| SEASON | CAREER |
| W2 | 7 |
| L3 | 6 |
| G5 | 23 |
| IP29.2 | 113.0 |
| BB16 | 35 |
| SO15 | 70 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W2 | 56 |
| L1 | 43 |
| G5 | 169 |
| IP33.2 | 791.1 |
| BB8 | 227 |
| SO24 | 415 |
After their pitching staff allowed 20 runs and 31 hits in consecutive losses, the Philadelphia Phillies should be able to breathe easier with red-hot Kyle Kendrick set to face the worst offense in baseball.
Kendrick looks to continue his outstanding stretch Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against the visiting Miami Marlins .
Despite having Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee on the mound, Philadelphia (12-16) was outscored 20-2 while getting swept in a brief series in Cleveland.
"The Indians beat up on us these two games," said manager Charlie Manuel following a 6-0 loss on Wednesday. "They took it to us pretty good."Now Manuel's club returns home looking to snap a three-game losing streak at Citizens Bank Park.
Kendrick (2-1, 2.41 ERA) is pitching with some confidence heading into this start after recording the second shutout of his career in a 4-0 road win over the New York Mets on Friday.
The right-hander scattered three singles, walked one and struck out five while allowing two runs or less for the fourth straight start. He's 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA over that span.
"He's had a lot of poise on the mound," first baseman Ryan Howard said.Kendrick is also 7-0 with a 2.19 ERA in his last nine starts against the Marlins, who enter this series last in the majors in runs (79), batting average (.224) and homers (12). The Phillies have won eight of those nine games dating back to the 2010 season.
NL-worst Miami (8-20) failed to sweep the Mets on Wednesday and had its season-high three-game win streak snapped when its bullpen blew a three-run lead in a 7-6 loss.
"It's tough to sweep teams in the big leagues," manager Mike Redmond said. "At the end of the day we won a series, and that's huge, and hopefully something we can build off during this road trip."The Marlins turn to right-hander Alex Sanabia (2-3, 4.85) as they embark on a season-high 10-game trip.
After tossing six shutout innings in his first start, Sanabia has posted a 6.08 ERA while dropping three of his last four outings. He allowed three runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Sanabia pitched well in his only career start in Philadelphia, giving up one run and six hits over six innings in a 2-1 loss on Sept. 15, 2011.
Howard, who had his 11-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday, went 6 for 12 with four doubles to help the Phillies take two of three in Miami last month.
Second baseman Chase Utley is batting .348 in 67 career home games against the Marlins.
With Miami's Rob Brantly questionable due to a cut on the index finger of his throwing hand, Miguel Olivo could get another start behind the plate.
Olivo, though, may have a difficult time breaking out of his 1-for-16 slump since he is 1 for 9 against Kendrick.
Third baseman Placido Polanco makes his first trip back to Philadelphia after spending the past three seasons with the Phillies.
Philadelphia has won nine of the last 12 meetings in this series.
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AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPS
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Rob Brantly | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .400 | .650 | .250 |
| Chris Coghlan | 11 | .455 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .538 | .993 | .455 |
| Greg Dobbs | 12 | .083 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .083 | .166 | .083 |
| Nick Green | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Austin Kearns | 13 | .154 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .214 | .368 | .154 |
| Wade LeBlanc | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| John Maine | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Miguel Olivo | 9 | .111 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .111 | .222 | .111 |
| Juan Pierre | 5 | .400 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .400 | 1.000 | .600 |
| Justin Ruggiano | 6 | .167 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .167 | .334 | .167 |
| Donovan Solano | 5 | .200 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .167 | .367 | .200 |
| Giancarlo Stanton | 18 | .167 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | .211 | .600 | .389 |
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| John Lannan | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .000 |
| Cliff Lee | 2 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 1.000 | .500 |
| John Mayberry | 3 | .667 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 2.334 | 1.667 |
| Jimmy Rollins | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Carlos Ruiz | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Chase Utley | 3 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
 Miami Marlins |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| April 30, 2013 | Giancarlo Stanton | 15-Day DL | Strained right hamstring |
| April 29, 2013 | Giancarlo Stanton | Day-to-Day | Left game - strained right hamstring |
| April 28, 2013 | Joe Mahoney | 15-Day DL | Hamstring strain |
| April 17, 2013 | Adeiny Hechavarria | 15-Day DL | Bruised left elbow |
| April 13, 2013 | Justin Ruggiano | Day-to-Day | Groin |
| April 12, 2013 | Giancarlo Stanton | Day-to-Day | Left shoulder soreness |
 Philadelphia Phillies |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| April 18, 2013 | John Lannan | 15-Day DL | Strained left quadriceps tendon |
| March 22, 2013 | Delmon Young | 15-Day DL | Recovery from right ankle surgery |
| March 22, 2013 | Delmon Young | 15-Day DL | Recovery from right ankle surgery |
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Kyle Kendrick isn't just the bargain of the Philadelphia Phillies ' star-studded staff, he's become the ace.
Ryan Howard and Domonic Brown hit solo homers to back Kendrick and the Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 7-2 Thursday night.
Kendrick (3-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings to earn his ninth straight win against the Marlins, dating to May 28, 2010.
"He did a good job," manager Charlie Manuel said. "They hit some balls hard, but he made pitches when he had to."
Kendrick followed up a three-hitter against the New York Mets with his fifth consecutive solid start. He's outpitched Philadelphia's three aces - Cole Hamels , Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee so far. While they have three Cy Young Awards, a World Series MVP Award and 14 All-Star appearances on their resumes, Kendrick has never won more than 11 games in a season.
But Kendrick has a 2.43 ERA this season and the Phillies are 4-2 in his starts. Hamels, Halladay and Lee are a combined 5-8 with a 4.85 ERA, and the Phillies are 5-13 in their starts.
"I've always kind of expected this," Kendrick said. "It hasn't always been there. Hopefully now I can be consistent every time out. I feel comfortable and confident I can do that."
Kendrick is making $4.5 million this year. Hamels, Halladay and Lee will earn a total of $64.5 million.
He's not just a one-year wonder, either.
Kendrick is 10-5 since returning to the rotation last August.
"In the last two years, he's had a harder workout routine," Manuel said. "He's stronger in the core, his sinker is better velocity-wise and he's improved his command."
Justin Ruggiano hit a solo shot for Miami. Alex Sanabia (2-4) gave up four runs - two earned - and six hits in five innings.
Howard gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead in the fourth when he hit a towering, opposite-field drive that just cleared the left field wall. That temporarily gave him more homers (four) than walks (three). He then got an intentional pass in the fifth and drew another walk in the eighth, his first multiwalk game since Sept. 1 against Atlanta.
Brown lined a shot over the right field fence to tie it at 1 in the second. He had an RBI single in the eighth and finished 3 for 4, his fifth multihit game in the last eight. He's 12 for 31 with two homers and seven RBIs in that span.
"He's got the talent to be a good hitter," Manuel said. "He can not only be a high average hitter, but a power hitter, too."
A pair of unearned runs in the fifth helped the Phillies take a 4-1 lead. Chase Utley drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Jimmy Rollins scored on a passed ball after reaching on a fielding error by second baseman Donovan Solano .
Juan Pierre walked to start the game and went to second on Solano's single. Pierre swiped third base for his 600th career steal and scored when Placido Polanco grounded into a double play.
"It feels good to be mentioned with guys like that," Pierre said after becoming the eighth player since 1920 to have 1,000 runs, 2,000 hits and 600 steals. "But I really don't feel like I should be mentioned with those guys. It's nice to have played all this time and accomplished something."
Ruggiano hit one out to straightaway center leading off the sixth, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
NOTES: Kendrick is 11-3 overall vs. the Marlins. ... The Phillies are 8-3 behind Kendrick, John Lannan and Jonathan Pettibone . ... Phillies CF Ben Revere wasn't in the lineup because of a swollen right ring finger. ... Delmon Young started his first game in right field for the Phillies after DH'ing in Cleveland in his first two games of the season. ... Adeiny Hechavarria was activated from the 15-day disabled list and tripled in the fourth. ... The Marlins called up OF Matt Diaz from Triple-A New Orleans. Nick Green was designated for assignment and LHP Brad Hand was optioned to New Orleans. ... Pierre is the ninth-fastest player to reach 600 steals, doing it in 1,907 games. ... Ricky Nolasco (2-2, 3.82) faces Jonathan Pettibone (1-0, 4.35) on Friday night. Nolasco is 8-5 vs. Philadelphia.
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Miami Marlins