The Phillies-Dodgers game at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night featured a classic pitching matchup of the youngster who's eager to prove himself against the wise, seasoned veteran.
The Phillies sent
Kyle Kendrick to the hill, a 23-year-old right-hander who has become an integral part of their staff, but is still fighting the ups and downs that come with a hurler's first full season in the Major Leagues.
The Dodgers sent future Hall of Famer
Greg Maddux to the mound to make his first start since they acquired him Tuesday from the Padres.
If Kendrick continues to pitch as well as he did during the Phillies' 8-1 win, the youngster might have to credit a portion of his success to Maddux.
Kendrick entered Friday's outing on the heels of perhaps the roughest six-start stretch of his career, a span in which he compiled a 6.90 ERA to raise his season mark to 5.01.
His most recent start was Saturday in San Diego, and it wasn't pretty. Kendrick walked five, couldn't find the strike zone and consistently pitched behind in the count. The 23-year-old surrendered six earned runs in the Phils' 8-3 loss.
Like he routinely does after his starts, Kendrick consulted with veteran hurler
Jamie Moyer. This time, however, Moyer had an extra piece of advice for the youngster -- that he should discuss his struggles with Maddux, who was then still with the Padres. So before the next day's game, Kendrick made his way into PETCO Park's outfield for a 40-minute conversation with Maddux.
"It was exciting," Kendrick said. "I was talking about my struggles. He talked to me for a long time. I was very fortunate. Obviously, he's been doing something right."
Something from that conversation must have resonated strongly in Kendrick's mind. He held the Dodgers to one run Friday, on a first-inning homer by
Andre Ethier, helping the Phils earn a win that allowed them to remain 2 1/2 games behind the Mets in the National League East.
The young righty was helped by
Ryan Howard's two-run homer in the fourth, which gave the Phils a 2-1 lead.
Chase Utley added a solo shot in the seventh for the game's final run.