Howard's HR and four RBI highlight Phillies' win over Indians

Jun 20, 2007, 2:55 GMT

Cleveland, OH - Ryan Howard had three hits, including a towering solo homer, and tied a season-high with four RBI to power the Philadelphia Phillies past the Cleveland Indians, 9-6, in the middle installment of a three-game set at Jacobs Field.

Howard added an RBI single and a two-run double, to go along with a mammoth home run that traveled an estimated 451 feet in the third inning. Chase Utley added a two-run single, and Pat Burrell a two-run double, as the offensive outburst helped young right-hander Kyle Kendrick to his first major league win.

Kendrick (1-0) allowed three runs on five hits, walked a batter and struck out one over six effective innings for Philadelphia, which snapped a two-game skid and moved within two games of the New York Mets for first place in the NL East. The 22-year-old has now had consecutive solid outings while filling in for the injured Freddy Garcia, and could be cemented as a starter in the Phillies' rotation.

Ryan Garko, who came into the game mired in a 2-for-41 slump, hit a solo homer in the second for Cleveland. He also added an RBI single in the fourth.

Jason Stanford (1-1) was touched for six runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings for the Indians, who had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Down 6-3, the Indians got within a run in the eighth. Jhonny Peralta started a two-out rally with a single off Ryan Madson and went to second on a balk. Trot Nixon walked and Garko singled to load the bases. Jason Michaels followed with a two-run single, and the Phillies called on right-hander Jose Mesa, who retired pinch-hitter Casey Blake on a ground ball with the visitors clinging to a one-run lead.

Howard added a two-run double in the ninth, then came around on Greg Dobbs' pinch-hit double for a 9-5 Phillies' edge.

Peralta's two-out RBI double off Antonio Alfonseca in the bottom of the ninth accounted for the final margin.

The Phillies sent eight batters to the plate and put up three runs in the first inning. Jimmy Rollins legged out a bunt single, and after Shane Victorino popped out, Utley was hit by a pitch. Howard's line drive deflected off the glove of first baseman Garko, allowing Rollins to score. After Aaron Rowand popped out, Burrell's double chased home Utley and Howard for a 3-0 lead.

Garko's homer put Cleveland on the board, but Howard's tremendous upper-deck blast in the third gave the Phillies a 4-1 cushion.

The Tribe, however, battled back with a pair in the fourth. Travis Hafner drew a leadoff walk, Peralta walked and both advanced on Nixon's groundout to first.

Garko's single scored Hafner and David Dellucci followed with a ground ball to first that pulled Howard well off the bag. Howard scooped up the ball and fired a low throw to second, just getting Garko, but Kendrick failed to nab the return throw while covering first and Peralta scored. Dellucci was also injured on the play, as he broke stride before reaching the bag, then fell to one knee and lunged at the base, where he was ruled safe. He then rolled over, grabbed his left leg and had to be helped off the field. He was replaced by Michaels.

Philadelphia added two more in the seventh, as Utley ripped a bases-loaded single to center off former Phillie Aaron Fultz.

Game Notes

Dobbs is 3-for-3 in three career plate appearances against Cleveland...Thirteen of Howard's last 27 hits have been home runs...The Phillies are 35-2 this season when leading after eight innings...Cleveland infielder Mike Rouse, who started at third base, snapped an 0-for-22 slump with a fourth-inning single. It was his first hit since May 10...Peralta finished 3-for-5...Attendance was 17,371.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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