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Phillies 5, Dodgers 4

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Phillies' playoff push will go on without ace Cole Hamels.

Aaron Rowand hit a go-ahead homer and Kyle Kendrick remained unbeaten at home, leading Philadelphia to a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

The Phillies won the opener of a 10-game homestand that also includes visits by San Diego and the NL East-leading Mets. Philadelphia also moved into a tie with the Padres for the wild-card lead.

But the win was tempered by the news that Hamels has a mild left elbow strain and could miss his next two starts, including Wednesday night's outing against the Dodgers. Hamels will have an MRI exam Wednesday and might miss up to three weeks depending on the results, team doctor Michael Ciccotti said.

"Every time you turn around, someone else is getting hurt," said Phillies closer Brett Myers, who earned his 12th save.

Myers, Tom Gordon, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Freddy Garcia, Adam Eaton and Jon Lieber are only some of the key Phillies who have spent considerable time on the disabled list this year. Even with three-fifths of their expected rotation out and the middle of the lineup in flux, manager Charlie Manuel has found a way to keep the Phillies in the playoff hunt.

"We have heart, man," Myers said. "This team's got that edge. Teams that have been here the last four years really haven't had that edge. The will to win is here more than it has been in the past."

The Phillies could have Utley back in the lineup for the New York series. Utley took some practice cuts for the first time since his right hand was hit by a pitch nearly a month ago and could be ready by the weekend for a short rehab assignment.

With Garcia, Eaton and Lieber all on the DL, the Phillies were forced to use a patchwork rotation anchored by Hamels and veteran lefty Jamie Moyer. Kendrick (6-3) has been a nice surprise since he was called up in mid-June, and this start was no exception.

He allowed four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to earn his first win since July 29 and improve to 5-0 with a 3.46 ERA in eight home starts.

J.C. Romero and Gordon held the lead, and Myers worked a perfect ninth.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, one of the few Phillies this season who hasn't spent time on the disabled list, had his left knee wrapped in ice after the game because of tendinitis. He said it wasn't serious.

"It's something that's been going on all year," Howard said about the injuries. "We've been through it so many times. We keep getting people who step up."

James Loney and Russell Martin homered on an unseasonably chilly night for the Dodgers, who trail Philadelphia and two other teams in the wild-card race.

"Kendrick kept competing and he hung in long enough to get a win," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "That's all you can ask for from any pitcher."

The Dodgers staked Brett Tomko (2-11) to a 3-0 lead after two innings. Andre Ethier and Luis Gonzalez each had run-scoring hits in the first, and Martin led off the second with his 15th home run.

Martin became the first catcher since Ivan Rodriguez in 1999 with 15 homers and 20 stolen bases.

Kendrick settled down from there and the highest-scoring offense in the National League got going against Tomko, winless since July 15.

Carlos Ruiz hit an RBI double into the left-field corner and Rollins added a sacrifice fly in the third that made it 3-2. Rowand's two-run shot in the fourth, his 21st, put the Phillies ahead 4-3.

Pat Burrell walked with the bases loaded in the fifth for a 5-3 lead, chasing Tomko, who gave up five runs in four-plus innings. He jawed with plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth on the mound for a few moments before trudging back to the dugout.

"In my eyes, one of those pitches was a strike, but he called them balls," Tomko said. "But it's still my job to get them out."

Loney homered off Kendrick leading off the seventh.

Game notes

Howard got a good jump off Rudy Seanez in the seventh and got his first career stolen base. Howard asked for the base after the game. ... Ciccotti said outfielder Shane Victorino (calf) could rejoin the team on Wednesday; outfielder Michael Bourn (ankle) might be back in two to three weeks; left-hander Mike Zagurski (hamstring) is likely out for the season; right-hander Ryan Madson (shoulder) might return for the final week; and Eaton (shoulder) will throw in a bullpen session Wednesday.