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R-Phils sweep Senators
Javon Moran steals
one of his two bags as the Phillies completed a sweep of the Senators on
Saturday. Photo by Ralph Trout
 Kyle Kendrick, making his Double-A debut, allowed the two runs on five hits -- all of them singles -- with three strikeouts. |
By Tony Zonca
Reading, PA -- Last year at this time, the weather was warmer, but the Phillies' bats were a lot colder. This year the weather is ridiculously cold for April, and the bats are ridiculously hot. Saturday night at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Phillies completed a three-game sweep with a 5-3 victory over the Harrisburg Senators.
They batted .305 in the series, with 13 of their 29 hits going for extra bases. The last time the Phillies were 3-0 to start a season came in 1997.
With Javon Moran and Branden Florence providing much of the offense, the Phillies jumped to a 5-0 lead through five innings. Moran continued his early surge with two hits, including his third double, and he also stole two bags and scored three of the five runs. Florence, who was 2-for-2 as a pinch hitter, got his first start in left field. His two-run triple was the big blow in a three-run third inning in which he scored on an overthrow.
The Senators came back with two in the sixth on Kyle Kendrick and one in the eighth on Robin Jennings' homer to right off Nick Evangelista, but Julio De La Cruz came on with two out in the eighth to close the door and pick up his first save.
Speaking of positives, the Phillies starting pitching has also been solid. Landon Jacobsen, Matt Maloney and Kendrick all went at least five innings, and each of them came away with a victory. Kendrick, like Maloney making his Double-A debut, allowed the two runs on five hits -- all of them singles -- with three strikeouts.
PHILLERS: Phillies outfielder Branden Florence has been on base five of the six times he has been up this year. . . . Center fielder Javon Moran has three stolen bases in as many attempts and is batting .545 (6-for-11) with three doubles. . . . The Reading Phillies have off Sunday for Easter; the Phillies open a three-game set with Bowie Monday night.
This story was posted on April 7, 2007
