Major League Baseball
Philadelphia 4, Cleveland 3
When: 7:05 PM ET, Friday, April 29, 2016
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Temperature: 48°
Umpires: Home - Chris Guccione, 1B - David Rackley, 2B - Larry Vanover, 3B - Alfonso Marquez
Attendance: 18677

PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Howard, one of the Philadelphia Phillies' elder statesmen, said the energy is somehow different on a young, rebuilding club.

On Friday night, the 36-year-old Howard provided a jolt of his own, hitting a leadoff homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Phillies to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

"That was fun," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Any time you hit a walkoff home run it's exciting. It's great for everybody. I'd like to see Howie do it another 25 times -- not necessarily a walkoff."

Howard's homer, his fifth of the season, came on a 3-2 fastball from reliever Cody Allen (0-3) and propelled Philadelphia to its fourth straight victory, and seventh in eight games. It was Howard's sixth career walkoff homer, and his first since May 28, 2014, off Colorado's Boone Logan.

It was also the Phillies' third walkoff victory this season, all coming in the last two weeks. Now 13-10, they are three games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 21, 2012.

Howard said he was just trying to find a good pitch to hit, just "trying to hit a double."

"But," he added, "I'll take a home run."

He had gone 3-for-17 at the plate during a five-game road trip, prompting Mackanin to say he was "kind of overdue."

Howard is also in his 13th season, and he was asked if he might savor a moment like Friday's homer more than he would earlier in his career.

"I think you savor it at any moment of your career," he said. "Whether you're a rookie, whether you're a veteran, those are always great situations to be in and be able to come through like that for your team. It's always a great feeling."

It was just the opposite for Allen.

"I've given up walkoffs before," he said. "By tomorrow I'll forget it and be ready to pitch again. I put myself in a bad spot (by going to a full count), and I didn't want to walk him."

Jason Kipnis hit a two-run homer for Cleveland, which lost for the third time in four games.

David Hernandez (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory, striking out four. In all, five Philadelphia pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts, the most the Phillies have recorded since fanning 19 in a 14-inning game against the Mets on May 30, 2014.

Cleveland starter Corey Kluber, seeking to win his second straight start, instead settled for a no-decision, going seven innings and allowing three runs (two earned) while striking out six. He did not walk a batter.

Philadelphia starter Adam Morgan went five innings in his season debut and allowed three runs and five hits, while striking out a career-high seven and walking one. He was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier in the day, and took the spot in the rotation previously occupied by Charlie Morton, who was lost for the season with a torn hamstring.

NOTES: The Phillies optioned RHP Luis Garcia to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room on the roster for LHP Adam Morgan. ... Philadelphia RHP Michael Mariot, who started the season on the 15-day disabled list with a right ankle strain, was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Class A Clearwater on Friday. ... Cleveland activated RHP Tommy Hunter (core muscle surgery) from the DL and designated LHP Ross Detwiler for assignment. ... Phillies manager Pete Mackanin batted his starting pitcher eighth for the eighth straight game. His team won six of the first seven games he elected to do that, averaging five runs a night in the process. The Phillies scored three runs or fewer in nine straight games before the move and 13 of their first 15 this season.
Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Cleveland   Philadelphia
Corey Kluber Player Adam Morgan
No Decision W/L No Decision
7.0 IP 5.0
6 Strikeouts 7
5 Hits 5
2.57 ERA 5.40
Hitting
Cleveland   Philadelphia
Corey Kluber Player Ryan Howard
1 Hits 3
0 RBI 1
0 HR 1
2 TB 7
.500 Avg .600
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Cleveland 6 1 12 .162 6 18 3 3 0 1
Philadelphia 10 1 16 .270 16 8 3 2 0 0