Home Runs Put Title Within Reach

Chicks dig the long ball, so chicks have to dig the Phillies. Led by Ryan Howard's 48 regular season bombs, the Phillies hit a National League-leading 214 home runs. Only the Chicago White Sox (235) hit more home runs this season. Last night the Tampa Rays felt the full brunt of Howard and the Phillies power.

The Phillies blasted their way to a 10-2 victory to take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead in the World Series. Howard hit a pair of blasts, and pitcher Joe Blanton and right fielder Jayson Werth each hit one as the Phillies knocked around Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine and the Tampa bullpen.

Blanton, meanwhile was marvelous. He limited the Rays to four hits over six innings, allowing a pair of runs. But the biggest ovation he received on the night was when he hit his first major league home run, a solo shot off of Edwin Jackson in the fifth inning that extended the Phillies lead to 6-2. At his teammates insistence, Blanton took a curtain call for the raucous crowd of over 45,000.

The Phillies put the game away in the eighth when Werth followed a double by Jimmy Rollins with a 2-run shot to left-center off of Dan Wheeler. Lefty specialist Trever Miller came on, but he walked Chase Utley and then Howard unloaded his second home run, a tremendous shot to right field.

Sonnanstine was shaky from the start, walking Pat Burrell with the bases loaded to put the Phillies on the board first. The Phillies again failed to break an inning open though, as both Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz couldn't get another run in.

Moments after Fox praised Aki Iwamura's transition from third to second base, the Japanese veteran booted Utley's grounder to start the third. Howard's single put runners on the corners with no one out, but it appeared the Phillies would fail in the clutch again when Burrell and Victorino both flied out to shallow left. Feliz came through with a big 2-out hit though, singling to left for a 2-0 lead. Carlos Ruiz also singled, but Blanton fouled out to end the threat.

The Rays got on the board in the fourth when Carl Crawford went deep for the second time in the series. But Iwamura's second error, in the bottom of the inning, set the wheels in motion for the game changing play. Utley drew a walk to put two aboard, but Sonnanstine struck out Werth for the first out. With the Rays hoping to turn an inning ending double play, Howard crushed a pitch into the left field seats for a 3-run home run and a 5-1 Phillies lead.

Eric Hinske, who replaced an injured Cliff Floyd on the roster earlier in the day, took Blanton deep in the fourth to cut the margin to 5-2. But Blanton and his teammates continued to impress the chicks and the Phillies fans with their long ball display.


News and Notes

Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria are now a combined 0-29 in the series with 15 strikeouts.

Joe Blanton became the first pitcher in 34 years, since Ken Holtzman in 1974, to hit a home run in the series. He also became the first player to hit his first major league home run in the World Series.

The Phillies were actually 4-14 (.286) with runners in scoring position last night. For the series they are 6-47.

Ryan Howard joined Len Dykstra (1993) as the only Phillies with a multi-HR game in the series.

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Around the Horn - 5/17

Let the Interleague Madness Begin!

The AL won day 1, 7-5 with 2 rain outs. The National League had the player of the day though. Jayson Werth of the Phillies smashed 3 home runs and tied a team record with 8 RBI. Werth had a grand slam, 3-run shot, and a plain old solo home runs. The Phillies pounded the Blue Jays 10-3.

When you see a score of 16-8 you figure the Texas Rangers are on the losing end. But this time it was the Rangers on the correct end of the drubbing. Josh Hamilton continued to realize his potential with a 5-5, 2 home run, 5 RBI, 4 runs scored night.

Joe Torre had 11 years of the Subway Series plus a World Series battle to boot. Last night he came out on the wrong end of his first Freeway Series as the Angels beat the Dodgers 4-2.

The Royals won their 5th straight, edging the Marlins 7-6. Jose Guillen had a 3-hit, 2 RBI night to extend his hot hitting streak to 8 games (16-30, .533).

Former Athletics outfielder Mark Kotsay came back to haunt his old team, hitting the game winning double in the Braves 3-2 win in Atlanta.

Tampa moved 8 games over .500 with a 3-1 win over the Cardinals in St. Louis. Andy Sonnanstine improved to 6-1.

The Indians got home runs from Jhonny Peralta, Travis Hafner, and Casey Blake in the 6th inning, but it was the Reds who pulled out a 4-3 win. Adam Dunn, who had earlier homered, walked with the bases loaded for the game winner.

Nick Blackburn and the Twins bullpen dropped the Rockies to 12 games under .500 with a 4-2 win.

Eric Byrnes busted out a big time slump with a 2-run home run in the Diamondbacks 4-3 win over the Tigers. Daren Haren went 7 innings to earn his 5th win.

Brian Giles had 4 hits and 2 RBI, and Tadahito Iguchi homered as the Padres topped the Mariners 6-4.

Gavin Floyd and 4 pitchers combined on 5-hitter in the White Sox 2-0 shutout of the Giants. Alexi Ramirez provided the only runs with his 1st home run.

Melvin Mora doubled in the go ahead run in the Orioles 5-3 win over the Nationals. Garrett Olson improved to 3-0 with the victory.

In the lone intraleague game, Alfonso Soriano homered in his first two at-bats in the Cubs 7-4 win against the Pirates. Sori is 14-27 (.519) with 5 HR and 10 RBI in his last 6 games.

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