PHILLIES NEWS

Rookie sensation Kyle Kendrick got the start tonight and came up with another sterling performance against the Rockies, going 6 innings, and allowing just 3 runs on 10 hits. Meanwhile, the Phils potent offense pounded out 6 runs on 12 hits, off Rockies starter Steve Francis. Jimmy Rollins and Aaron Rowand both hit ground rule doubles and the Phils scored 3 runs in the first. In the second, Shane Victorino doubled and scored on a single by Ryan Howard. Howard later attempted to score on a double by Aaron Rowand, but he was thrown out at home, a moment that would later comeback to haunt the Phils. In the 5th Aaron Rowand, doubled again, Pat Burrell walked, and Wes Helms doubled to score both. Thus, as the bottom of the 6th began the Phils lead 6-1, and Kendrick was dealing. After two quick outs though, he allowed 3 straight singles, and the Rockies scored twice, to cut the lead to 6-3. Kendrick struck out Jeff Baker to end it there, but the damage had been done. Kendrick's day was now over, but the adventure was now beginning for the Phils bullpen. After Kendrick left the game, 5 count em, 5 Phils relievers were used, but none of them could stop the Rockies. They scored a single run in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings to tie it at 6. Of course, if Ryan Howard had not been thrown at home in the 2nd, that still would only have been good enough for them to lose 7-6, but Howard was thrown out and Rockies pushed the game into extra innings. Somehow the Phils kept it tied until the 11th, but there J.D Durbin allowed a one out walk to Garret Atkins and single to Brad Hawpe, putting the winning run on second with only one out. With two outs, Yorvit Torrealba singled and Atkins scored to win it for Colorado 7-6. So the Phils are back to .500 at 43-43, but still only 4.5 games behind the Mets for first, and 2.5 behind the Braves for 3rd. Thus, life sucks again.