Phillies Lace Marlins in Series Opener, Keep Heat on Mets
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The Phillies carried the momentum established in their four game sweep of the Mets into the opener of their 3 game series with the Florida Marlins. They got big games from shortstop Jimmy Rollins, 2nd baseman Chase Utley and outfielder Jayson Werth in building up a 6-0 lead after 3 innings and surprising rookie Kyle Kendrick took care of the pitching chores going 7 innings to earn his 8th win as the Phils ripped the Marlins by a 9-2 score and kept pressure on the Mets.
With the win and the series sweep, the Phillies stayed within 2 games of the NL East leading Mets who pounded the Atlanta Braves by a 7-1 score behind John Maine who won his 14th game of the season. The Phils also remained 2 games behind wild card leading Arizona who lost to the Colorado Rockies by a 7-3 score.
AP sports writer Steven Wine aptly described Kendrick’s performance in these opening lines of his report for Yahoo sports;
Kyle Kendrick was hit hard only when he batted.
The Philadelphia right-hander took a fastball off his right arm trying to bunt in the second inning, but he still pitched seven innings.
Kendrick struck out four, walked one and induced double play grounders to end the first three innings.
The Phillies put early numbers on the the board and Kendrick, despite being one of three Phils hitters plunked by Marlins’ starter Sergio Mitre amidst their 4 run 2nd inning, continued with no ill effects of being hit in the arm as he pitched 7 solid innings giving up 2 runs on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4.
AP writer Wine describes the other highlights of the game;
The Phillies climbed 10 games above .500 for the first time.
The injury-plagued Phillies were relieved the rookie wasn’t seriously hurt. Ace Cole Hamels’ return to the rotation was postponed at least a week Friday because of a lingering elbow strain
“Same old Kendrick,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He kept his poise and battled them. He’s a pitcher. He doesn’t strike a lot of guys out but he knows how to pitch and he doesn’t give in.”
Chase Utley drove in three runs and reached base four times. Rollins and Jayson Werth had three hits each, and Pat Burrell drove in runs with a groundout and a sacrifice fly.
The Phillies’ Kane Davis, called up before the game from Triple-A Ottawa, pitched two scoreless innings in his first major league appearance since Sept. 30, 2005.
Mitre (5-8) gave up seven hits and six runs in 3 1-3 innings. He has an 8.86 ERA in his past eight starts.
“Obviously I’m not doing what I was in the first half,” Mitre said. “It’s showing.”
“The atmosphere obviously is not like back home, but the game is huge, and you could see the guys with the same intensity as back home,” Kendrick said.
It showed at the plate. Rollins doubled to start the game and later scored on Burrell’s groundout.
The Phillies added four runs in the second, when Mitre tied a major league record for one inning by hitting three batters. That included Utley with the bases loaded.
Carlos Ruiz and Rollins had RBI singles, and Burrell’s fly ball scored another run.
Aaron Rowand doubled in the third and scored on Werth’s single to make it 6-0.
Florida scored in the fourth on an RBI double by Miguel Cabrera — only his seventh hit in the past 49 at-bats. Hanley Ramirez doubled in the sixth, stole third and came home on a fielder’s choice.
In other related news, the St. Louis Cardinals placed 3d baseman Scott Rolen on the disabled list for the final month of the season and acquired third baseman/outfielder Russell Branyan to fill in for the injured Rolen. Branyan was acquired from the Phillies for “a player to be named later.” Branyan, acquired by the Phillies in mid-August, had 2 hits, both homers, in 9 at bats with the Phils. One of the homers was an 8th inning pinch homer in his first at bat as a Phil in their 3-2 win over Washington on August 14.
Also, ace Cole Hamels will be absent from the starting rotation for another week due to “elbow discomfort during a bullpen session.”
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on this and all of Friday’s games, click here.
On Saturday, an equally surprising J.D. Durbin faces Byung-Hyun Kim. In Sunday’s series finale, Adam Eaton tries to improve upon his last start, a 5 2/3 inning no-decision against the Mets on August 28th. Eaton faces lefthander Scott Olsen who has been pounded hard in his last 2 starts.
The Phillies next head for Atlanta on Monday for 3 very big games with the Braves followed by a day off on Thursday.
For the scores, boxscores and recaps on all of Saturday’s and Sunday’s games, click here and here.
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