Indians unable to stop Phillies
Ryan Howard had three hits and four RBIs to lead Philadelphia’s 9-6 win.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Ryan Howard hit a 451-foot homer and drove in four runs, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Cleveland Indians 9-6 Tuesday night and helping Kyle Kendrick to his first major league victory.
Howard had an RBI single in a three-run first, homered into the second deck in right in the third off Jason Stanford (1-1) and added a two-run double in the ninth off Roberto Hernandez.
Of Howard’s last 27 hits, 13 have been home runs.
Kendrick, a 23-year-old right-hander making his second major league start, allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Called up from Double-A Reading on June 13, he made his debut that day against the Chicago White Sox and didn’t get a decision.
Slumping Pat Burrell hit a two-run double in the first, and Chase Utley added a two-run single off Aaron Fultz in the seventh.
Garko ends slump
Ryan Garko, who entered in a 2-for-41 slump, hit a solo homer in the second. He added an RBI single in the fourth.
Stanford allowed six runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out three, walked one and hit two batters.
With the Indians trailing 6-3, Jason Michaels hit a two-run single with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth off Mike Madsen.
Jose Mesa relieved and was booed by Cleveland fans who haven’t forgotten he pitcher blew the save for the Indians in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 1997 World Series against Florida, which the Cleveland lost in 11 innings.
Mesa quieted the fans a bit by retiring pinch-hitter Casey Blake on a groundout.
After Jimmy Rollins started the game with a bunt single, Utley was hit by a pitch with one out. Howard followed with a line drive single that hit off Garko’s glove at first base.
Burrell also ends slump
With two outs, Burrell, who has been in a season-long slump, doubled to center for a 3-0 lead. Burrell had been hitless in his last 12 at-bats and was batting .150 (20-for-133) in his last 48 games.
Howard’s long home run came on an 0-2 pitch with one out in the third.
Following Garko’s single in the fourth, David Dellucci drove in a run with a fielder’s choice groundout, but left when he injured his left hamstring making a headfirst dive into first base.
Dellucci was on the ground for a couple of minutes and had to be helped from the field by two trainers. The Indians said he is day to day.
While Dellucci was being helped to the dugout, Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee and a trainer went to check on Kendrick for a possible injury, but the pitcher stayed in the game.
Notes
RHP Jake Westbrook (left abdominal strain) is to start Sunday at Washington. He hasn’t pitched for the Indians since May 2. ... Utility INF Mike Rouse, who was starting at third base, snapped an 0-for-22 slump with a fourth-inning single. It was his first hit since May 10. ... Howard has six homers in interleague games. ... A career .280 hitter against left-handers going into the season, Burrell is batting .162 (11-for-68) with four homers and 12 RBIs against lefties this year.