Last night, the Phillies made up for Friday's 6-4 loss to Houston. Scoring 12 runs against the Astros to even up the series. Along with getting their winning game back last night, the Phillies advanced to three games back in the NL Wild Card race. Cole Hamels lasted seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked on and struck out eight to get his 15th win of the season, tying a career high. Tonight, Kyle Kendrick (9-10, 3.83 ERA) has the ball as he seeks to get back on a winning streak of his own. Opposing Kendrick and the hot-hitting Phillies will be Dallas Keuchel (1-7, 5.35 ERA).
Kyle Kendrick has been brilliant over his last six starts. Over that span (42 1/3 innings) Kendrick posted a 1.79 ERA and marked off a 5-1 record. Kendrick has allowed just fifteen earned runs and has struck out 33 hitters. In his last start, against the Marlins on Monday, the righty threw seven innings of one-run ball to earn his ninth win of the season. Striking out eight and walking three, Kendrick helped the Phillies get to within a game of .500. In his career against the Astros, Kendrick is 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA.
Dallas Keuchel has not had a season he wants to remember. Since June 23, after tossing a complete game shutout for his second-major league start, he lefty has gone gone 0-7 with a 6.35 ERA in his last 11 starts. In his last start, a no-decision effort against the Cubs, Kuechel tossed four innings allowing one earned run on six hits. The Astros would go on to lose the game, 4-1. Kuechel has never faced the Phillies in his career.
The Phillies sit three games back in the NL Wild Card race after yesterday's loss and a Cardinals 8-5 oss to the Dodgers. The Dodgers closed in closer against the Cardinals, creeping up to just one game behind. With a Pirates win this afternoon, the Phillies are a half game back of Pittsburgh. A Phillies win tonight can pull up to tie them.
Tonight's lineup @ Houston:
- Rollins SS
- Frandsen 3B
- Utley 2b
- Howard 1B
- Mayberry CF
- Wigginton LF
- Brown RF
- Kratz C
- Kendrick P.
TV: CSN ; Radio: 1210 WPHT, 94 WIP.
Follow Erik on Twitter @ErikSeyboldPHI.
