Happ throws shutout, Phillies beat Colorado 7-0

PHILADELPHIA — J.A. Happ struck out a career-high 10 in his second shutout of the season, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night.

Jimmy Rollins, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz all homered.

Happ (8-2) tossed a four-hitter in his latest outstanding outing, making a strong argument to remain in Philadelphia's rotation. But it may not be enough for the rookie left-hander.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez made a rehab start 65 miles away for Double-A Reading. If Phillies officials are convinced Martinez can start in the major leagues, he likely would send Happ to the bullpen.

Manager Charlie Manuel says it's still too early to talk about what the rotation will look like once Martinez joins the Phillies.

Happ or Martinez. Martinez or Happ. It almost doesn't matter who is pitching for the NL East leaders when they're swinging the bat like they did against Jorge De La Rosa (9-8).

Philadelphia tagged the lefty for three homers and seven runs in only five innings to end his personal seven-game winning streak, tying the longest active streak in the National League. De La Rosa lost for the first time since June 16, ending a 7-for-7 stretch that set the franchise record for most consecutive starts with a win.

De La Rosa also took a one-hopper off his left arm in the fourth inning. He needed a visit with the trainer and a few warmup tosses before he resumed pitching.

By then, the Phillies were already ahead 4-0.

Ryan Howard singled in a run in the first and the Phillies added three more in the second. Feliz hit a solo homer to left, his seventh, and Rollins extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a two-run shot, continuing his torrid stretch since ending an 0-for-28 drought.

Happ, who earned his first shutout June 27 at Toronto, got a standing ovation as he left the mound after the eighth. He heard his loudest cheers of the night when he doubled to deep center in the bottom half.

His outing puts the Phillies in a tough situation.

Reigning AL Cy Young Award Cliff Lee makes his home debut for the Phillies on Thursday. World Series MVP Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton also have locked up spots. The Phillies don't see 46-year-old Jamie Moyer as a legitimate option out of the bullpen. Moyer leads the Phillies with 10 wins, but has a whopping 5.55 ERA.

That means it could be last call for Happ, who made 13 relief appearances earlier this season.

Werth, an NL All-Star, hit an opposite-field, three-run shot in the fifth for his 23rd homer.

NOTES: Phillies RHP Brett Myers (hip) is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Thursday in Clearwater, Fla. Myers is hopeful of a late-season return. "If he can pitch like I know he can, he's going to help us," Manuel said. ... Phillies 2B Chase Utley was hit by a pitch for the 100th time in his career. ... Happ's double was his first career extra-base hit.