MILWAUKEE -- Changes are coming.
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. spoke about possible adjustments to the Phillies' roster before Monday night's 3-2 victory over the Brewers at Miller Park, saying some players already in the organization could be taking some jobs in the coming weeks. Of course, there also could be changes from trades before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.
 
Utley, Hamels lead Phillies over Brewers 3-2
 
But while everybody waits to see what the roster could look like on August 1, the Phillies on Monday enjoyed just their fourth victory in their past 17 games.
They needed it.
The Phillies clubhouse has been a tough place to be during that stretch, but they enjoyed a rare win following some early offense, a solid night from Cole Hamels and a good effort from the Phillies' bullpen.
Ben Revere singled and scored in the first inning when Chase Utley hit a two-run home run to right field to hand the Phillies a 2-0 lead. It was Utley's seventh homer of the season, and his first since his June 26 walk-off home run in a 14-inning victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park.
Utley needed it.
He had hit .220 with two doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs and a .561 OPS in 37 games since May 28.
The Phillies took a 3-0 lead in the third inning when Utley scored from first on Ryan Howard's single to right. It was the first time the Phillies held a lead of three or more runs since June 24, when they beat the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, 7-4.
Couple that with the fact the Phillies had averaged just 2.56 runs per game in their 3-13 stretch, and it must have seemed like an embarrassment of riches for Hamels. He has had some of the worst run support in baseball this season, but he certainly would have welcomed another run or two, considering the Phillies' recent history.
The Phillies were 1-27 when scoring three or fewer runs since May 9.
The Brewers cut the Phillies lead to one in the fifth inning when Hamels loaded the bases with no outs, with some unwanted help from Cody Asche's error at third base. Pinch-hitter Jeff Bianchi singled to right to score two runs.
Hamels found himself in a jam in the seventh when he walked Khris Davis on four pitches to start the inning. Jean Segura followed two batters later with a one-out single to put runners on first and second. Brewers manager Ron Roenicke had Martin Maldonado step to the plate as a pinch-hitter, but Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg elected to have Hamels face him instead of right-hander Ken Giles, who was warmed up in the bullpen.
Maldonado, who was just 2-for-31 in his career as a pinch-hitter, struck out swinging for the second out.
Sandberg then called for Giles to face Rickie Weeks. Curiously, Roenicke didn't have Scooter Gennett hit for Weeks, despite an .883 OPS against right-handers compared to .649 for Weeks. Weeks flied out to center field to end the inning.
Giles worked out of a jam with the help of some poor Brewers baserunning in the eighth, but Phillies fans looking for a silver lining must have loved Giles' four-pitch strikeout of Carlos Gomez for the second out, which included Gomez losing his helmet when swinging at a 1-1 slider.
Giles threw Gomez four sliders in that at-bat.
Todd Zolecki / MLB.com
 

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