Phils Rough Up Rockies in 10-2 Win

Ryan Howard hit a bases-loaded triple and Jimmy Rollins had a two-run triple in a seven-run third inning and the Phillies handed Ubaldo Jimenez one of the worst losses of his career by beating the Colorado Rockies 10-2 Saturday.

Kyle Kendrick (6-4) returned from his demotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and gave up a run and seven hits in seven innings for Philadelphia.

Raul Ibanez homered and Placido Polanco and Jayson Werth had a pair of hits for the Phillies, who have won three straight and appear to be coming out of their recent offensive funk. Both Rollins and Howard had triples in a seven-run third inning.

Jimenez (15-2), the NL All-Star starter who entered with the most wins in the majors, lasted two-plus innings and allowed six runs with six walks, both matching season highs. It was the second-shortest outing of his career. Jimenez also went two-plus innings Aug. 9, 2007, against the Cubs but faced one fewer batter.

It continued the recent struggles for Jimenez, who has a 7.64 ERA in his last six starts. Nearly unhittable in April and May when he posted a 0.78 ERA, Jimenez has a 5.67 ERA in June and July. The Rockies right-hander also continued his troubles in Philadelphia, falling to 0-3 with a 10.59 ERA in four career starts at Citizens Bank Park.

Ian Stewart homered for Colorado, which has lost four straight and dropped to 2-7 on its current 11-game road trip.

Kendrick, who was sent down to Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, a day after losing 8-4 to the Cardinals. But with the Phillies’ apparent pursuit of Houston's Roy Oswalt stalled, Kendrick was recalled prior to Saturday's game and responded with one of his best outings of the season. He struck out three and walked one.

The Phillies did most of their damage in the third when they scored seven runs and every Philadelphia batter except Greg Dobbs and Kendrick scored.

Rollins led off with a single and Polanco and Ibanez walked to load the bases before Howard cleared the bases with a stand-up triple just inside the first-base bag. Howard scored on a wild pitch and Jimenez walked the next two batters to end his day.

Since firing hitting coach Milt Thompson on Thursday night, Philadelphia has scored 16 runs on 23 hits in two games. Thompson's firing followed a 2-6 road trip in which Philadelphia hit .239 while averaging 3.4 runs.

Stewart led off the fifth with a homer to deep center, pulling the Rockies to 7-1 and snapping a 34-inning scoreless streak for Phillies pitchers at Citizens Bank Park.

Ibanez hit a two-run homer in the sixth to pad the lead to 9-1.
   
 

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