PHILADELHPIA (AP) – Pat Burrell hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, Jon Lieber pitched seven sharp innings and the Philadelphia Phillies kept their playoff push humming along with an 11-1 win over the Florida Marlins on Sunday.

Kenny Lofton added a two-run triple and drove in three runs, and Jimmy Rollins scored twice and had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 17 games for the Phillies, who began the day 21/2 games behind Houston in the NL wild-card race. Philadelphia won two of three in the series and moved within one game of the Marlins.

The Phillies rebounded nicely from a three-game sweep by Houston. Burrell led an offense that battered the Marlins’ starters and left the Phillies feeling good about themselves heading into a four-game series with NL East-leading Atlanta.

Lieber (14-12) avoided the big innings that have cost him at times this season and pitched deep into the game as the Phillies hoped he would. He tossed four-hit ball over seven innings, striking out two and walking one.

The Phillies scored six times in the third, getting seven hits and chasing Florida starter Ismael Valdez (2-2).

With two runners on, Lofton tripled off the top of the scoreboard in right for a 2-1 lead and Chase Utley followed with a bloop RBI single to left.

Bobby Abreu doubled to right, then Burrell connected for his 30th homer, a three-run shot deep into the left-field seats that made it 6-1.

Burrell reached 30 homers for the first time since 2002 and drove in four runs for the second time this series. Burrell also walked with the bases loaded in the fourth.

Lofton added an RBI single in the fifth, Rollins had an RBI single and Abreu walked with the bases loaded in the seventh.

Valdez gave up six runs in 2 1-3 innings, another poor start for the Marlins. A.J. Burnett allowed five runs and four hits in 2 1-3 innings in his shortest outing of the season on Friday and Jason Vargas lasted two innings, giving up three runs and five hits on Saturday.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel talked before the game about wanting to save his bullpen for the Braves. He got his wish as Lieber cruised, allowing only Carlos Delgado’s RBI triple in the first inning while pitching at least seven innings for the fifth straight start.

Philadelphia’s bullpen could be needed: While the Braves will throw three pitchers with at least 11 wins at them, the Phillies will start rookies Eude Brito and Gavin Floyd in the first two games.

Notes: The color guard was Boy Scout Troop 334 from Roxborough, Pa. The troop collected more than 1,600 American flags after Sept. 11, 2001, that needed to be disposed in a dignified manner by burning them in a special retirement ceremony. Before the national anthem, there was a moment of silence and a video of Ray Charles singing “America the Beautiful.” An American flag patch was on hats of both teams. … Rollins’ hitting streak is the longest for a Phillies player since Abreu hit in 17 straight games in 2002.

AP-ES-09-11-05 1650EDT


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