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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies 7/5/2009</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
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		<lastBuildDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:56:29 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:56:29 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Blanton outpitches Santana, Phils beat Mets 2-0]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[PHILADELPHIA(AP) -- Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies knew
they had a great opportunity to get back on track with a hurting
New York Mets squad in town.

Boy did they take advantage.

Joe Blanton tossed four-hit ball into the eighth inning and
Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley each homered off Johan Santana,
leading the Phillies to a 2-0 victory over the Mets on Sunday to
complete a three-game sweep of their NL East rival.

The Phillies had lost 12 of 15 and returned home after being
swept by the Atlanta Braves, but they took advantage of the
injury-ravaged Mets to earn their first sweep at Citizens Bank
Park since taking three straight from the Nationals May 29-31.

"We wanted to try and take this because we know that team over
there isn't at full strength," first baseman Ryan Howard said.
"It's July, but we want to take as many games as possible. We
didn't give extra outs. We didn't make a lot of mistakes. When
you look back, it was everything you can hope and dream for a
baseball game."

The defending World Series champions pushed the third-place Mets
four games back in the NL East, handing them their eighth loss
in 11 games. The Marlins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates to remain a
game back in the division.

New York is playing without shortstop Jose Reyes, center fielder
Carlos Beltran and first baseman Carlos Delgado, and the Mets
scored just three runs in the series.

Blanton (5-4) retired the first seven Mets before Luis Castillo
bounced a single over third baseman Pedro Feliz's head. Castillo
was sacrificed to second, but was stranded there on a diving
stop by Ryan Howard, one of several fine fielding plays by the
first baseman.

The righty allowed little else, striking out five and lowering
his ERA to 4.69. His biggest challenge came in the sixth inning
after an 11-pitch walk to Daniel Murphy loaded the bases and had
him visibly frustrated with his control lapse.

After a quick visit to the mound from pitching coach Rich Dubee,
Blanton induced David Wright to ground into a double play,
started by Utley.

"That was a big play," Blanton said. "With the bases loaded, I'm
trying to make good pitches and hopefully get him to hit it on
the ground for a double play. So I really got the result I
wanted. It was a sinker and had pretty good movement and I got
lucky."

Since snapping a seven-game winning streak on June 4, the
Phillies Struggled through a 24-game stretch in which they went
7-17 with a .235 batting average and a 5.02 ERA.

Rollins, who batted .169 during that stretch, keyed Sunday's win
with his 30th career leadoff homer, on Santana's second pitch.
The 2007 NL MVP is 7 for 14 with a homer and three doubles after
a career-worst 0-for-28 slump that included a four-game benching
during the road trip.

Utley connected with two outs in the sixth.

Santana (9-7), named to his fourth All-Star team, pitched more
like an ace than the struggling lefty who posted a 6.19 ERA in
June, the worst June of his 10-year career. Other than the
homers, he allowed one other hit, and struck out three in seven
innings.

For the fifth time in Santana's 16 starts this season, the Mets
lost by two or fewer runs. He also fell to 4-1 vs. the Phillies
as a Met.

"I did everything I could, but they were better," Santana said.
"I was trying to give them a chance to win, but in the end it
came down to a couple of pitches. They did everything right the
whole series."

Brad Lidge struck out the side in the ninth inning to earn his
16th save in 22 opportunities. He has converted his past three
chances.

"In these three games, we did all the little things right,"
Lidge said. "We have seven more games at home and if we keep
playing like this, maybe we can create a little separation. "

NOTES: Phillies' left-handed pitcher Scott Eyre was activated
from the disabled list before Sunday's game, with Sergio
Escalona returned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. ... Phillies
outfielder Raul Ibanez, voted to the first All-Star game in his
14 career seasons, will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A
Reading on Monday, and is scheduled to play five innings. Manuel
said he would like to see Ibanez get 10-12 at-bats before
activating him.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105595-Blanton-outpitches-Santana-Phils-beat-Mets-2-0</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105595-Blanton-outpitches-Santana-Phils-beat-Mets-2-0</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:45:04 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Mets-Phillies Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA
STATS Senior Writer

New York (39-40) at Philadelphia (40-37), 1:35 p.m. EDT

Philadelphia Phillies leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins is showing
signs of breaking out after a long slump. His recent success,
however, can easily come to a quick end versus New York Mets ace
Johan Santana.

With a chance to sweep a home series for just the second time
this season, Rollins and the Phillies look to end their
struggles against Santana in the finale of a three-game set with
the Mets on Sunday.

Rollins hit a two-run double as Philadelphia (41-37) won the
middle game of this series 4-1 on Saturday. The 2007 NL MVP is 5
for 11 with three doubles after an 0-for-28 skid.

Rollins, who was benched four games during a recent road trip,
is hitting just .213.

He has helped put the NL-East leading Phillies in position to
win their fifth straight against the rival Mets (39-41) and
sweep a series at home for the first time since a three-game set
with Washington from May 29-31.

"It's good to have a winning streak at home," Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel said.

The Phillies, who had gone 1-8 on their previous homestand, are
15-22 at home. Philadelphia may have a tough time continuing its
momentum as Santana (9-6, 3.34 ERA) takes his turn in New York's
rotation.

Santana has won three straight starts against the Phillies,
posting a 2.95 ERA during that stretch. He's 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA
in eight career starts against them.

Rollins is batting .174 (4 for 23) against Santana and
Philadelphia center fielder Shane Victorino, coming off a
3-for-5 effort, is hitting .167 (4 for 24) versus the
left-hander.

Santana, however, has lost three of his last four starts and was
particularly shaky in his last outing. He gave up six runs, nine
hits and walked four in six innings of New York's 6-3 loss at
Milwaukee on Tuesday night.

Santana has a 10.20 ERA in losing his last three road starts.

Joe Blanton (4-4, 5.08), who will take the mound for
Philadelphia, is 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA in seven starts at home.
He's seeking his first win since June 1, at San Diego.

The Phillies have lost the last five games Blanton has started,
including a 5-4 defeat in 10 innings against Atlanta on Tuesday
night. He gave up three runs and eight hits in five innings.

The right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.14 ERA in three career starts
against the Mets.

New York second baseman Luis Castillo is batting .500 (7 for 14)
against Blanton, but he went 0 for 4 in the leadoff spot
Saturday as the Mets were held to two runs or fewer for the
third time in four games.

"I think they're trying," manager Jerry Manuel said. "They're
just not playing the best baseball at this point. We're
struggling right now. It's tough."

Manuel desperately needs David Wright to provide consistent
hitting in the middle of the lineup, but he's 5 for 37 (.135)
over his last nine games, dropping his average from .356 to
.329. Wright was hitting .542 (13 for 24) in his last seven
games versus the Phillies prior to going 0 for 8 in this series.

With Castillo and Wright two of the few regulars remaining in a
banged-up lineup, New York has lost seven of its last nine.
Still, the Mets are only three games behind the Phillies.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[mlb]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105508-Mets-Phillies-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/mlb/news/105508-Mets-Phillies-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:49:14 GMT</pubDate>
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