Game Recap:
Kyle Kendrick allowed three runs in the first inning, and the Phillies were never able to come back, dropping their final game of their series against Milwaukee.
What went right?
Chase Utley was 2-4.
Jayson Werth went 1-4 with a double and a run scored.
Ben Francisco was 1-4 and scored a run.
Carlos Ruiz was 1-3 with two RBI and a double.
What went wrong?
Ryan Howard went 0-3 and had an error that allowed a run to score in the ninth inning.
Kyle Kendrick was, well, Kyle Kendrick. He allowed five runs in four innings off of seven hits. He also walked one and struck out two.
Game Analysis:
After getting good starting pitching in the first two games of this series against the Brewers, the Phillies turned to Kyle Kendrick yesterday in an attempt to get a sweep. What they got instead was the usual from Kendrick. Prince Fielder hit a three run home run in the top of the first inning, and after the Phils got to within one in the bottom of the second, Kendrick allowed a Corey Hart double and a Rickie Weeks single in the third and fourth innings to put the Brewers back up by three runs again. That would be all that the Brewers would need in that game, as Randy Wolf and the Milwaukee bullpen finished off the Phillies from there.
The offense didn't look good yesterday, but that loss is pinned directly on Kyle Kendrick. Despite a few good starts this season, Kendrick hasn't pitched well at all lately, going 1-3 with a 7.40 ERA in his last four starts. He's given up at least four runs in each of those starts as well, and hasn't made it past the sixth inning in any one of them, either. The Phillies do have one of the best 1-2-3 starting pitching punches in baseball, but the drop off after those three is amazing. You have Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton, two guys who have done nothing this year to make anyone believe that they can pitch in the big leagues, backing up Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels. Sure, those three will be great in the playoffs, but you need all five starting pitchers to help you make the playoffs. Right now, the Phillies are two games up in the Wild Card, and still one back of the Braves in the National League East. They need to get good efforts from all of their pitchers, not just the three at the top.
Kendrick has to be done as a Phillie after this season, he really does. He shows these brief flashes where you think he's going to be ok, and then he comes out and looks like he did yesterday. He's worn out his welcome here, and once you wear out your welcome in Philadelphia, it's over. The fans are tired of him, he's not helping the team and he's really just getting in the way at the moment. Something has to change with this guy, and I think it would be better if he had a new city to go torture, rather than come back to the Phillies again. It makes the most sense.
Today, the Phils have a Labor Day doubleheader against the Florida Marlins. In the first game, Vance Worley (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his first Major League start for the Phillies against Adalberto Mendez, who is also making his first start of the season. In the second game, Roy Oswalt (10-13, 3.01 ERA) goes against Anibal Sanchez (11-8, 3.14 ERA).
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