LOS ANGELES -- Zack Greinke is in midseason form. Terrell Owens Jersey . Cole Hamels is just starting his season. Greinke outpitched Hamels with seven strong innings, Hanley Ramirez homered and Yasiel Puig drove in two runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night. "It wasnt like everything was incredible, but I could use anything in or away at any time," Greinke said. "For the most part, throughout my whole career, Ive had at least two pitches. There have been very few games where I dont have two pitches working, and usually theres three." Greinke (4-0) allowed two runs and five hits while striking out 11 and walking one batter intentionally. Manager Don Mattingly tried to squeeze one more inning out of the right-hander, but lifted him after Jayson Nix drove Greinkes 108th pitch to left-centre for a leadoff homer. J.P. Howell got three outs in the eighth, and Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save after the Dodgers picked up a couple of insurance runs in the eighth on Ramirezs leadoff homer to centre and Justin Turners RBI single off Shawn Camp. Greinke is off to the second-best start of his 11-year career. He won his first six decisions in 2009 with Kansas City, when he finished 16-8 and established career bests with a 2.16 ERA and 242 strikeouts en route to the AL Cy Young Award. "Hes been a great pitcher. He took off in Kansas City when he won that Cy Young and hes been good ever since," Hamels said. "Hes a true competitor and hes pretty smart. He definitely knows how to pitch, and you know when you have to face a guy like him, you have to keep the other guy from scoring because hes going to do the same." It was Greinkes 18th double-digit strikeout game in the majors and his first in 33 starts with the Dodgers. This was the 17th consecutive start in which Greinke pitched at least five innings while allowing fewer than three runs. Hamels took the loss in his season debut, after missing the first three weeks because of biceps tendinitis. The 30-year-old left-hander made 86 pitches, allowing two runs and six hits over six innings with five strikes and a walk. He made 30 or more starts in each of the previous six seasons, so starting the season this late was an adjustment for him. "Thats in the past. I dont really think about last year or last week. I just keep going forward and try to get healthy," Hamels said. "I was worried about what I had to do -- build up my pitch going and get ready to start every five days. Thats what transpired for the past couple of weeks. Thats kind of all I could do. "I knew what I was going into. It was just a matter of preparing myself just like I normally have and getting ready in a spring training-type setting. It was just a couple of weeks later than everybody else." Puig struck out his first two times up, but lined an RBI single to right in the fifth to put the Dodgers ahead 2-1 after Hamels gave up a two-out single by Drew Butera and walked Greinke. "You can never walk the pitcher. I understand Greinke is a very good hitter, but at the same time, you have to let him hit his way on," Hamels said. "That right there was the ballgame. It decided everything in terms of what transpired in the next inning and it racked up my pitch count right there." Juan Uribes sacrifice fly gave Los Angeles 1-0 lead in the second, after Matt Kemp led off with the first of his two doubles. Ryan Howard tied it in the fourth with an RBI single after a leadoff double by Jimmy Rollins. "One of the keys, where Rollins hit that leadoff double, I didnt even try to keep him from scoring," Greinke said. "It would be really tough. As long as you just limit it to that one run, its not that big of a deal. Thats kind of the mindset. Its been working." Greinke had nine strikeouts through the first five innings, including five in a row after Howards hit. Greinke doubled with two outs in the seventh and scored on Puigs triple off the right field fence. NOTES: Two-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw will make a minor league rehab start on Friday with Class A Rancho Cucamonga as he works his way back from a muscle strain in his upper back. He last pitched for the Dodgers in a season-opening 3-1 win over Arizona during the teams two-game visit to Australia. ... The Phillies have 18 extra-base hits over their last four games after getting none in their previous four -- the clubs longest drought since a four-game stretch in May 1968. ... Dodgers 1B and cleanup hitter Adrian Gonzalez, whose 16-game hitting streak ended Tuesday, didnt start for the first time this season. He pinch-hit in the ninth and flied out to the warning track in centre with two men on. Daryl Johnston Youth Jersey . Raymond, 31, started 15 regular-season games for the Stamps in 2013, racking up 51 tackles. He also returned two kickoffs for 79 yards including a 61-yarder. Robert Newhouse Cowboys Jersey .Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have been neck and neck all season, with 17 points separating the rivals and double points on offer for the race.Tensions between them have spilled over during the campaign and the pairs fragile relationship was evident during Thursdays pre-race news conference, when Rosberg goaded Hamilton by advising him to race cleanly. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Deion-Sanders-Jersey/ . Rajne Soderberg, the director of the Stockholm Diamond League event, said in an email Friday that the ban still holds. Euromeetings, the organization representing Europes top track events, "will continue to recommend that members do not invite athletes who we believe cause disrepute to our meetings and our sport.BEREA, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel will start Clevelands exhibition opener on the sideline. Browns coach Mike Pettine chose Brian Hoyer as the starting quarterback for Saturdays game in Detroit, giving the veteran the first chance to impress before Manziel takes the field. Pettine said the decision to start Hoyer over Manziel was based on the veterans performance so far in training camp. "That was his job," Pettine said. "He was the one coming into it. We did want to mix the groups up coming into it, as we did, but hes done nothing to have that taken away from him, so hell be out there with the starters." Manziel has steadily improved, closing the gap on Hoyer in recent days as the rookie becomes more comfortable with the Browns playbook and offence. The former Heisman Trophy winner took his first practice snaps with the first-team offence earlier this week and he could get some playing time with Clevelands starters against the Lions. Manziel said the Xs and Os arent as jumbled in his mind as they were even a few days ago. "You just get out there with a lot less clutter," he said. "Were in to a couple weeks now, and it feels a lot more comfortable for me. Theres still a long ways to go for me obviously, and like I said a week ago, I felt like if I kept working on this stuff and got more and more familiar with a certain play call, a certain formation, a certain concept, then in due time I would get better at certain concepts and theres still a lot more for me to go." The competition between Hoyer and Manziel appears to have tightened, and Pettine said both QBs have made progress during the first two weeks of camp. "Theyve both made improvement, and I think theyre both doing a great job of playing to their skill sets," Pettine said. "Its obviously very different, what they bring to the table. I think Brians starting to feel very comfortable in the pocket." As he works toward naming a starter for the Sept. 7 opener at Pittsburgh, Pettine said more weight will be placed on how Hoyer and Manziel do in the first two preseason games. Pettine would like to have the QB competition -- and all positional battles -- decided before the third exhibition. "Thats the plan," he said. "Ive always been a part of, and more than likely will be here, ressting most of the guys in the fourth game, so that third game is critical to get that chemistry and cohesion. Trysten Hill Cowboys Jersey. Weve mixed the lineups a lot, which is good because youre getting guys exposure. Theyre in with the twos. Theyre in with the ones. Theyre going against the ones, going against the twos. At some point, youve got to settle down and develop that chemistry, that cohesion." Hoyer got a jolt on Tuesday when his surgically repaired right knee got hit during practice. Hoyer said linebacker Paul Kruger banged into his knee but that it held up fine. "It was more scary than anything else," he said. "I kind of went down and waited for there to be some pain and there wasnt, so it was actually kind of good to have some confidence going into Saturday knowing Ive actually taken a hit and the brace withstood the hit and the brace felt good. "I was scared for about two seconds and realized there was no pain and got up and went on to the next play." Hoyer hasnt considered taking a day off to rest his knee. "I cant afford it," he said. "Thats what were here for is to play football. I really dont think I need it. I feel fine." At least outwardly, Hoyer isnt showing any fear of Manziel gaining on him. The six-year veteran remains focused on getting better, leading his teammates and earning the trust of his coaches. Hes been prepared, meticulous and unshaken despite having the popular Manziel breathing down his neck. Hoyer knows he needs to play well, but hes not feeling any more pressure than hes already putting on himself. "The way I look at it is I feel like Im the starter until someone tells me otherwise and thats how I prepare," he said. "Even if I werent, Id prepare to be prepared regardless of the situation. You never know when your name is going to get called. Thats how my whole career has been. You kind of have to approach it the same way." NOTES: Browns Pro Bowl TE Jordan Cameron remains sidelined with a shoulder injury and will not play this weekend. ... As he awaits word from the NFL on his appeal of a possible suspension, WR Josh Gordon will be mixed in with the starter and backups vs. the Lions. ... S Tashaun Gipson returned to practice after being out with a sprained knee and is expected to play. ' ' '