--RHP Kyle Kendrick picked a bad time for the first prolonged slump of his major league career. Kendrick, the Phillies' feel-good story with 10 victories as a rookie last season, allowed seven runs in 1 1/3 innings Tuesday night to raise his ERA in his last six starts to 11.35. Since the All-Star break, Kendrick is 3-6 with a 7.63 ERA in 10 starts, a performance that might have cost him his spot in the Phillies' starting rotation. The Phillies have few options, though. Rookie LHP J.A. Happ has made three career starts, and maligned RHP Adam Eaton hasn't started a game since Aug. 30 at Class AAA Lehigh Valley. "This is the stretch drive, and (Happ) is kind of inexperienced with where you're going to put him," manager Charlie Manuel said. "I'm not saying he can't do the job because I've seen him pitch a good game, and he's going to be a good big-league pitcher." Kendrick has appeared stunned and lost for solutions during his last six starts. "It's disappointing," Kendrick said. "I just have to get out of the rut. Nobody wants to go through it. It's bad timing."
--RF Jayson Werth continues to impress manager Charlie Manuel, who said Werth needs only to be a more consistent hitter against right-handed pitchers to prove he's able to play every day. But Werth, who homered Monday night against Marlins RHP Joe Nelson, defended his career .251 average against right-handers. "My numbers against right-handers aren't that bad," he said. "But sometimes it's hard to shake a label." --LF Pat Burrell returned to the Phillies' lineup Tuesday night and went 1-for-4 with a triple, a walk and two runs scored. Burrell, mired in a dreadful slump, didn't play in two of the previous three games and didn't take batting practice Monday. Burrell has three hits in his last 19 at-bats, and since Aug. 24, he is 7-for-53 (.132). In 35 games since Aug. 1, Burrell is batting .177 (22-for-124) with four home runs and 13 RBIs.
--3B Greg Dobbs made his fourth start in five games Tuesday night against the Marlins, but manager Charlie Manuel insisted that Pedro Feliz remains the Phillies' starting third baseman. Dobbs, though, has been swinging a hot bat. He was batting .333 with two home runs and five RBI in his last five games entering Tuesday night before going 1-for-4 with a two-run sixth-inning double. But Dobbs' greatest value to the Phillies has been in a bench role. Dobbs has emerged as the majors' best pinch-hitter. "By no means has Dobbs beaten out Feliz," Manuel said. "For him to be as good a pinch-hitter as he is, he needs to play to keep him sharp."
BY THE NUMBERS: 11 -- Shutouts by the Phillies pitching staff. That number led the National League through games of Sept. 5.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think our guys, especially the ones that were here last year and the veteran guys on our team, I think they know what we have to do and what's at stake. And I think we know how we're supposed to handle it." -- Manager Charlie Manuel, on his team's thoughts during a showdown series with the Mets.
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