Game Recap:
Raul Ibanez drove in two, Domonic Brown brought in three, and Kyle Kendrick pitched six innings of two run ball as the Phillies took their second in a row from the Florida Marlins.
What went right?
Jimmy Rollins was 2-4 with a run scored and two walks.
Placido Polanco went 2-4 with two runs scored and a walk.
Raul Ibanez was 2-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Ross Gload went 1-3 with two walks and an RBI.
Domonic Brown went 1-4 with three RBI.
Kyle Kendrick pitched well, allowing just two runs on eight hits in six innings of work. He didn't walk a batter, struck out five and went 1-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored.
Brad Lidge worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning. It wasn't a save situation, but it still looked good.
What went wrong?
Jayson Werth was 1-5 with three more strikeouts.
Wilson Valdez returned to being Wilson Valdez, as he went 0-5.
Game Analysis:
Two games without Ryan Howard, and there's no problem as of yet. Tonight Raul Ibanez and Domonic Brown helped pick up the slack and backed up Kyle Kendrick as the Phils won their third game in a row and second straight over the Florida Marlins.
Even with the rain delay at the start of the game, the Phils came out and looked sharp early on offense. Just as they had last night, the Phillies scored with two outs, and this time they did it in the first inning. Ross Gload and Domonic Brown each had big two out hits in the first to give the Phillies a quick 2-0 lead. While the hit in the first was Brown's only one of the game, he still drove in two more runs, thanks to a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice that turned into an error. It wasn't necessarily the prettiest way to drive in runs, but Brown got the job done when he had to tonight. He's still taking his lumps up at the plate, and Charlie Manuel isn't using him all the time, but the kid has looked good so far. He's been a nice addition to the lineup when he has played, and it's going to be fun to watch him grow through the rest of the season. As for Raul Ibanez, it was another day in turning his season around. With two more hits tonight, Ibanez extended his hitting streak to 12 games and has raised his batting average 20 points in that span. Considering how he was playing for most of the regular season, this is a very welcome sight for any Phillies fan. Without Ryan Howard in the middle of that lineup, someone has got to step up, and right now, it's Raul Ibanez.
Just as the Phillies did last night, they got another good pitching performance. This time, it was from Kyle Kendrick, who has looked much more focused ever since the Phils demoted him for five days. I don't know if it was the quick trip back to the minors, or if something just clicked in Kendrick's head, but ever since he got called back up, he's been nothing short of...good. It pains me to say that, it really does, but Kendrick actually looks like a good pitcher right now. He did give up some hits tonight, and got into a little trouble in the fifth inning, but Jimmy Rollins made a great play on a line drive that saved two runs from scoring. Other than that, Kendrick didn't walk a single batter, and he didn't let the bad situations get to him. He's looked like a new pitcher in his last three starts, allowing just four runs and picking up wins in two of the three. It's another welcome sight for the Phillies, who needed someone to step in for Jamie Moyer. Joe Blanton certainly doesn't seem like he's up to the task, so Kyle Kendrick seems willing and able, at the moment at least, to step in. As long as he keeps pitching the way he is right now, no one is going to mind.
There's something about the way that this team has played so far in two games down in Miami. It might be the fact that they know they have to play better, or just that everything is finally starting to come together for this team, but there's something different going on right now. It's a different air to everything, and it's a good feeling. There's still a very long way to go this season, but every time the Phillies win against anyone, especially an NL East opponent, it's moving them in the right direction. They didn't gain any ground on the Braves tonight, but they pushed the Marlins and Mets back another game from themselves, and gained a game on the San Francisco Giants in the wild card race. Anything can still happen, but the Phillies are doing their part for the moment.
Tomorrow, the Phillies go for the sweep against the Marlins. Roy Oswalt (6-13, 3.53 ERA) makes his second start for the Phillies. Hopefully, it will go better than his first start did. Chris Volstad (5-8, 4.71 ERA) will go for the Marlins.
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