Apr 22, 2002 4 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Philadelphia Phillies look at the Pittsburgh Pirates and see themselves a year ago – a surprising, straight-out-of-nowhere team that unexpectedly becomes a contender. Jason Kendall, in a slump nearly all season, hit a bases-loaded triple during Pittsburgh’s five-run second inning and the Pirates won their sixth in a row, beating the skidding Phillies 9-3 on Sunday.

Kendall didn’t have an RBI before driving in four runs as the Pirates, off to an improbable 12-5 start a year after losing 100 games, swept a three-game series from the Phillies in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1992.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but you look at all the good teams over the last 10 years – the Yankees, the Braves – and they all started out well and kept going,” Kendall said. “All I can say is we’re having fun. We’re going out and playing as a team, and everybody is contributing.”

The Phillies are exactly the opposite. They went 1-5 on a six-game road trip and have lost four in a row and seven of their last nine. They are 7-12, a big turnaround from their 13-6 of last season.

“They’re playing real well right now, and they’re taking advantage of things,” said Phillies pitcher Brandon Duckworth, who fell behind 7-1 before being lifted in the second. “Every team goes through a period like this and, hopefully, this will be the only time we go through this all season.”

The Pirates only hope their best start in 10 years isn’t an anomaly. Their pitching has been much better than expected, their defense has been excellent and they’re getting off-the-bench contributions when their starters are out.

Kendall returned to the lineup to go 2-for-4 after missing most of two games with a concussion caused when he was struck in the mask by a foul pitch Friday. He was still groggy Saturday, but said, “Maybe that knocked me out of my slump.”

Kendall, a three-time All-Star, had only four singles in his first 44 at-bats this season and went into Sunday’s game batting .136.

“Who knows, maybe I’ll keep this going,” Kendall said. “It’s nice to finally help the offense. It’s been a tough three weeks.”

Even without injured regulars Aramis Ramirez and Pokey Reese, every Pittsburgh starter, including pitcher Kip Wells, had at least one hit as the Pirates had season highs for runs (9) and hits (15).

Duckworth gave up nine hits and two walks to the 15 batters he faced, or as many as he gave up in 13 innings in his previous two starts.

“All I can tell you is I’m very disappointed in our pitching,” Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. “Hopefully, they’re disappointed, too. I’m not picking out one person, I’m saying our pitching as a whole. When you get a well-pitched game, you’ve got a chance to win.”

The Phillies haven’t had many of those while starting 7-12, a big turnaround from their 13-6 start of a year ago. Their 4.75 team ERA is far higher than Pittsburgh’s 3.10.

The Pirates, winning their third straight at home after starting 2-4 at PNC Park, apparently weren’t affected by the 1-hour, 22-minute rain delay at the start – the fourth lengthy rain delay in their last five home games.

They put together five singles in a span of six batters to open a 2-0 lead in the first, with Armando Rios and Kendall driving in runs. They batted around in the second, with Adrian Brown’s double, Abraham Nunez’s RBI single and Giles’ walk starting them on their big inning.

Kendall’s triple into the nook in left-center field cleared the bases, and Rob Mackowiak followed with an RBI double.

Nunez, filling in for the injured Pokey Reese, went 3-for-4 with a walk and scored twice while reaching base five times. In the series, he had four hits, scored five runs and made several outstanding plays defensively.

Wells (3-1) lasted seven innings despite giving up Jason Michaels’ first career homer, a two-run shot following Marlon Anderson’s single in the third. He struck out seven and walked one on his 25th birthday and had his first NL hit, a single in the sixth.

NOTES: Pirates SS Jack Wilson has eight hits in his last 18 at-bats. … The Pirates’ last three-game sweep of the Phillies was in Philadelphia in September 2000. … Pirates RHP Kris Benson threw on the side Sunday after learning he had not reinjured his right elbow. He will return to Triple-A Nashville to continue his rehabilitation assignment later this week. … The Pirates’ 12-5 record represents their best since they were 14-3 in 1992. … Going into the game, Duckworth was holding opponents to a .191 batting average. … The gametime temperature was 42 degrees, and it dropped during the game.