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Kendrick, Phillies top Marlins in doubleheader opener

Jun 15, 2011 - 9:25 PM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Kyle Kendrick did his best Roy Halladay impression, throwing seven strong innings to lead the Phillies over Marlins, 8-1, in the opener of a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon.

Now, the Marlins will have to face the real thing.

Kendrick (4-4) allowed just one run and five hits, striking out five, while Jimmy Rollins belted a three-run homer and Wilson Valdez hit a three-run triple during a six-run third inning.

"It was definitely nice to get some runs early," said Kendrick.

The Phillies scored their eight runs on just eight hits, extending their winning streak to five games and pushing their MLB-best record to 42-26.

They picked on 24-year-old Marlins right-hander Elih Villanueva, who was making his first career major league start. Villanueva (0-1) lasted just three innings and gave up all eight runs on five hits, walking five and striking out two.

The Phillies will turn to Halladay for the back end of the doubleheader Wednesday night.

Anibal Sanchez will take the mound for Florida after requesting a head-to-head meeting with the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.

The Marlins need someone -- anyone -- to play stopper. They have lost five in a row, falling to just 1-13 in their last 14 games.

Meanwhile, the Phillies' winning streak began with four consecutive wins by its celebrated "Four Aces" -- the first time they've done that this season.

Kendrick picked up where Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels left off. He settled down after allowing a first-pitch homer to Logan Morrison in the first inning for Florida's only run.

"He sunk the ball, moved it around and used all his pitches. He did a heck of a job," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

J.C. Romero relieved Kendrick to pitch a perfect eighth and Danys Baez worked around a single in the ninth to finish the game.

The Phillies have scored 35 runs during their streak. They pasted the Marlins 9-1 in the opener of this four-game series Monday night, and the offense continued to pour it on Wednesday.

Ryan Howard hit an RBI double in the first, and Rollins added a run-scoring single in the third.

But Philadelphia didn't blow the game open until the third, when Chase Utley was hit by a pitch and Howard walked to put the first two runners on. Villanueva intentionally walked Ben Francisco to get to Valdez, who roped a 1-1 pitch to the warning track in left-center field, where outfielders Chris Coghlan and Morrison almost collided trying to catch it.

After Valdez knocked in all three runners, backup catcher Dane Sardinha walked to set the table for Rollins, who knocked a 1-1 pitch into the right field seats with two outs to make it 8-1.

Game Notes

The day-night doubleheader is due to a rainout on April 16...Villanueva's contract was selected from Triple-A New Orleans in a move that transferred ace Josh Johnson to the 60-day disabled list...Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez came off the disabled list to play in the series opener on Tuesday, his first action since May 29 (strained left back). He sat out the first game of the doubleheader but was expected to play in the second...Marlins third baseman Greg Dobbs, a former Phillie, had two of Florida's six hits.