The Phils won the last three games in San Diego to complete the sweep. They didn’t score a whole lot in the series, but won with fantastic pitching that held the Padres to three runs over four games.

The Phillies might not be scoring a whole lot of runs these days, but they aren’t allowing a lot, either. Over their last 16 games they have allowed a total of 44 runs. That’s 2.75 runs per game. Twenty-eight of those runs scored in four of the 16 games. — the other 12 games they’ve allowed a total of 16 runs.

Whether you like their formula for winning or not, the Phils are 15-6 and have the best record in baseball.

Jose Contreras didn’t pitch after the first game in the series and has hit the DL with a strained right flexor pronator tendon in his right elbow. Michael Stutes, who had a fantastic spring training with the Phils, has been called up to take his place on the roster. The Phils fared pretty well without Contreras in the final three games of the set — Madson nailed down a save in games two and three and Bastardo only needed one pitch to get his first career save yesterday afternoon.

Hamels was fantastic in game two and the Phils won 2-0. Hamels went eight shutout innings and Madson worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the year. Howard drove in both of the Phillie runs with a two-run triple in the third.

Blanton was less fantastic in game three of the series, but did manage to hold San Diego to two runs over seven innings. The game went to extra-innings locked at 2-2 until Howard broke the tie with a two-run double in the eleventh. Madson worked the bottom of the eleventh and got his second save in two days. It capped an impressive game for the pen, which went four scoreless innings in relief of Blanton and allowed just one hit (a single) and didn’t walk a batter.

The Phillies are 15-6 on the year after beating the San Diego Padres 3-1 yesterday. The Phils sweep the four-game series.

Halladay got the start for the Phillies and went 8 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk. All five of the hits were singles and he struck out 14.

He struck Cameron Maybin and Jason Bartlett both out swinging for the first two outs in the bottom of the first. Chase Headley was next and drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch, but Halladay got Ryan Ludwick to pop to Howard in foul territory to leave Headley stranded.

Halladay got two strikeouts swinging to start the second as well, getting Will Venable and Brad Hawpe to set the first two men down. Rob Johnson followed and reached on an infield single, but Eric Patterson grounded to Howard for the third out.

Pitcher Wade LeBlanc led off the third and flew to center for the first out. Halladay struck Maybin out behind him for the second time the game, but Bartlett lined a single to right. Headley popped to Rollins to leave Bartlett at first.

Third straight inning that Halladay got the first two batters and the third reached base.

He threw a 1-2-3 fourth and a 1-2-3 fifth.

The Phillies were up 2-0 when Halladay started the sixth. Maybin tried to bunt for a single, but Ruiz fielded and threw him out at first. Halladay struck out Bartlett and Headley behind Maybin.

Up 3-0, Halladay struck out Ludwick, Venable and Hawpe.

Twelve strikeouts for Halladay through seven innings.

Johnson struck out looking at a 3-2 pitch to start the eighth. It was outside, but whatever. Halladay had struck out six straight hitters. Patterson bounced to first for the second out and righty Jorge Cantu hit for the pitcher LeBlanc. Halladay struck Cantu out swinging 3-2 to end the inning.

Fourteen strikeouts for Halladay. He had thrown 113 pitches.

Maybin started the ninth and lined a single to left. Bartlett was next and dribbled a ball in front of the plate. Ruiz jumped on it and threw to second to force Maybin for the first out. Bartlett beat Rollins’s relay to first, bringing Headley to the plate with one out and a man on first. Headley moved Bartlett to second with a single and the righty Ludwick came to the plate as the tying run. Ludwick crushed the ball, but Victorino tracked it down after a long run for the second out and Bartlett moved to third. That brought the lefty Venable to the plate with men on first and third. Halladay had thrown 128 pitches in the game, but stayed in to pitch to Venable. Venable singled up the middle and Bartlett scored, cutting the lead to 3-1. With two outs and men on first and second, Bastardo came in to pitch to the lefty Hawpe. Righty Nick Hundley hit for Hawpe and swung at the first pitch he saw from Bastardo, flying to right to end the game.

Hundley against Bastardo as the winning run isn’t really what you’re looking for there. Worked out okay. Bastardo threw one pitch in the game and got his first career save. He has thrown two days in a row.

The Phillies lineup against lefty Wade LeBlanc went (1) Victorino (2) Polanco (3) Rollins (4) Howard (5) Francisco (6) Mayberry (7) Ruiz (8) Martinez. Ibanez on the bench against the lefty with the Phillies having won the first three games of the four-game series. Francisco in right and Mayberry in left. Martinez starts at second with Valdez on the bench.

Polanco and Rollins walked back-to-back with one out in the first. Howard flew to center for the second out with Polanco moving to third and Rollins holding first. Francisco grounded to short to leave both men stranded.

The Phils went in order in the second and again in the third.

Howard singled with one out in the fourth and Francisco walked behind him. Mayberry struck out for the second out and Ruiz flew to left, leaving both runners stranded.

Martinez started the fifth with a single and Halladay bunted him to second with the first out. Victorino flew to right for the second out. Polanco was next and hit a ball back through the middle, but LeBlanc made a fantastic play, falling to the ground and backhanding the ball, and threw to first for the third out.

Rollins and Howard singled back-to-back to start the sixth, putting men on first and third with nobody out for Francisco. Francisco lined a ball into left center that should have been caught by a diving Ludwick, but the ball went off his glove and Francisco was given a single. Polanco scored to put the Phils up 1-0 with men on first and second. Mayberry followed and he doubled into the left field corner. Rollins scored to make it 2-0 with men on second and third. Ruiz was walked intentionally to load the bases for Martinez. Martinez swung at the first pitch and hit a ground ball to short that Bartlett fielded. Bartlett came home and Mayberry was forced for the first out. Halladay grounded into a double-play behind him.

No more for the Phils after loading the bases with nobody out. Martinez can’t bring the runner home from third with nobody out. Ludwick should have caught the ball that Francisco hit.

Victorino led off the seventh and hit a ball well to right center. Venable dove for the ball and deflected it. It went off his glove and rolled towards center field, away from Maybin who was moving towards right. Victorino tore around the bases and slid into home plate head first, just ahead of the relay for an inside-the-park home run. 3-0 Phillies. Polanco followed that with a single, but Rollins hit into a double-play behind him. Howard grounded to Patterson for the third out.

Francisco started the eighth with an infield single, but Mayberry hit into a double-play behind him. Ruiz flew to center for the third out.

Righty Ernesto Frieri set the Phils down in order in the ninth. Halladay hit for himself having thrown 113 pitches and struck out for the second out.

Victorino was 1-for-5 with an inside-the-park home run yesterday. 2-for-15 with three walks in the four-game series. He’s hitting 289/352/482 on the year.

Polanco was 1-for-3 with a walk yesterday and 5-for-11 with five singles and three walks in the series. 366/429/488 for the year.

Rollins went 1-for-3 with a walk yesterday and 3-for-13 with three singles and five walks in the series. He also drove in a run in game three of the series, giving him two for the year. He’s on pace to drive in 15 for the year and hitting 256/344/305. He has four extra-base hits for the year, all four of which are doubles.

Howard was 2-for-4 yesterday and 5-for-18 with a double, a triple and four RBI in the series. He had huge hits in games two and three and didn’t walk or strike out in any of the four games. He’s hitting 284/337/494 for the year.

Francisco 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. 5-for-14 with two walks, a triple a home run and four RBI in the series. 263/329/434 for the season.

Mayberry 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. 2-for-5 in the series. He’s 7-for-20 with two doubles on the season. Ibanez was 0-for-11 with two walks in the series, dropping his line for the year to 187/265/253.

Ruiz was 0-for-3 with a walk yesterday and 0-for-6 with two walks in the series. He’s hitting 241/328/397 for the season and is 1-for-his-last-21. Schneider was 1-for-8 with a home run in the series and is 2-for-16 on the year with two home runs.

Martinez was 1-for-4 with a single yesterday and is 3-for-15 with three singles on the year. Valdez went 1-for-8 in the series to drop his line on the year to 263/311/316.

Cliff Lee (2-1, 3.91) faces righty Ian Kennedy (2-1, 5.64) tonight in Arizona. Kennedy has been pretty good in three of his four starts but allowed nine runs in three innings in the other, which will hurt your ERA. Lee has allowed two earned runs in 15 innings over his last two starts.