Philadelphia, PA - Kyle Kendrick tossed seven quality innings, as the Philadelphia Phillies completed a three- game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-1 win at Citizens Bank Park.
Kendrick (5-1) — a rookie right-hander — allowed one run on six hits while striking out four and walking one for the Phillies, who have won eight of their last nine to assume second place in the NL East behind the New York Mets. The Mets won a rain-shortened game against the Nationals on Sunday to remain 3 1/2 games ahead of the Phillies for the division lead.
Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Chris Coste knocked in a pair of runs in a pinch-hit appearance.
Ian Snell (7-9) yielded three runs over six innings to take the loss for Pittsburgh, which has dropped six of seven. Nate McLouth homered in a losing effort.
Philadelphia opened up the scoring in the first, as newly-acquired Tadahito Iguchi doubled, moved to third on a Rollins base hit, then scored when Snell uncorked a wild pitch.
The Phillies increased their lead to 2-0 in the third on a one-out double to left by Aaron Rowand that brought in Rollins.
Rollins continued his hot day at the plate in the fifth with a leadoff triple, setting the table for Ryan Howard. The reigning NL MVP cashed in with a sacrifice fly to extend his team’s advantage to three runs.
The Pirates got on the board in the sixth courtesy of McLouth’s leadoff homer.
That was all the damage that Kendrick allowed, however, before handing the ball off to Ryan Madson in the eighth. Madson was forced to leave after two- thirds of an inning with a right shoulder strain, giving way to Antonio Alfonseca, who recorded the final out to keep the Pirates at arm’s length.
The Phillies cushioned their lead in the eighth thanks to Coste’s bases-loaded single that brought in a pair, and Jose Mesa worked the ninth to preserve the win.
Game Notes
Coste was coming off a career-high four RBI performance against the Pirates on Saturday…Iguchi was acquired from the White Sox on Friday for a minor- leaguer and is playing in place of the injured Chase Utley…Snell has lost his last four starts.
