Kyle Kendrick leads Philadelphia Phillies to 5-2 win over Atlanta Braves

Guess who has a lower ERA than

? Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves in their home stadium tonight, 5-2. Never-maligned Phillies’ starter Kyle Kendrick was the star of the night, going 7.0 IP, only allowing 6H, 2ER, 1BB, and 6 K during his work.

The team’s 4th-most valuable pitcher by WAR propelled that effort with nine groundball outs to only two flyouts, dropping his season ERA to 3.97.

Kendrick kept the scoreboard clear tonight through 4.2 IP, until Jason Heyward singled-in Gerald Laird from 2nd, allowing the Braves’ first run. The lone other Braves’ scoring came in the 7th, when Gerald Laird actually grounded into a double play, still scoring Chris Johnson from 3rd.

Jake Diekman was all “elite-y” tonight, as he struck out two in the 8th, and Jonathan Papelbon secured his 16th save with a little help from an impressive Marlon Byrd catch.

From the offensive side, it was a team effort tonight. Jimmy Rollins, Marlon Byrd, Ryan Howard, and Domonic Brown each earned one hit, although Howard made it count in the first, hitting a two-run HR.

Chase Utley sat out tonight, but replacement Cesar Hernandez went 2-4, with an RBI in the 4th. Utley walked in his pinch hit at-bat. That same inning, Domonic Brown scored from third on a passed ball.

Joining Hernandez with two hits tonight were Carlos Ruiz and the surprisingly impressive Reid Brignac, who both went 2-5. Brignac’s BA and OPS are now sitting at career-highs: .283 and .798, respectively.

Shockingly, starting Mayberry in CF against a RHP didn’t work, as he went 0-3 but earned two walks. It’s literally the worst combination of ways to use Mayberry, I would’ve bet no hits tonight for him.

In total, the Phillies collected 5 runs on the night, besting the hated rivals and moving to an even 5.0 games back behind the division leading Nationals. It’s almost as if the players don’t want to rebuild, or something.