Phillies welcome new hitting coach with win

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Phillies gave new hitting coach Greg Gross a welcome boost when they exploded for a five run, fifth inning to ease past the Colorado Rockies 6-0 on Friday.

Gross replaced Milt Thompson as hitting coach on Thursday, and the team, who had been mired in a hitting slump, responded.

"I think that everybody was better focused," said Raul Ibanez, who went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs. "We focused a little better today as a team. We focused on winning the game.

"That's what this team has done since I've been here, and that's what I expect us to do."

Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco and Ibanez all scored in the fifth before Ross Gload completed the inning's scoring, when he smashed a two-run home run into the bullpen to chase Rockies starter Aaron Cook, who gave up five runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out two in 4.1 innings.

"I think that Gload has shown he's got some pop," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.

"He's got four home runs. He's capable of hitting a pinch-hit homer for us, too. He's a pretty good hitter."

Rollins scored again in eighth, driven in by Ibanez, while starting pitcher Roy Halladay pitched eight shutout innings to improve to 11-8, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out nine.

"I think it's definitely surprising, but hopefully it's going in the right direction," Halladay told reporters about the coaching change.

"You hate to see somebody lose their job over it, but it's always a business. You have to produce."

(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)