Cole Hamels pitched eight superb innings and the Philadelphia Phillies took advantage of a pair of errors in the fifth to post a 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Carlos Ruiz hit an RBI double while Placido Polanco and Raul Ibanez also drove in a run apiece for the Phillies, who won their season high-tying eighth straight contest and increased their lead over the Braves in the National League East to four games.

Atlanta got a run off Hamels in the second inning as Derrek Lee led off with a single and scored on Brian McCann's double.

Hamels (12-10) gave up just three hits the rest of the way, walking one and striking out six en route to his fifth consecutive win. The 26-year-old has allowed just two runs over his last 39 2/3 innings and has yielded more than two earned runs just once in his last nine starts.

Brad Lidge struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 24th save in 29 opportunities.

Philadelphia knotted the game in the bottom of the second on Ruiz's double and moved ahead for good in the fifth thanks to a pair of miscues by Atlanta.

Leadoff hitter Shane Victorino reached third safely when right fielder Jason Heyward misplayed his fly ball and came home on a groundout by Polanco, giving the Phillies a 2-1 edge.

Chase Utley followed with a single, stole second and went to third on catcher McCann's throwing error. After reliever Eric O'Flaherty walked Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez hit a grounder to shortstop that allowed Utley to score for a 3-1 advantage.

Brandon Beachy (0-1) made his major league debut for Atlanta in place of Jair Jurrjens, who was scratched due to a sore right knee. The 24-year-old pitched well in the pressure situation, allowing three runs - one earned - and four hits in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and one strikeout.