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Phillies rally to take opener from Braves

May 14, 2008 - 4:43 AM By Vince DiGregorio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - Jayson Werth almost went from hero to goat, but the Philadelphia Phillies held on for the victory.

Werth had three hits and tied his career-high with four RBI to help the Phillies rally from a three-run deficit to a 5-4 victory over the Braves in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.

The Phillies were clinging to a 5-3 lead entering the ninth inning and closer Brad Lidge on the mound. Lidge got the first out before Mark Kotsay walked and went to second on defensive indifference. Chipper Jones flied out to the left field fence for the second out.

"(Jones) just missed it," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "I thought he might have tied it right there."

Brian McCann followed with what appeared to be a game-ending flyout to center, but Werth misjudged it by breaking in and watched helplessly as the ball sailed over his head for an RBI double that scored Kotsay to pull the Braves within 5-4.

"I read the swing, but the crowd was yelling there and I wasn't able to hear the contact," Werth said. "(McCann) kind of one-handed it away on an offspeed pitch. I read (the flyball) in right off the bat, but after a few steps in, I realized it clearly wasn't in. Definitely a miscue in a bad situation there."

Lidge walked Greg Norton before getting Jeff Francoeur to fly to right center where Werth and Shane Victorino converged, but Victorino made the catch to help Lidge record his 10th save.

With Mark Texiera out of the lineup because of back spasms, the loss dropped Atlanta's road record to 5-15, worst in the major leagues.

Werth had given Philadelphia its 5-3 advantage with a two-out, bloop RBI single in the seventh.

"We're more of a second half of the game (type of) club anyway," said Werth, who notched his fourth career four RBI game. "We usually hit better in the later innings.

"I haven't been really hitting that well this year with guys on base. It's one thing I've been focusing on. I was glad to get the guys in when it counted and when it mattered."

Atlanta reached Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick for three runs in the first inning. Chipper Jones delivered an RBI single to make it, 1-0. Kendrick got the next two batters out but Jeff Francoeur lined a two-run single to right.

The Braves had a chance to add to their lead in the second when they loaded the bases with two uts, but Brian McCann popped out to end the threat.

"From there, I just try to keep us in the game," Kendrick said. "I think our offense is going to score three runs. You don't want to give up three in the first, but you've got to just fight."

After Braves starter Jo-Jo Reyes retired nine of the first 11 batters, Chase Utley singled and Ryan Howard doubled to deep center field to start the fourth. One out later, Werth grounded a two-run single to center to cut the deficit to 3-2.

"You don't want to start the game down 3-0," Werth said. "But I don't think this team at any point panics or tries to do more than what (we're) capable of doing."

Philadelphia took its first lead in the fifth inning with a pair of two-out runs. Howard beat the overshift with a ground RBI single to right to tie the game. Two batters later, Werth scored Howard with a line single to left.

"It's good for us to manufacture some runs," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Werth had a good night hitting. I don't think you've seen the best of our offense yet."

Kendrick (3-2) went six innings and allowed three runs on six hits. The righthander walked four and struck out two.

Reyes (1-1) lasted 6 2/3 frames and gave up five runs on 11 hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

"I didn't walk anybody and was locating my fastball," Reyes said. "Some of my best pitches were hitting their bats, but that happens with good hitters."