Pedro Feliz's RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning completed a four-run rally that carried the Phillies to a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
"I felt like I could score," Jenkins said. "The crowd was going berserk and once I got home, it was a tremendous feeling when you're safe."
Smith had both hands in the air as Jenkins rounded third, yet he continued all the way home.
"I waited as long as I could," Smith said. "I tried to be in front of him but he went right by."
Houston starter Shawn Chacon allowed only four singles in eight impressive innings before handing the ball to closer Jose Valverde.
Chacon lowered his ERA from 3.75 to 2.25, but took no personal satisfaction with his performance.
"We're here to win ballgames," he said. "I could go out and throw seven innings and give up seven runs and it doesn't matter."
Pinch-hitter Chris Snelling hit a leadoff homer in the ninth off Valverde (2-1), and Chase Utley was hit by a pitch. After Ryan Howard struck out, Pat Burrell tied the score at 3 with a two-run homer to right.
"I made a good pitch," Valverde said.
Jenkins struck out, but the ball eluded catcher Brad Ausmus for a passed ball and Jenkins scampered safely to first before Feliz ripped a shot into the left-field corner. Jenkins slid home with the winning run just ahead of the tag.
"It was a great piece of running," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "It was a big win for us."
Rudy Seanez (1-1) earned the win with a hitless inning. Valverde stayed stuck on 99 career saves.
"It's over today and I'll be back tomorrow," he said.
Chacon last pitched eight innings on Sept. 23, 2005, against the Toronto Blue Jays. This time, he struck out five and walked two.
Miguel Tejada had an RBI single in the first inning, scoring Lance Berkman for a 1-0 lead. Geoff Blum hit a run-scoring single in the sixth, and Hunter Pence added a sacrifice fly.
Berkman had two hits and scored two runs, while Carlos Lee was 2-for-4 with a run. Berkman has seven hits in his last 16 at-bats.
The Phillies failed to give starter Adam Eaton any run support while he was in the game. He gave up seven hits and three runs in six innings, his third straight start of at least six innings.
NL MVP Jimmy Rollins missed his sixth consecutive game with a sprained left ankle, but did appear as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Chacon got Rollins to ground out as he gingerly ran to first base.
The large crowd was relatively silent until the Phillies got going in their final at-bat.
"It was a great win," Jenkins said. "To score four runs in the ninth is a special win."
Notes:
Burrell's homer was the 223rd of his career, tying Greg
Luzinski for fourth on the Phillies' list. Burrell's five homers
are also tied for the NL lead. Snelling's hit was his first with
the Phillies as well as his first career pinch-hit homer. Each of
Chacon's last four games of at least eight innings pitched have
been scoreless outings. Chad Durbin tossed two scoreless innings in
relief for Philadelphia. Michael Bourn and Rollins wore No. 42 for
the Phillies on Jackie Robinson Day.
