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Phillies-Nationals Preview

Apr 8, 2010 - 4:42 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Philadelphia (1-0) at Washington (0-1), 4:35 p.m. EDT

With his team's offense already doing plenty of damage, Kyle Kendrick could get plenty of run support in his season debut. But the way he pitched during spring training, the Philadelphia Phillies right-hander might not need it.

Starting for the injured Joe Blanton, Kendrick takes the ball Thursday afternoon against the Washington Nationals as the two-time defending NL champs look to sweep its first season-opening series in nine years.

After pounding out 13 hits in an 11-1 season-opening victory Monday, Philadelphia tagged Nationals pitchers for 11 more hits in Wednesday's 8-4 win.

The Phillies are 2-0 for the first time in seven seasons and have won 14 of 15 against Washington.

"The thing about it is, everybody's not on the same zone right now. We still got guys (struggling) - it's still early," said Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, who is definitely not struggling after homering for the second straight game and driving in three runs. "Not everybody's going on full tilt right now."

Howard, though, has been in his last 12 games at Nationals Park, hitting seven homers with 18 RBIs. His nine home runs at the two-year-old stadium are the most by a visiting player.

"(Howard is) making adjustments on our pitching," said Nationals manager Jim Riggleman. "He's just so dangerous."

Placido Polanco is also proving to be. The Phillies' new third baseman followed up Monday's career-best six-RBI effort with his second straight multihit game.

"It's a really good feeling knowing these guys are going to put up some runs, and you just have to go out there and just try to plug away, get the job done and not really stress as much," said Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels. "It makes the game a little bit more easy."

That offensive punch could benefit Kendrick, who gets the start after Blanton was placed on the 15-day disabled list last week with a strained left oblique.

Despite losing the battle for the fifth starter spot to veteran Jamie Moyer, Kendrick displayed an improved fastball and better control of his breaking pitches during spring training. He went 1-1 with a 1.46 ERA in nine appearances.

"I had a great winter ... got myself in shape," Kendrick told the Phillies' official Web site during the spring. "I feel better where I'm at than last year."

Last season, Kendrick was 3-1 with a 3.42 ERA in nine appearances. He won 10 and 11, respectively, the previous two seasons with Philadelphia.

Washington counters with Craig Stammen, who will try to give the Nationals a better effort than their first two starters.

John Lannan allowed five runs over 3 2/3 innings Monday, and Jason Marquis lasted just four innings in his Nationals debut Wednesday, giving up six runs and issuing three walks.

Stammen had an up-and-down rookie season in 2009, going 4-7 with a 5.11 ERA. He pitched the majority of the year with bone chips in his right elbow before missing the final month of the season to surgically repair the problem.

"I'm really happy for Stammen, because he is pitching without those bone chips," Riggleman told the Nationals' official Web site during spring training.

Stammen, 26, has never faced Philadelphia.

Nationals left fielder Josh Willingham, who has four hits in seven at-bats in the series, is 3 for 9 with a homer lifetime versus Kendrick.

Philadelphia has not swept a season-opening series since 2001 at Florida.