Blanton, Phillies blank Mets to complete sweep

Baseball Betting Lines

07/05/2009 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Blanton pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings, and the Phillies used a pair of solo homers to sweep the New York Mets in a 2-0 victory at Citizens Bank Park.

Blanton (5-4) allowed only four hits and three walks while striking out five, as the Phillies swept the Mets for the first time since September 14-16, 2007, in New York. Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley each hit a solo homer to account for the game's scoring.

Rollins, since an 0-for-28 slump ended on Friday, now has seven hits in his last 14 at-bats after going 2-for-3 Sunday. He now has seven homers on the year, while Utley, the NL's starting second baseman in this year's All-Star Game, has 18.

Philadelphia's pitching was sterling not only Sunday, but throughout the series, allowing just three runs the entire weekend. Brad Lidge earned his 16th save of the season.

The Phillies' five-game winning streak against the Mets is the team's longest since recording nine straight victories from July 1, 2007-April 8, 2008.

Johan Santana (9-7), who was named to the NL All-Star team Sunday, lost for the fourth time in five starts despite allowing just two runs on three hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts in seven frames. Santana also went 1-for-1 at the plate, while Luis Castillo went 2- for-2, but no other Mets player recorded a hit, as New York lost for the eighth time in 10 games.

The Phillies grabbed the lead in the opening inning, as Rollins led off the frame with a home run to left.

Blanton cruised through the first five innings, facing the minimum three batters in four of the frames.

The New York Mets threatened for the first time in the sixth. Castillo drew a leadoff walk against Blanton and reached second on Santana's bunt single. Alex Cora moved both runners up one base with a sacrifice bunt, and Daniel Murphy worked a walk to load the bases.

David Wright was then at the plate with a chance to tie the game or put New York ahead, but the NL starting third baseman at this year's All-Star Game grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Another 2009 All-Star, Utley, doubled the Phillies' lead in the home half, blasting a solo homer over the wall in right-center field.

Blanton allowed an infield single and struck out pinch-hitter Gary Sheffield in the eighth before being lifted for J.C. Romero, who hit Cora with a pitch. Chan Ho Park was brought in to limit the damage, and he induced an inning- ending double play groundout from pinch-hitter Fernando Tatis.

Lidge finished off the game by striking out the Mets in order in the ninth.

Game Notes

Santana had been 4-0 in eight starts against Philadelphia prior to Sunday's game...Blanton moved to 2-0 in four career starts against the Mets...The Phillies lead the season series, 6-4...Philadelphia activated pitcher Scott Eyre from the 15-day disabled list and optioned pitcher Segio Escalona to Triple-A Lehigh Valley...Wright went 0-for-11 in the series...The Phillies' Raul Ibanez and New York's Carlos Beltan, both on the disabled list currently, were selected to start in the outfield for the National League in the All-Star Game...Also selected to the Mid-Summer Class were Philadelphia's Ryan Howard and New York's Francisco Rodriguez.

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