Phillies 7, Marlins 2
PHILADELPHIA -- Kyle Kendrick pitched seven strong innings and Domonic Brown went 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs on Thursday night as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Miami Marlins 7-2.
Ryan Howard also homered for the Phillies, who have won four of their last six.
Kendrick (3-1), who shut out the New York Mets in his previous start, allowed two runs and seven hits. He struck out five and walked two. His ERA is now 2.43, best in a rotation that includes Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay.
Mike Adams and Jonathan Papelbon each worked a perfect inning in relief for Philadelphia.
Brown and Howard hit solo homers in the second and fourth, respectively. It was the fourth homer of the season for each.
Brown also had an RBI single in the Phillies' two-run eighth.
Justin Ruggiano hit his fourth homer of the season for the Marlins, who dropped their second straight to fall to 8-21. They began the night tied with Houston for the majors' worst record.
Alex Sanabia (2-4) took the loss for Miami, going five innings and giving up four runs (two earned) and six hits. He struck out four and walked two.
The Marlins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Juan Pierre drew a leadoff walk, and after a single by Donovan Solano, he stole third, the 600th steal of his career. Pierre scored when Placido Polanco bounced into a double play.
Brown tied it with a one-out homer off Sanabia in the third, a tracer into the right-field seats.
Howard gave the Phils a 2-1 lead by launching an opposite-field homer to left in the bottom of the fourth. That shot came on a slider, the ninth pitch of his at-bat against Sanabia.
Philadelphia added two unearned runs in the fifth on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly and a passed ball.
NOTES: Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel did not completely dismiss the comments Wednesday of left-hander Cliff Lee, who after a 6-0 loss in Cleveland said the Phillies need to play with "a little more pride." Manuel said Lee was speaking in the heat of the moment, and that the Phils' offensive woes might make the team look lethargic. But he added, "What he meant was, we need to get after it more and do better." ... Philadelphia's John Mayberry Jr. made his first start in center field in place of slumping Ben Revere. "I think Mayberry gets a better look at the ball in center field than left or right," Manuel said of the 6-foot-6 Mayberry. "Once he gets going, he's got a long stride." ... The Marlins activated shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria from the disabled list and they also purchased the contract of outfielder Matt Diaz from Triple-A New Orleans. To make room on the roster, left-hander Brad Hand was optioned to New Orleans and infielder Nick Green was designated for assignment.
