Joe Blanton struck out seven and hit a rare home run while Ryan Howard blasted two homers as Philadelphia routed Tampa 10-2 in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday.
Showing consistent power at the plate for the first time in the 104th World Series, the Phillies pushed the Rays to brink of elimination, taking a 3-1 lead in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven championship series.
"We got off to a slow start," Howard said. "But we scrapped and found ways to get runs across and get wins. The bats came alive tonight."
Leadoff batter Jimmy Rollins had five hits and scored three runs for the Phillies in front of a crowd of 45,903 at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies can wrap up the series with a win Monday at home which would give them only their second World Series title in franchise history. The Phillies, founded in 1883, won their only World Series crown in 1980.
Philadelphia will start their ace lefthander Cole Hamels against Tampa Bay's Scott Kazmir in Game 5.
The 27-year-old Blanton looked sharp for six innings in making his third post-season start for the Phillies after arriving in Philadelphia from the Oakland A's in July.
Blanton became the first Phillies' pitcher to hit a home run in a World Series with a line drive blast to left field off Tampa Bay reliever Edwin Jackson that made it 6-2.
"I just closed my eyes and swung in case I made contact," Blanton said.
It was just the third hit of Blanton's career and the first homer by a pitcher in the World Series in 34 years.
Asked if he gave Blanton any hitting tips prior to Game 3, Howard said, "He did it all on his own. The training wheels came off.
"That was big, especially after they just scored a run. That was a big blow for them."
Blanton easily won the pitching duel with Rays' starter Andy Sonnanstine, who walked two batters in the first inning, including one that scored Rollins from third with the bases loaded.
Sonnanstine finished with three walks Sunday after walking three batters in one game just once during the regular season.
Sonnanstine left after four innings, giving up six hits, three runs and striking out two.
This was the first lopsided game of the World Series as the first three games had been decided by four runs.
Jayson Werth helped ice the victory with a line drive two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning to make it 8-2.
Howard capped a four-run eighth for the Phillies with a two-run shot to left centerfield. He also hit a three-run homer in the fourth off Sonnanstine.
Howard went three-for-four with five runs batted in on the night.
Rollins opened the scoring in the first inning for the Phillies, who took advantage of another controversial call by the World Series umpire crew.
Replays showed that Rollins should have been called out on third base after he was caught in a run down on the third base line. Umpire crew chief Tim Welke ruled Rollins safe, loading the bases for the Phillies. Rollins scored when Sonnanstine walked Pat Burrell with the bases loaded.
Source: China Daily/Agencies
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