rushed.

Meanwhile, Adam Eaton is a different pitcher every time out. He shut out the White Sox in game one of this series. If you sum his best six, or half of his game started, you get a pitcher who averages just under seven innings a start, with under five hits, and a 1.80 ERA. However, in his worst six starts—the other half—he averaged under five innings per appearance, seven hits, and a 10.60 ERA. He's schizophrenic and so is he. Oddly, his strikeouts and walks remains pretty much unchanged throughout, about three walks and four strikeouts per game.

By the way, with the shutout in Eaton's last start the Phils did something that has only been done one other time in baseball history. They sandwiched a game with 17 runs allowed between two shutouts. The 1915 Reds were the only other team to give up that much in between shutouts. Here are the most runs allowed sandwiched between tow shutouts:

Tm	Lg	Yr	Date	Opp Team	R	RA	W	L
Cincinnati Reds	NL	1915	19150912	NY1	5	17	71	83
Washington Senators	AL	1938	19380622	CHA	3	16	75	76
Chicago White Stockings	NL	1882	18820922	CL2	6	15	55	29
Cincinnati Reds	NL	1978	19780810	SDN	3	15	92	69
Cincinnati Reds	NL	1987	19870814	SDN	8	15	84	78
Philadelphia Athletics	AL	1937	19370929	NYA	4	15	54	97
St. Louis Browns	AL	1909	19090702	CHA	3	15	61	89
Washington Senators	AL	1920	19200913	CHA	6	15	68	84

Meanwhile, John Lieber is the only other pitcher who has been effective in the remainder of the Phils rotation. Jamie Moyer started the season strong, but as he has gone around the NL and teams have faced him a couple of times, he has started to show his age. He was 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA at the end of April. He is 2-4 with a 5.88 ERA since. His strikeouts per nine innings have also dropped substantially from 6.35 in April to 3.67 since and an awful 2.53 in his two starts in June so far.

With Garcia out, Brett Myers, who is eying a return from injury next week, might be needed in both the closer and starter roles. Unfortunately, this team has a dearth of pitching depth in its organization. But maybe keeping Alfonseca in the closer role and recasting Myers as a starter would be best use of talent, which is why I expect them to use Myers as the closer.