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Phillies-Pirates Preview

Jul 4, 2010 - 3:50 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Philadelphia (41-37) at Pittsburgh (29-51), 1:35 p.m. EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies finally saw their offense break out, and it may have come just in time for a major challenge.

The Phillies look to salvage a split of a four-game series with the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday in their final road game before what should be a difficult homestand.

Philadelphia (42-37) managed a total of five runs during a three-game skid before using 15 hits to cruise to a 12-4 rout Saturday. Jimmy Rollins homered and drove in three runs, Shane Victorino had three hits and scored three times and Ryan Howard added three RBIs in the Phillies' best offensive game of their 10-game road trip.

"That's the one thing about this team, we don't panic," Howard said. "Every day is a new day. We know that what's happening or what's going on right now, we know that's not going to last the entire season. We're trying to go into the All-Star break and finish strong and then try to come out on fire the second half."

Seven of the Phillies' hits went for extra bases, and they got their leadoff hitter on base in each of the first five innings.

"The key to the game is (get) on base all night ... and we got some extra-base hits," manager Charlie Manuel said.

That kind of offense will be needed when Philadelphia returns home for seven tough games - three against NL East-leading Atlanta and four against NL Central-leading Cincinnati. The third-place Phillies trail the Braves by five games.

The Pirates (29-52), who missed a chance at their first four-game win streak, will have to try again to capture the season series from the Phillies for the first time since taking four of six in 2003. Pittsburgh has given up 24 runs in its two losses to Philadelphia while yielding a total of three in its three victories.

A bright spot for Pittsburgh on Saturday was the first multi-hit effort of Pedro Alvarez's career. The top prospect went 2 for 4 and hit his first career homer in the second inning.

"I'm starting to get more comfortable," said Alvarez, who had 25 strikeouts in his first 54 at-bats. "I think I'm starting to calm down, but I've still got a long way to go."

The rookie third baseman will get his first look at an improving Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.19 ERA) for Philadelphia. Blanton gave up three runs in 7 2-3 innings of Tuesday's 9-6, 10-inning win at Cincinnati, and is 2-0 with a 3.80 ERA in his last three outings.

The right-hander has dominated Pittsburgh in three career starts, going 1-0 with a 1.77 ERA.

The Pirates will start Jeff Karstens (2-3, 4.46), who rejoined the rotation June 1 and has gone 1-2 with a 4.15 ERA in six starts since.

Karstens gave up two runs over six innings Tuesday in a 3-1 road loss to the Chicago Cubs. He's fared well at home, going 2-0 with a 3.12 ERA in three outings.

The right-hander has never started against Philadelphia.