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Phillies look to move into wild card lead

Sep 14, 2008 - 7:25 AM Milwaukee (83-65) at Philadelphia (81-67) 1:35 p.m. EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies are applying pressure in two playoff races, with the Milwaukee Brewers feeling some of the immediate heat.

The Phillies will be looking to move into a tie for the National League wild-card lead with a sweep of Sunday's doubleheader against the Brewers.

Philadelphia grabbed an early lead on Saturday and never looked back, batting around in a five-run first inning en route to a 7-3 win.

Milwaukee has lost eight of its 11 games this month, chopping 2 1/2 games off its wild-card lead.

The Phillies will send Joe Blanton (2-0, 4.61 ERA) to the mound in the opener. The burly righthander was expected to eat innings and provide a solid mid-rotation starter to Philadelphia when he was acquired from the Oakland Athletics on July 17 for a package of three prospects.

Known as a workhorse in his days in Oakland, Blanton has failed to record an out in the seventh in any of his last six starts. The 27-year-old has allowed eight runs and 11 hits in nine innings over his last two starts and is 7-12 with a 4.86 ERA overall this season.

The Brewers will counter with righthander Dave Bush (9-10, 4.23). The 28-year-old has been strong since mid-June, going 7-3 with a 3.12 ERA over his last 14 starts. He allowed two runs in eight innings Monday in a no decision against the Cincinnati Reds.