Pirates drop exhibition game in Philadelphia

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA

Ryan Howard and Chase Utley homered, Kyle Kendrick pitched three hitless innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 on Friday night.

The defending NL champions returned to Philadelphia for the first of two exhibition games at Citizens Bank Park, and were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of 43,035. They play the Pirates again today before opening the season on Monday in Washington.

Kendrick lost the competition with Jamie Moyer to be the No. 5 starter, but will fill in for Joe Blanton, who strained an oblique muscle on Saturday. Kendrick relieved Cole Hamels in the fourth inning and threw 21 of his 30 pitches for strikes.

Ross Ohlendorf pitched five innings for Pittsburgh, yielding five runs and nine hits, including the homers to Utley and Howard.

Andrew McCutchen and Andy LaRoche had two hits apiece for Pittsburgh.

Hamels was roughed up in his final spring tuneup, allowing three runs and eight hits in three innings. The 2008 World Series MVP, who struggled at times last season, is slated to pitch April 7 in Washington.

“My whole goal is to go out and throw strikes, try to work the ball on both sides of the plate,” Hamels said. “It’s nice because their lineup is both left and right. I thought I did a good job of throwing the pitches I wanted.”