PHILADELPHIA, Oct 1, 2008 (AFP) - Cole Hamels struck out nine as the Philadelphia Phillies posted their first playoff win since 1993 by beating Milwaukee 3-1 in the opening game of the Major League Baseball playoff Wednesday.

Hamels retired the first 14 batters and the Phillies batted around in the third.

Philadelphia's last playoff win was on October 1993, when Schilling threw a shutout in game five of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Hamels (1-0) struck out nine while allowing two hits and a walk in eight innings to notch his first career postseason win.

The 24-year-old lefthander was perfect until allowing a single to Corey Hart with two outs in the fifth.

Brad Lidge made it interesting in the ninth, allowing one run, but stranded the tying run on second base by striking out Hart to close the frame.

Brewers righthander Yovani Gallardo (0-1) was let down by his defence in the third, when second baseman Rickie Weeks' error led to three unearned runs.

The 24-year-old Gallardo, who was making his second start since injuring his knee and undergoing surgery on May 1, was lifted after four innings.

He allowed three hits and walked five while striking out three.

Gallardo was forced into game one duty because ace CC Sabathia pitched on the final day of the regular season and Ben Sheets was left off the roster with an elbow injury.

Mitch Stetter, Carlos Villanueva, Manny Parra and Guillermo Mota combined to allow one hit over the final four innings, but Hamels refused to bend, retiring the final eight batters he faced.