Joe Blanton solid as Phillies pick up first win in Grapefruit League play
The Philadelphia Phillies won their first game on the Grapefruit League schedule this spring with a 9-2 pounding of the New York Yankees, 9-3. The Phillies used a six-run sixth inning to come from behind for the win against the Yankees’ young pitchers, starting with an RBI single by Eric Kratz and keyed by a Hector Luna bases-clearing double to blow things wide open.
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Joe Blanton got the start and pitched well, despite admitting to having some butterflies for his first start in a long time for the Phillies. Blanton pitched two innings, as Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay did in their spring debuts, allowing two hits and striking out one. Blanton got batters to ground out five times, a good sign for the most likely fourth starter in the rotation.
Video via David Hale of Delaware New Journal…
Jimmy Rollins led off and notched a pair of base hits, walked once, scored one run and swiped a pair of stolen bases. Placido Polanco, manning third base, also had a couple of base hits in three at-bats.
Jim Thome, hitting in the designated hitter spot, smacked a double to deep right center field in his first at bat for a double for the first part of his 2-for-3 day at the plate.
Shane Victorino went 0-for-3 and stranded four base runners.
Fighting for a Roster Spot
Domonic Brown had one miscue in the outfield, and was 0-for-2 on the afternoon, walking once and stranding one base runner. John Mayberry Jr. was 1-for-1 with one run scored.
Juan Pierre replaced Thome as the designated hitter after Thome’s second hit, and he went 0-for-1 in one at-bat.
Next Up
The Phillies travel to nearby Dunedin on Tuesday to take on the Toronto Blue Jays. Cliff Lee will take the mound for the first time since Game Two of the National League Diviosn Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Other pitchers scheduled to throw Tuesday include Kyle Kendrick, Jeremy Horst, Michael Schwimer, JC Ramirez and Raul Valdes. Ramirez, in a twist of irony, was acquired in the trade that sent Lee to the Seattle Mariners following the 2009 season.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. The game wil not be televised but audio will be available on Phillies.com.
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