Phils Outlast Rain, Marlins

In a rain soaked game that featured a rain delay and some thoughts of a possible postponement, the Phillies defeated the Marlins 6-4 after they really got to Marlins starter Mark Buehrle. Even with the rain pouring down all night, the Phillies offense was able to put up six runs and scattered fourteen hits.

KENDRICK IN AND OUT OF TROUBLE

Kyle Kendrick got himself in and out of trouble all night. He allowed a leadoff hit to Jose Reyes, who was thrown out at second on the play. Then he allowed a single to Omar Infante and a double to Giancarlo Stanton that scored Infante. After a shutdown 2nd inning, he got himself in to a bases loaded, one-out jam, but he induced a a double play by Logan Morrison to get out of it. He loaded the bases again in the 4th only to benefit by a line-out by Infante with two outs.

EVERYBODY HITS (Off Buehrle)

Placido Polanco went 3-3  on Mark Buehrle with two singles and a double. Carlos Ruiz also went 3-3 with two singles and a double. Hunter Pence was 2-3 with a home run. Altogether, the Phillies collected ten hits. Earlier in the season, they collected eight hits and three runs over 6.1 innings off Buehrle. He came in with a 1.12 WHIP against the Phils, and in tonight’s game, he allowed 11 hits in 5.0 innings (or a 2.20 WHIP for you math experts).

EARLY START

In what seems to be the norm for these Phillies, they got off to a hot start. In the first inning, the Phils got three straight hits by Placido Polanco, Hunter Pence, and Carlos Ruiz after a leadoff groundout by Jimmy Rollins. With the bases loaded, Ty Wigginton popped out, but was picked up by Hector Luna who singled to left to give the Phillies two early runs. Then in the 2nd, they collected two more hits by Rollins and Polanco, but no runs to show for it.

BULLPEN ISSUES

Starter Kyle Kendrick gave up two runs over 5.1 innings. The Phils looked to be comfortably ahead until Antonio Bastardo gave up back-to-back home runs to Logan Morrison and Justin Ruggiano. Then Jake Diekmann loaded the bases with one out after Antonio Bastardo walked a batter. Thankfully, Jonathan Papelbon came into the game in probably his highest leverage situation of the year and induced a pop-up and then a strikeout of Hanley Ramirez to shut down the rally. He came back out to pitch a scoreless ninth for this first five-out save of the year.

GAME NOTES:

There was a 48-minute rain delay after the 4th inning.

Jose Reyes got on base four times Friday night. He’s one of those players that is fun to watch regardless of his antics.

Jose Contreras injured himself pitching in the seventh. The official word is “right arm soreness”, but I think we all know it’s probably something more.

In other baseball news, Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter in Mets history tonight against the Cardinals.

Hector Luna collected 3 RBI in just his 29th career appearance in LF.

The Phils moved within 2.5 games of first place with the win.

The Phillies will take on the Marlins again tomorrow at 4:05, with Cole Hamels (8-1, 2.43 ERA) and Ricky Nolasco (5-3, 4.26 ERA) taking the mound.