"Sooner or later, we can put a big inning on you," he said after last night's 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. "And I don't think we've seen the best of our offense yet. I think our offense is much better than what it has shown so far. We haven't really hit with togetherness in our lineup, but we're going to."

Games like last night's are exactly what Manuel is talking about. Kyle Kendrick (3-2) allowed three runs in the first inning to hand the Braves a 3-0 lead, but he did not allow a run in the next five innings he pitched.

Kendrick kept it close. He afforded his offense a chance.

"You can't let it slip away," Kendrick said.

The offense delivered, not with a big blowout inning in which they scored five or six runs, but they chipped away at Atlanta's lead. They scored two runs in the fourth. Chase Utley singled, Ryan Howard doubled and Jayson Werth scored both runners with a single to center to make it 3-2. The Phillies took a 4-3 lead in the fifth with hits from Victorino, Howard, Pat Burrell and Werth.

Werth knocked in an insurance run in the seventh to tie a career high with four RBIs. He went 3 for 4.

"On one hand, you don't want to start the game down 3-0," Werth said. "That's not a situation or position you like to be in. But on the other hand, I don't think this team at any point panics or tries to do more than what you're capable of doing up there. We're more of a second-half-of-the-game club anyway. We usually hit better in the later innings. K.K. did a great job of keeping them right there."

So did the bullpen.

J.C. Romero (1.65 ERA in 19 appearances) threw a scoreless seventh, Tom Gordon (1.06 ERA in 18 appearances since opening day) pitched a scoreless eighth and Brad Lidge (0.50 ERA in 18 appearances) picked up his 10th save in the ninth.

Manuel believes his offense will find itself sooner or later. It would help to have Howard heat up. He has had a hit in each of his last five games to raise his average from .163 to .181. He is hitting 6 for 21 (.286) with a double, a triple, a home run, and four RBIs in that stretch.

"I'm making good contact and letting the ball do the rest," Howard said.

It's a start for what Manuel is talking about.

To view a slide show of the game, go to http://go.philly.com/sports