• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rockies keep rolling with rout Phillies

Sep 13, 2007 - 6:01 AM By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies not only absorbed a crushing defeat, but also had another starting pitcher injured.

Matt Holliday hit a three-run home run and Todd Helton had a three-run double to power the Colorado Rockies to a 12-0 rout of the Phillies on Wednesday.

Cory Sullivan added three hits, including a home run and scored three times as the victory gave the Rockies (76-69) the same record as the Phillies (76-69) in the battle for the National League wild card.

"We had a lot of offense to throw out there," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "(We had) two big swings - Holliday's swing and Helton's swing."

The San Diego Padres still lead the race for the wild card by 2 1/2 games pending their matchup with the Dodgers later Wednesday night.

"This group of guys really enjoys coming to the field every day and playing together and just enjoying the game and enjoying the fact that we're in a pennant race," Holliday said.

Mark Redman (1-4) pitched five innings of scoreless relief for Colorado. Starter Denny Bautista pitched just two innings because of a pitch count.

With pitchers Jon Lieber and Freddy Garcia out for the season and Cole Hamels on the disabled list, Philadelphia suffered another blow to a starting pitcher.

Kyle Kendrick was struck on the right knee by a line drive off the bat of Garrett Atkins leading off the fourth inning and had to be helped off the field.

The righthander suffered a right lateral knee contusion. X-rays taken were negative and Kendrick is listed as day-to-day.

"I didn't really get a chance to see (the replay), but I felt it," Kendrick said. "It didn't feel good. The good thing is, it's just a deep bruise and it really depends how I feel tomorrow. I'm optimistic about it."

Kendrick (8-4) went three-plus innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts. The righthander took his first loss at Citizens Bank Park this season after going 6-0 in his previous nine home starts.

There were bizarre plays from the outset with a clear sky and a full moon.

Sullivan blooped the first pitch of the game for a single into left-center as Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand let the ball drop between them. Troy Tulowitzki followed with a bunt single on the first pitch.

However, Holliday then hit a low liner that Greg Dobbs caught at third and started a 5-4 triple play.

"Everything was weird about (the first inning)," Tulowitzki said. "On our side offensively and on their part. That was definitely a different first inning. It was very awkward."

Then, it was the Phillies' turn to experience the effects of the full moon in the bottom of the first. They loaded the bases with nobody out on two walks sandwiched around a botched Colorado play on an infield single.

However, the Phillies blew the scoring opportunity as Bautista retired the next three batters to end the threat.

"I thought (the triple play) would be a good sign," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Then we had the bases loaded and nobody out and we came away with nothing. That turned the game around."

"That Houdini act (Bautista) pulled in the first was just what the doctor ordered after the way they closed us out," Hurdle said.

Colorado opened the scoring in the third when Sullivan and Tulowitzki reached base on a single and walk, respectively, with two outs. Holliday then blasted a 1-0 pitch deep into the left-center field seats for his 30th home run of the season to make it, 3-0.

"Anytime early in the game, you can get a three-run spot, it's a help to the team and that's the best part about it," Holliday said.

The homer was also Holliday's fourth in this series. In three games thus far, he's 6-for-11 with eight RBI and six runs scored.

"I left the pitch up to Holliday," Kendrick said. "He's swinging the bat well. Right now, if you leave pitches up like that to him, he's not gonna miss them."

Redman then took over in the bottom of the third and limited the potent Phillies offense to just two hits over the next five innings. He struck out four batters without issuing a walk.

"The cutter was working tonight," Redman said. "If I fell behind, I was throwing cutters and I was getting those 2-1, 2-0 popups and flyballs. It really worked well, just moving the ball in and out."

The Rockies broke the game open in the fourth with six runs. John Ennis replaced Kendrick after Atkins led off with the line drive single that injured Kendrick.

Omar Quintanilla had a RBI single to make it, 4-0. Tulowitzki added a two-run single and Helton later cleared the bases with a three-run double to make it, 9-0.

Sullivan homered in the sixth inning that made it 10-0 and Ian Stewart added a pinch RBI double in the eighth for the 11-run margin. Colorado tacked on another run in the ninth.

"Everybody's hot right now. If we get some decent pitching performances, we're tough to beat," Tulowitzki said.