PHILLIES NEWS

After a solid series against the Mets, that didn't quite end the way they hoped it would , the Phils returned home to begin a tough series with the Florida Marlins. Joe Blanton got the start and pitched well enough to keep the Phils in it, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings of work. Meanwhile, the Phils actually got off to a quick start with 5 runs in the first 2 innings. So they had the early lead and would need the bullpen to hold it. Now onto the game. In the bottom of the 1st, Chase Utley singled in one run, and Ryan Howard doubled in a second run for a 2-0 lead. In the top of the 2nd, the Marlins loaded the bases, and bleeded out a couple runs on a sac fly and a fielder's choice, to knot it at 2. In the bottom of the 2nd, a sac fly by Blanton, scored one run, a single by Jimmy Rollins pushed across a 2nd run, and a single by Howard, knocked in a 3rd run for a 5-2 lead. In the top of the 3rd, Mike Jacobs slammed a 2 run homer to cut the lead to 5-4. In the bottom of the 7th, Jayson Werth slugged a 3 run homer for an 8-4 lead. In the top of the 8th, Cody Ross crushed a 2 run homer to cut the lead to 8-6. Finally in the top of the 9th, Brad Lidge closed it out with a pair of strikeouts for the 8-6 win. So the Phils move to 79-65 overall, now just 1.5 games behind the idle Mets.