--3B Greg Dobbs might have started Tuesday night against Nationals RHP Jason Bergmann, but he tweaked his lower back while fielding a ball during batting practice Monday. So, instead, Dobbs settled for driving in the game-winning run with a pinch single in the ninth inning. Dobbs is 10-for-22 with a majors-leading nine RBIs as a pinch hitter this season. Last year, he led the majors with 18 pinch RBIs. "It's not easy," Dobbs said of pinch-hitting. "I don't care how many hits or RBIs you get, it isn't an easy job. You could get one pitch, five pitches or seven pitches. I try to treat it as if it's my first at-bat of the game. You just want to look for a good pitch to hit, be aggressive and jump on it if you get it."

--LHP Cole Hamels tossed seven scoreless innings Tuesday night, extending his career-high streak to 19 innings without allowing a run. Manager Charlie Manuel joked that the Phillies ace will make a run at Orel Hershiser's major league record of 59 consecutive scoreless innings, set in 1988. "No way," Hamels said. "I watched (Brandon) Webb go for it last year, and he has nasty stuff and wasn't able to achieve it. The way I pitch, I'm bound to give up a few home runs. When I do throw the ball over the plate as much as I do, I'm going to give up some hits."

--1B Ryan Howard struck out three times Tuesday to raise his season total to 68 whiffs in 169 at-bats. Howard set a major league record with 199 strikeouts last season. "He can do better," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He can cut down his strikeouts. I remember two years ago, people asked me if he could ever hit .300. I said, 'Yes, eventually I think he'll hit .300,' and he did it that same year. And it was because he cut down his (strikeouts) that year."

--RHP Tom Gordon made his first appearance in new Nationals Park in the eighth inning. Gordon, a 20-year veteran, has pitched in 45 ballparks during his major league career, tying him with Phillies LHP Jamie Moyer for the most among active pitchers. But Moyer, 45, will move ahead of Gordon on Wednesday night when he makes his first start at Nationals Park. Moyer is a 22-year veteran. Other well-traveled pitchers: Boston's Curt Schilling (43 ballparks), Arizona's Randy Johnson (43) and Boston's Mike Timlin (41).

--RHP Kris Benson's throwing schedule has been accelerated. Benson, whose comeback from shoulder surgery in March 2007 has been slowed by a groin strain, will start an extended spring training game Thursday in Clearwater, Fla. If that goes well, he will make another extended spring start May 27.

BY THE NUMBERS
77 -- Outfield assists for LF Pat Burrell since 1999 (through May 18), second most in the National League behind only now-teammate Geoff Jenkins (88).

QUOTE TO NOTE
"Who knows where I'd be right now if I didn't get injured? One thing when I was coming up was I always knew I had power, and I possibly could hit some home runs in the big leagues. Now that I'm healthy, I'm hitting them. Hopefully, they'll continue to come. They say home runs are accidents. I hope I have 20 more accidents." -- Phillies CF Jayson Werth, after hitting three homers and tying a franchise record with 18 RBIs last Friday night.

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