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Phillies' Herrera does it all in victory

Odubel Herrera plays the game with a flair that seems like it was created for an event like the All-Star Game. The bat-flipper will find out Tuesday if that is where he is headed. And he used Friday night's 4-3 win over Kansas City as an effort to push his candidacy.

Odubel Herrera plays the game with a flair that seems like it was created for an event like the All-Star Game. The bat-flipper will find out Tuesday if that is where he is headed. And he used Friday night's 4-3 win over Kansas City as an effort to push his candidacy.

The centerfielder started the first inning with his first career leadoff homer. Herrera tossed his bat to the side almost as soon as he made contact. He ended the top of the third with a running catch in center field, crashed into the wall, and fell face-first into the warning track dirt at Citizens Bank Park.

Herrera worked a one-out walk in the bottom of the inning and celebrated the free base by looking toward the dugout and flipping his bat. He then stole second base and hustled to third when the catcher's throw misfired.

Herrera later scored on a single from Maikel Franco. He scored the team's first two runs and helped prevent another, all while wearing a pair of high red socks to give his game some extra flair.

"I don't have that in mind. I'd love to be part of the All-Star Game," Herrera said through an interpreter. "If that happens, great, but if it doesn't that's OK. I just want to help my team win."

The Phillies - owners of the National League's fourth-worst record - will get one all-star when the teams are announced on Tuesday. It will likely be Herrera, who would join Dave Hollins and Shane Victorino as Phillies' Rule 5 draft picks who went on to be all-stars. Herrera finished 2 for 4 on Friday with two runs and two RBIs. He is batting .333 in his last 10 games with a .383 on-base percentage. Herrera's homer was his ninth of the year as he surpasses last year's total of eight.

"We knew he had that kind of pop. He has power potential," manager Pete Mackanin said. "This is his second year in the big leagues, and little by little the type of hitter that he's going to become is going to include some home runs. He uses both fields and has opposite-field power. It's just a matter of time until he settles in. He doesn't try to hit home runs, but if you make a mistake to him, he will."

The win against the reigning world champions is the Phillies' fourth in a row. They have won six of their last eight games after losing nine in a row.

Herrera provided all the support Jeremy Hellickson needed as the righthander allowed just one run in six innings. Hellickson struck out six batters, walked one, and yielded five hits. He has a 2.37 ERA in his last three starts and appears to be a viable trade asset as the Phillies near the Aug. 1 trade deadline.

Edubray Ramos pitched a scoreless seventh and four of his five outings have been scoreless since joining the Phillies team last week from triple A. David Hernandez, who had a 7.71 ERA in June, made the game interesting by allowing a two-run homer to Kendrys Morales in the eighth.

But the Phillies had the extra cushion, thanks to their hopeful all-star. Herrera drove in a run in the sixth to put the Phillies ahead, 4-1. He was backed off the plate by Chien-Ming Wang as the pitcher threw a high and inside fastball, perhaps in retaliation for Herrera's pair of bat flips.

Herrera responded with a single to center, driving home Cesar Hernandez. Herrera reached first base, slapped his hands to his helmet to mimic a pair of bullhorns and pointed into the Phillies dugout. It was not hard to imagine Herrera showing his flair on baseball's summer stage.

mbreen@phillynews.com

@matt_breen www.philly.com/philliesblog