A pair of two-out rallies in the eighth and ninth innings helped the Phillies win dramatically for a second straight night in a 5-4 victory over the Rockies.
Dom Brown delivered the walk-off piece with two outs in the ninth off lefty Jeff Francis to plate Michael Young. Young singled home Jimmy Rollins after a two-out double and a stolen base that started the rally.
The Phillies went into the eighth inning trailing by three when Darin Ruf hit a two-run homer. The ninth looked as if it was going to go quickly and quietly until Rollins doubled. After Young’s single, Chase Utley walked to set the table for Brown’s heroics.
With the win the Phillies took their first four-game series of the season and improved to 57-70 as well as to 4-3 under interim manager Ryne Sandberg.
Starting pitching report
Kyle Kendrick pitched well for the majority of his five-plus innings on Thursday night. Through the first four innings, the right-hander allowed just one runner to get to second base and retired 12 of the first 15 he faced.
But in the fourth and fifth Kendrick found trouble. The Rockies tied the game with a run on a pair of singles in the fifth. In the sixth, the Rockies pieced together four straight hits with Wilin Rosario delivering the crusher with a three-run homer.
MLB
For the Rockies, Chad Bettis was in line to pick up his first big-league win in his fifth start until the Phillies tied it in the ninth. Bettis allowed one run on six hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. He had five strikeouts.
Bullpen report
Zach Miner pitched two perfect innings in relief for Kendrick. B.J. Rosenberg followed with a scoreless eighth before turning it over to lefty Cesar Jimenez for a perfect ninth.
Jimenez got his first win of the season and his second of his career.
Rockies’ closer Rafael Betancourt was charged with his second blown save in as many nights. Betancourt has blown three save chances in 19 tries this year.
At the plate
Ruf hit a two-out, two-run homer in the eighth to bring the Phillies to within a run. Rollins and Brown also had a pair of hits and Utley drew three walks.
Carlos Ruiz continued to swing a hot bat, going 3 for 4. In the last five games, Ruiz is 10 for 16.
For the Rockies, Rosario showed up in Philly hot and he will leave on fire. Rosario hit three homers in the series and has 20 for the season. He also pushed his hitting streak to 13 games.
Rosario is 11 for 25 with four HRs and 10 RBIs in seven games against the Phillies this year.
Michael Cuddyer and Troy Tulowitzki also had a pair of hits for the Rockies in the game.
Pettibone shut down
Rookie right-hander Jonathan Pettibone said the results of his recent MRI exam showed inflammation and no structural damage. As a result, he will be shut down indefinitely until the injury subsides. Pettibone said the odds are that he won't pitch again this season.
Up next
The Phillies continue their 10-game homestand on Friday night when the Arizona Diamondbacks arrive for three games. The pitching matchups for the series are:
Friday: Cole Hamels (5-13, 3.61) vs. LHP Wade Miley (9-8, 3.56)
Saturday: Ethan Martin (2-2, 5.23) vs. RHP Randall Delgado (4-4, 3.82)
Sunday: TBA vs. LHP Patrick Corbin (13-3, 2.45).