The offense awoke from their slumber tonight – if just for one night – as the Phillies pummeled the Pirates by a score of 12-4. Kyle Kendrick returned to form and hung in there for a complete game.
The lineup was led by the team’s sparkplug Jimmy Rollins, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored including a home run. JRoll started the game off with a single and crossed the plate thanks to a Shane Victorino triple to deep center. The Phils continued to pour on the runs going 5-16 with runners in scoring position on the night. Ryan Howard earned his keep with three RBIs (2-3 with RISP) as all the Phillies starters recorded a hit.
Both starting pitchers finished the game allowing 10 hits, only the Pirates’ Paul Maholm allowed his before recording an out in the fourth inning. The inning prior though is when the Phillies did the most damage – by putting up a 5-spot in the third. That’s all Kyle Kendrick would need as he settled in to record the first complete game of his career and improved to 4-0 lifetime versus the Buccos.
It would be an understatement to say the Phillies needed this win. They needed this offensive explosion too, and they especially needed their healthy superstars to come through and carry the team. Rollins, Victorino and Howard were a combined 8-for-14 with 7 RBIs and 6 runs scored. The role players contributed as well with Cody Ransom going 2-5 in his debut despite dropping a popup in the eighth. BenFran hit his first homer of the season as Raul Ibanez had the night off.
All-in-all tonight’s game afforded fans some semblance of reality – something to hang their hats on as the All-Star break approaches. Joe Blanton will try to salvage the series with an Independence Day showdown tomorrow afternoon. Oh yea, and it’s worth noting the Phillies have 2 more wins than they did at this point last season.
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