PHILLIES NEWS

The Phils stayed hot tonight, as they traveled to St.Louis to begin a 3 game set with the Cardinals. Rookie sensation Kyle Kendrick got the start, and as usual toughed out 6 innings of work, while allowing just 3 runs on 7 hits. The Phils meanwhile , used the long ball to explode for 13 runs on 11 hits. Ryan Howard hit a solo homer in the 2nd inning, and a grand slam in the 6th inning, Aaron Rowand hit a 3 run homer in the 4th inning and a solo homerun in the 9th inning, and finally Jimmy Rollins hit a 3 run homer in the 4th inning. Thus, before you knew it, it was 11-0 Phils and St.louis did not know what had hit them. Still, they did not go down quietly. First it was 11-0, then it was 11-3, and then before you knew it the Phils lead had been whittled down to 1, at 12-11. Somehow, Aaron Rowand came to the rescue, snagging a line drive to end the bottom of the 8th inning, and slapping a solo homer to put the Phils up for good, 13-11. The Phils bullpen then just barely got through the last couple innings, and the Phils thus held on to win 13-11, improving to 81-69 overall, now just 2.5 games behind the Mets in the NL East, and still 2.5 games out of first in the wilcard. So life remains beautiful.