Phillies Finally Realize They’re Playing The Marlins, Pound Miami 7-2

June 3, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Domonic Brown (9) rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

It’s Domonic Brown‘s world. We’re all just trying to drive on his highways.

The reigning NL Player of the Month for May and reigning two-time NL Player of the Week has decided to try and make it three weeks in a row with yet another ridiculous game on Monday night, this time against the Marlins.

Brown hit another home run, his 9th in his last 10 games, going 3 for 4 with one run and two more RBIs. He’s now hitting .291 with a .921 OPS.

But really, what’s left to say about Domonic Brown that hasn’t already been said by just about everyone who writes about baseball? With that in mind, let’s just give you the raw numbers. They speak for themselves.

• On May 19th, Brown was hitting .243 with an OPS of .703. That means in 15 games, he’s increased his batting average by 48 points and his OPS by 218 points.
• On April 30th, Brown was hitting .233 with an OPS of .681. That means in 31 games, he’s increased his batting average by 58 points and his OPS by 240 points.
• On April 30th, Brown had 3 home runs. He now leads the NL with 17 and is tied with Miguel Cabrera (MIGUEL CABRERA) for 2nd in MLB (Chris Davis‘ 20 leads all of baseball).
• Brown is now tied for 4th in the NL in RBIs with 42.
• Brown is second in the NL in slugging percentage at .592 and is 9th in the NL in OPS at .921.
• Since May 1, Brown is hitting .333 with 14 HRs and 31 RBIs.
• According to Elias, Brown is the first Phillie to hit 9 HRs over a 10-game stretch since Bobby Abreu in May of 2005.
• Brown has hit 24 fly balls to right field. Sixteen of them have gone for home runs (one of his homers was to right-center field). That’s a 75% HR/FB ratio to right (courtesy @joecatz).
• Domonic Brown is now on pace for 47 HRs, 117 RBIs and a .291 average.
• Brown has 8 HRs in his last 8 games and is hitting .426 in his last 14 (courtesty ESPN).
• After registering 0 walks in May, he has walked twice in June (once intentionally).

Thank you, numbers. You saved me a lot of work.

Compare Dom’s run with Ryan Howard‘s insane MVP season. In 2006, Howard had a 16-game stretch where he hit 13 HRs and drove in 26 runs. He posted a .464/.569/1.214/ 1.784 OPS line during that August 23-September 8 stretch that year, on his way to 58 HRs and a .313 average and an OPS of 1.084.

Brown is not likely headed toward those heights, but his month-long stretch, and insanely hot last three weeks, at least remind people of what Ryan Howard used to do around here.

As for the actual game, you know, that thing where they keep score and everything, Brown wasn’t the only hero. Kyle Kendrick had one of the better games of his career, tossing a complete game, giving up just six hits and a walk while striking out five. Marlins hitters made life easy for him in the later innings, putting the ball in play very early in the count.

June 3, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher

(38) celebrates after pitching a complete game against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Miami Marlins 7-2. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Kendrick also contributed with a big night at the plate as well, going 1 for 4 with a triple, scoring a run and knocking in another on an RBI groundout. Kendrick now has a 3.12 ERA on the season and continues to be one of the more dependable pitchers on the team.

Delmon Young and Erik Kratz also homered for the Phils and Galvis added a triple for the second night in a row which, as CSN Philly’s Ruben Frank noted, is more triples than Jimmy Rollins has hit in his last 127 games (1).

All in all, it was refreshing to see the Phillies realize they were playing the Miami Marlins. With their five-run margin of victory, the Phils finally are on the plus-side of the run differential against the Fish, 37-33. The Phils, however, remain 7 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the NL East, but drew to within a half-game of the idle Washington Nationals for second in the division. They’re now 7 games out in the Wild Card.

Where It All Went Right

Dom Brown’s two-run homer in the sixth which gave the Phils a comfortable 5-2 cushion that Kendrick would handle just fine.

Hero

Brown and Kendrick, who did what good teams are supposed to against the Marlins.

Villain

Delmon Young, for trying to steal attention away from Dom Brown’s awesomeness by having the nerve to homer in the at bat right after Brown’s! The nerve! How selfish! (Just kidding, Delmon. You know we ALL LOVE YOU!)

TBOH’s Thoughts