Phils settle for split with Marlins
MIAMI - The Phillies realize that a division title appears imminent, but they also trust the mentality preached by manager Charlie Manuel: Focus only on the moment, and success will come.
MIAMI - The Phillies realize that a division title appears imminent, but they also trust the mentality preached by manager Charlie Manuel: Focus only on the moment, and success will come.
"We're just going out and playing," said Joe Blanton, after throwing seven shutout, two-hit innings to defeat Florida, 9-3, in the first game of yesterday's doubleheader at Land Shark Stadium. "Honestly, that's the way I feel . . . We go out and just focus on the game at hand."
The clubs seemed to swap energy levels in the second game, which the Marlins took, 3-0. The Phillies managed just two hits in the nightcap off starter Anibal Sánchez, both by Chase Utley.
"It's tough to win doubleheaders," Manuel said. "It just kind of goes that way sometimes."
Still, Blanton's performance in the opener was encouraging for the Phils, and Jamie Moyer contributed seven innings in the second game, saving a battered bullpen. Moyer is unlikely to make the postseason roster, but Blanton probably would start the third game of a playoff series. At a convenient time for the Phils, he appears to again be pitching as well as he did all summer.
Blanton's demeanor is perfectly suited to the philosophy that Manuel instilled in his team. Never overly exuberant or upset, Blanton has quietly enjoyed a consistent year, especially after overcoming early-season bumps. In his last 21 starts, Blanton is 9-4, with a 2.78 earned run average.
"I definitely feel like I've thrown pretty well this season," he said.
But Blanton also knew that his September performances had been beneath his earlier dominance. On Sept. 5, Blanton allowed three runs in six innings in a Phils loss to Houston. He followed that with a horrendous seven-run, 42/3-inning night against Washington.
He has thrown 13 consecutive scoreless innings since. In Game 1, Blanton allowed just two singles, the second coming with none out in the second. Of the 111 pitches he threw, 73 were strikes.
"I had a good slider going today, finally kind of found it a little bit," he said. "That and my sinker both kind of left there for a couple games. . . . My last couple, [they were] a little bit off, and maybe a little bit before that. So, hopefully, it stays. It's one of those things that kind of pops back and goes away."
Blanton explained that a combination of small adjustments helped him improve the pitches. "It's a little feel, it's a little of, maybe your mechanics just got off a little bit. Even just a little tick can throw stuff off."
The Marlins, who entered this series with only a whisper of hope remaining in their season, showed little energy in a first game that was critical for them. Their ace, Josh Johnson, started Game 1 and allowed four runs in five innings. While he struck out 10, the Phils used those at-bats to elevate Johnson's pitch count and chase him from the game.
The strikeouts made it an odd day for the Phillies' offense. Despite setting a season high with 16 strikeouts (the most in a nine-inning Phils game since they fanned 19 times in 1991), they scored nine runs in Game 1. Then they were almost completely silenced in the nightcap.
The split, combined with an Atlanta loss to the New York Mets, left the Phils' magic number for clinching the division at five. Manuel admitted to monitoring that game all night as it updated on the left-field scoreboard.
"I'd like to win it [soon], but at the same time, we don't want to start playing out of control," he said. "The fruits of victory will be there when we get it."
