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Sanchez tries to pitch Marlins past Phillies

Jul 6, 2011 - 3:03 PM (Sports Network) - Playing without two of their regulars didn't stop the Phillies from posting their best offensive showing of the season last night.

That isn't good news for Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez, whose July didn't get off to the best of starts last week.

Sanchez will try to slow down Philadelphia tonight and snap Florida's seven- game series losing streak to the club in the finale of a three-game series at Sun Life Stadium.

The Phillies were without third baseman Placido Polanco, named an All-Star starter over the weekend, as well as outfielder and National League Final Vote candidate Shane Victorino on Tuesday night, but still connected on a season- high 18 hits in a 14-2 rout of the Marlins. Philadelphia scored 14 runs for the first time since April 14 of last season.

Polanco sat out last night's triumph due to a nagging back issue, while Victorino missed his second straight game with a right thumb injury and flew back to Philadelphia to see a hand specialist. He was diagnosed with a Grade 1 sprain and will remain in Philly until Friday to be reevaluated.

Minus the two starters, Ryan Howard had four hits, a homer and four runs batted in, giving him an NL high-tying 71 RBI, while Raul Ibanez added three hits, one a homer, and four RBI in Philadelphia's seventh victory in nine games.

Jimmy Rollins scored three times and his four hits moved him four past Larry Bowa (1,798) for fifth place on the club's all-time list.

Cole Hamels, making the start despite taking a liner off his non-pitching hand last week, lasted eight innings to notch his 10th victory of the season and the only runs he gave up were on John Buck's two-run homer in the fourth inning.

"Getting that many runs, it makes it a little bit easier when you make that mistake," Hamels said. "It's not as stressful to get outs when you know you have a big lead."

The Phillies will try to add to the stress of Sanchez, who looks to rebound from just his second loss of the season tonight.

Sanchez had a club single-season record 14-start unbeaten streak snapped on Friday at Texas as he yielded seven runs on seven hits and four walks over just 3 2/3 innings. He suffered his first loss since April 10 and saw his career-best run of six straight winning decisions come to an end.

Interim manager Jack McKeon did think his starter was sharp in the outing.

"He walks guys, got behind guys, nibbled with them and played with them, missed with his breaking ball," McKeon said. "This is a hitting club over here, you can't mess around with them."

Sanchez, who had allowed four runs over three straight no-decisions before the loss, dropped to 6-2 on the season and saw his earned run average lift from 2.82 to 3.30. However, he is an excellent 3-0 with a 2.92 ERA in eight starts at home.

The 27-year-old righty has logged a pair of no-decisions versus Philadelphia this season, giving up two runs in each outing, and is 3-7 with a 5.35 ERA in 13 career starts against the Phillies.

He'll try to do better than last night's starter, Chris Volstad, who allowed seven runs over just four innings. The Marlins have now lost three of five this month after going just 5-23 in June.

They have lost nine of 11 versus the Phillies this season and 18 of the past 21 meetings overall. Philadelphia has also captured 20 of its past 24 in Miami.

"It was a tough one ... We got blown out tonight, but that's a good club. Let's face it, if you're not going to make good pitches, you're not going to win," McKeon said.

McKeon's club could have veteran Mike Cameron in the clubhouse tonight after acquiring him from Boston on Tuesday in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. Cameron was designated for assignment by the Red Sox last Thursday and hit just .149 in 33 games with the club this year.

Taking the hill in tonight's finale for the Phillies is Kyle Kendrick, who escaped with a no-decision last Friday at Toronto despite allowing six runs on eight hits over seven innings.

Kendrick was actually in line for a victory before he gave up a go-ahead two- run homer to the Blue Jays' Jose Bautista in the seventh inning. Philadelphia, though, rallied late to claim a 7-6 victory and take Kendrick off the hook after what he called a "stupid pitch" to Bautista.

The right-hander is 4-4 with a 3.81 ERA in 20 games this year, including six starts. He owns a pair of victories over the Marlins this season, picking up a win in relief on May 11 at Florida before holding the Fish to a run on seven innings in a June 15 outing. Kendrick, 26, improved to 6-2 with a 4.85 ERA versus the Marlins.