Major League Baseball News

Kendrick hopes to continue home dominance against Rockies

Sep 12, 2007, 14:52 GMT

- Kyle Kendrick will try to win his fourth straight overall decision and remain undefeated at home when his Philadelphia Phillies continue their four-game series with the Colorado Rockies tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

Kendrick is 6-0 with a 3.26 earned run average in nine starts in Philadelphia this season. He bested San Diego at home on August 26 to win his second straight start, and then defeated Florida on the road five days later.

Kendrick last toed the rubber on Wednesday in Atlanta and didn't factor into the decision of his team's 9-8 loss. The right-hander lasted five innings against the Braves -- remarkably his shortest outing of the season through 16 starts -- and allowed two runs on six hits.

On the year, Kendrick is 8-3 with a 3.78 ERA, and got a no-decision when he faced the Rockies for the first time in his career on July 6 after giving up three runs and 10 hits in six innings of work.

With starter Elmer Dessens slowed with a strained left hamstring, the Rockies will turn to their bullpen tonight. Getting the ball first will be right- hander Denny Bautista, who is 2-1 with a 19.06 ERA through seven appearances this year.

Bautista, who has made 20 starts in his career, hasn't pitched for Colorado since May 13 against the Giants when he allowed six runs and seven hits over just a third of an inning. He went 3-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 51 relief appearances at Triple-A Colorado.

The Dominican isn't expected to throw more than two innings tonight in what will be his first-ever appearance against the Phillies. His last start came with the Rockies exactly one year ago when he was hammered for six runs (one earned) in 1 2/3 innings of a loss to the Giants.

The Phillies and Rockies have split the first two games of this series, with Colorado posting an 8-2 victory on Tuesday night. Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki both homered in the win, while Matt Holliday went deep twice.

Tulowitzki's homer extended his new NL record for most home runs by a rookie shortstop to 21.

Franklin Morales (1-2) threw five shutout frames, allowing just three hits with four strikeouts.

The victory kept the Rockies 3 1/2 games behind the Padres in the wild card standings, as San Diego topped Los Angeles yesterday. The Phillies, meanwhile, fell 2 1/2 contests back of the front-running Padres.

Adam Eaton (9-9) allowed three of Colorado' four long balls to take the loss, giving up four runs and six hits over five innings. Jimmy Rollins homered in the setback.

Colorado won two of three when these two clubs met at Coors Field in early July.

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