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Brown drives in 3 runs, Phillies beat Marlins

Aug 5, 2010 - 4:40 AM MIAMI(AP) -- Rookie Domonic Brown says he's starting to feel comfortable as a big leaguer and it's showing.

Brown drove in three runs, Kyle Kendrick pitched six effective innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins 7-2 Wednesday night.

Raul Ibanez added two RBIs as the Phillies won for the 11th time in 13 games.

"Right now, it's fun, we are in the race, it's exciting and there's no room for error," Kendrick said.

After a 58-minute rain delay at the start, the Phillies took a 2-0 lead off Anibal Sanchez in the first inning on RBI singles by Ross Gload and Brown. Kendrick (7-4) kept Philadelphia ahead, allowing two runs.

"The rain delay kind of affected (Sanchez)," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "He was ready to go before the delay and then when he sat for an hour and he went back he wasn't the same."

Brown, the Phillies' top prospect, matched his major league RBI total coming into the game. He also had a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring grounder.

"His development is very important to us," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "Our goal is to get back to the World Series, but at the same time when we turn him loose, I want to make sure he's ready."

In addition to his offensive output, Brown also threw out a runner at home on a base hit to right and tracked down a ball in the gap.

"He showed a heck of an arm," Manuel said.

Brown is hitting .273 in six games since being called up from the minors, where he hit .327 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs in 93 games.

"I'm just trying to take it one step at a time, that's it," Brown said.

Gaby Sanchez went 4 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI. Fellow rookie Mike Stanton hit his 10th homer for the Marlins, who have lost three straight.

"What happened tonight was a wash because I did do well but the team lost," Gaby Sanchez said.

The Marlins had an opportunity to cut into a 5-2 deficit in the eighth as the first two batters reached base against Ryan Madson, who then retired the next three hitters.

Second baseman Dan Uggla's throwing error on Brown's potential inning-ending, double-play grounder helped the Phillies score twice in the ninth.

Coming off a one-hitter against San Francisco, Anibal Sanchez (8-7) struggled allowing four runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings. He struck out seven.

"My changeup wasn't good today so I threw the fastball and slider. My curve was a little flat," Sanchez said.

With a 2-1 lead in the fifth, the Phillies opened the inning with three straight singles off Sanchez, including an RBI single by Ibanez. Sanchez was eventually lifted in favor of Taylor Tankersley, who limited the damage by allowing just a sacrifice fly by Brown.

NOTES: Ibanez extended his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Recently acquired 1B Mike Sweeney is expected to join the Phillies on Thursday. ... Gaby Sanchez also had a four-hit game on June 11 against Tampa Bay. ... The Phillies' Jayson Werth snapped an 0-for-24 slump at Sun Life Stadium with a single in the ninth. ... Marlins C Brett Hayes will be activated from the DL on Thursday and Brad Davis is being sent down to Triple-A New Orleans.