--2B Chase Utley noticed Nationals LHP John Lannan's slow delivery to the plate with two outs and runners on the corners in the third inning. So, Utley got a big lead, a big jump and took off for home. But the ball arrived long before Utley, who crashed into C Jesus Flores, causing Flores to sprain his left ankle. Flores left the game in an ambulance. X-rays were negative.
"That's the way you play," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I wish every one of my players played that way." Asked if it was a display of old-school hustle, Manuel said, "Don't say old-school. It's not old-school. That's good-school. That's the way you play the game. Unless you want to put some rouge and makeup and lipstick on and say, 'Oh, I got run over.'" --RHP Kyle Kendrick, the Phillies' feel-good story last year, is 1-3 with a 9.14 ERA in his last five starts. In nine starts since the All-Star break, he is 3-5 with a 6.45 ERA. The Phillies are considering replacing him in the rotation.
"My arm feels good," said Kendrick, who has tossed 149 1/3 innings. "That's what's really frustrating about it. I feel good, strong. I don't really know what I'm going through right now."
Confused as Kendrick is, though, the Phillies would have to find a suitable alternative. If the Phillies stick to their plan of using RHP Adam Eaton in a mop-up relief role, their lone option to replace Kendrick is LHP J.A. Happ, who has a 3.27 ERA in only two starts this season.
"The thing that concerns me about Kyle is he's kind of worked his way to where he's at," manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's a learning process. His composure was one of the biggest parts of him pitching last year. If they hit him, he'd get back on the mound and throw his sinker. If he made a bad pitch, he'd get back on the mound."
--RHP Chad Durbin couldn't reach his family in Baton Rouge, La., for several hours. His wife, 13-month-old son, mother and sister have been without power, courtesy of Hurricane Gustav, which hit Louisiana on Monday. Everyone is safe, though, and Durbin said there isn't any damage to his house, save a few removed shingles. Power is expected to be restored within a week, and Durbin's mother is volunteering to help affected families who were evacuated. "After Katrina, they were more prepared this time," Durbin said. "They did a great job of getting people out. I knew I'd hear from somebody if something was wrong, but it was nice to finally get a text that said everything is OK."
--RF Jayson Werth batted in the No. 3 spot for the first time this season. The reason: Nationals LHP John Lannan was starting, and Werth leads the majors with 15 home runs against left-handers. He also was batting .444 (12-for-27) with four homers and nine RBIs in the last eight games. Werth finished 1-for-3 with a single and probably will bat third again Wednesday night with Nationals LHP Odalis Perez making the start.
BY THE NUMBERS: 2 -- Players in the last 15 seasons to go 4-for-4 after entering a game as a pinch-hitter. Chris Coste achieved the feat in last Tuesday night's 13-inning win, joining the Angels' Shawn Wooten in 2002.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "The biggest thing, being Canadian, would've been partying down Yonge Street (in Toronto). But I'll find a new street in Philadelphia and party down there. Maybe I'll look for (Rocky) Balboa and hang out there." -- OF Matt Stairs, on attempting to make the playoffs with the Phillies after being traded Saturday.
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