Chase Utley returned to the Phillies lineup last night and the lineup returned to 2009 form, pounding out ten runs as the Phils topped the Reds 10-3. Utley himself was the only one who didn’t seem to join in on the fun — he went 0-for-5 with a strikeout and was the only Phil in the starting lineup not to get a hit.

Coming into last night’s game, the Phillies had scored ten runs in their seven previous games combined.

The Phillies are 29-18 on the year after beating the Cincinnati Reds 10-3 last night. They have the best record in the National League and lead the Florida Marlins by two games in the NL East.

Hamels got the start for the Phillies and went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks. One of the hits went for extra-bases, a three-run homer by Jay Bruce that accounted for all the runs charged to Hamels in the game. He struck out four.

He threw a 1-2-3 first, striking out Drew Stubbs for the first out, getting Paul Janish on a ground ball to third for the second and Joey Votto on a fly ball to left for the third.

He started the second up 2-0 and got Brandon Phillips on a fly ball to right for the first out. Scott Rolen struck out looking for the second before Jay Bruce reached on an infield single. Fred Lewis followed with a ground ball to third with Polanco throwing to second to force Bruce for the third out.

Hamels walked Ryan Hanigan on four pitches to start the third. Arroyo bunted, but Hamels fielded and threw to second to force Hanigan for the first out. Hamels struck Stubbs out swinging again for the second out. Janish grounded to third with Polanco again going to Utley to set the Reds down.

He started the fourth with a 9-0 lead and got Votto on a fly ball to center for the first out before Phillips and Rolen singled back-to-back, bringing Bruce to the plate with men on first and second. Bruce hit a 1-2 pitch out to right, cutting the lead to 9-3. Lewis lined to short before Hanigan drew a walk. Hamels balked him to second, but pitcher Matt Maloney hit for himself and grounded to short to end leave him there.

Hamels threw a 1-2-3 fifth with the Phils up 10-3.

He hit Rolen with a pitch with one out in the sixth and Bruce moved Rolen to second with a single to left. Hamels struck out Lewis and got Hanigan on a ground ball to short to keep the Reds from scoring.

Stutes struck out Todd Frazier and Stubbs in a 1-2-3 seventh.

Stutes has now made 11 appearances for the Phils this season and been charged with one or more runs in just one of them. Righties are 1-for-16 against him for the season with five strikeouts and no walks.

Bastardo threw a 1-2-3 eighth, dropping his ERA on the year to 1.10. In 16 1/3 innings, he’s allowed eight hits and two runs while striking out 23.

Baez threw a 1-2-3 ninth, dropping his ERA on the year to 4.19. Opponents are hitting .291 against him for the season.

Three perfect innings for the pen in which they strike out three without allowing a hit or a walk. Nobody in the pen has appeared more than one day in a row. Baez threw 15 pitches, Stutes 13 and Bastardo 12.

The Phillies lineup against righty Bronson Arroyo went (1) Rollins (2) Utley (3) Polanco (4) Howard (5) Ibanez (6) Ruiz (7) Brown (8) Mayberry. Utley makes his 2011 debut in the second spot in the order. Ruiz catches and hits sixth, which is too high. Brown in right against the right with Mayberry in center and Martinez on the bench. Whether you like the order they hit in or not, the names sure look a whole lot better.

Rollins started the bottom of the first with a single to right. Utley flew to center for the first out before Polanco hit a 1-1 pitch out to left, putting the Phils up 2-0. Howard struck out looking for the second out and Ibanez grounded to first to end the inning.

Ruiz started the second with a single and moved to third when Brown followed with a double to right. Mayberry struck out swinging for the first out. Hamels was next and chopped a ball to first base. Ruiz tried to score from first, but Votto charged and threw home and Hanigan applied the tag for the second out. Brown took third with Hamels safe at first. Rollins flew to center to leave them both stranded.

Nothing for the Phils after putting men on second and third with nobody out. Mayberry can’t put the ball in play for the first out.

Utley grounded to the pitcher Arroyo for the first out in the third, but Polanco and Howard followed with back-to-back singles, putting men on first and second for Ibanez. Ibanez singled to left, scoring Polanco (3-0) and moving Howard to second. Ruiz walked, loading the bases for Brown and Brown lined to left. Lewis made a sliding catch in left for the second out and Howard should have scored, but read it wrong, had to go back to third and then held there. Mayberry was next and he blooped a single into shallow left-center, scoring Howard and Ibanez (5-0) and moving Ruiz to third. Hamels followed and lined a ball towards second that Philips should have caught but missed. Hamels had a single, Ruiz scored and the lead was 6-0 with men on first and second. Rollins was next and he hit a 3-2 pitch way out to right for his third homer of the year, putting the Phillies up 9-0. Lefty Matt Maloney took over for Arroyo and Utley struck out swinging 3-2 to end the inning.

It was 9-3 when the Phils hit in the fourth. Polanco led off with the walk and tried to steal second on a ball in the dirt, but Hanigan threw him out for the first out. Howard flew to a leaping Stubbs on the warning track in left-center for the second out before Ibanez drove a ball out to center, putting the Phils up 10-3. Ruiz followed that with a double to right before Brown popped to Phillips to end the inning.

The caught stealing by Polanco costs the Phils a run.

The Phils went in order in the fifth.

Howard doubled with two outs in the sixth, but Ibanez grounded to first behind him.

Ruiz started the seventh with a single. Brown struck out behind him for the first out and Mayberry popped to first for the second. With righty Jose Arredondo on the mound for the Reds, Gload hit for Stutes and grounded to second to end the inning.

Gload still doesn’t have a walk or an extra-base hit on the season — he’s hitting 294/294/294 through 34 plate appearances. He’s 2-for-his-last-12.

Rollins, Utley and Polanco went in order in the eighth.

Rollins was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. He has slugged .372 in 606 plate appearances since the end of the 2009 season. In the five years from 2004 through 2008 he slugged .468 over 3,618 plate appearances.

Utley 0-for-5 with a strikeout in his first action of the season.

Polanco was 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run and two RBI. That’s his first extra-base hit since May 11, but he has hit in five straight games now, going 8-for-his-last-20.

Howard was 2-for-4 with a double and another well-hit ball that Stubbs handled at the wall. He’s 5-for-his-last-12.

Ibanez 2-for-4 with a home run. 353/380/618 over his last 71 plate appearances starting May 3.

Ruiz was 3-for-3 with a double and a walk hitting sixth. That’s the first time he has had three hits in a game this season. He came into last night’s game 4-for-his-last-43.

Brown was 1-for-4 with a double and five men left on base. He’s 1-for-8 with a double on the season.

Mayberry was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and two RBI. He’s 4-for-his-last-30 and hitting 150/261/250 in 46 plate appearances in May.

Worley (2-0, 1.13) faces righty Johnny Cueto (2-1, 1.45) tonight. Cueto has only made three starts on the year after missing all of April with a triceps injury. Righties are hitting just .150 against him in his three starts so far this year. Worley will be making his third start and fifth appearance of the year. He’s been good in all of them, striking out 15 batters in 16 innings while allowing just nine hits.

Contreras has his rehab appearance rained out last night. He is expected to pitch tonight and could be back later this week. The same article suggests that Victorino could be activated on June 3.

Philliesflow won’t be updated again until around Tuesday, May 31.