Pirates 5, Phillies 4
WP – A.J. Burnett (9-2, 3.31)
LP – Kyle Kendrick (2-8, 5.35)
SV – Joel Hanrahan (20)
PHILADELPHIA — Kyle Kendrick settled in, but it was after he gave up five early runs.
That early hole was too deep for the Phillies to climb out of and they lost, 5-4. They split the four-game series with the Pirates, and finished the home stand 5-5.
The Pirates got Kendrick for five runs in the 1st inning.
With one out, Garrett Jones hit an RBI single that scored lead-off hitter Drew Sutton. The with two men on, Casey McGehee hit a three-run homer off Kendrick to blow the game open early.
Pedro Alvarez followed that up with a solo homer, giving the Pirates a 5-0 lead before the Phillies could even swing their bats.
The Phils did chip away at the lead. They got two runs back in the 2nd inning thanks to a two-run homer by Erik Kratz and one in the 6th on an RBI by Placido Polanco, who legged out a grounder to prevent a double play ball.
In the bottom of the 8th, Hunter Pence led off with a solo homer and then Polanco was hit by pitcher Jason Grilli but that was all. Grilli struck out Ty Wigginton, gave up a bleeder and struck out Jim Thome to give him two outs.
With Carlos Ruiz hitting, Grilli got MLB’s batting leader to pop out to first base with McGehee making a great catch on the run.
The Phillies mounted one more rally in the 9th. Jimmy Rollins led off with a single an advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Juan Pierre. Rollins then stole third with no one paying attention but it was all for naught when Pence flew out to end the game.
HR: Kratz (2), Pence (14).
