• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Blanton, Howard help Phillies top Cardinals

Aug 3, 2008 - 3:10 AM By Jim Walsh PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Joe Blanton threw seven impressive innings and Greg Dobbs and Ryan Howard delivered solo home runs, lifting the Philadelphia Phillies to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.

Making his third start since being acquired from Oakland on July 17, Blanton (1-0) kept the Cardinals off-balance, allowing two hits through the first six innings. The 27-year-old righthander allowed one run and four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in gaining his first victory in a Phillies uniform.

"It was nice to go out for me personally and throw a good game," said Blanton, who had his last start cut short due to a rain delay. "Even more important, two months left in the season, is to get a win. That's the biggest thing right there."

"That's what they said (Blanton) could do for you when we got him," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "They said he definitely keeps you in the game and he did that tonight."

J. C. Romero and Chad Durbin combined to pitch a scoreless eighth and Brad Lidge worked around a two-out walk and wild pitch to notch his 27th save in as many chances as the Phillies improved to 49-0 when leading after eight innings.

Blanton got all the support he needed early.

Dobbs connected on a first pitch fastball from Cardinals starter Braden Looper (10-9) in the third inning to give Philadelphia 1-0 lead, and Howard blasted his 31st home run in the fourth. It was Howard's fourth home run off Looper in six career at-bats.

"I tried to make him throw some pitches and make him get them up," said Howard, who is batting .444 (12-for-27) with six home runs against his hometown team this season. "He mixes it up just like he does to everybody else. When you get that pitch, you can't miss it."

Aside from the two mistakes, Looper delivered a strong seven innings. The converted reliever allowed three hits and two walks, but lost for the fourth time in five starts.

"If you make mistakes to a lineup like that they make you pay," Looper said. "Unfortunately I made one too many. I went into that game not wanting Ryan Howard to beat me and he ending up beating me."

All-Star Ryan Ludwick was the only batter to solve Blanton, belting a solo homer in the seventh - his third in the last two games.

"We just couldn't really get much going," Ludwick said. "Blanton was spotting the ball left and right, in and out, kept us on our toes. I feel bad for (Looper), he put out a strong effort and we just didn't do enough for him tonight."