Phillies to rest ace Lee, tap Blanton for game four

11/01/2009

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia southpaw Cliff Lee, who pitched the Phillies to victory in the World Series opener, will have to wait until game five to make his return against the New York Yankees.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced Friday that he will use pitcher Joe Blanton in Sunday’s fourth game of Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven championship final rather than turn to Lee again on only three days of rest.

“I don’t think he’s ready for it on three days’ rest,” Manuel said. “That’s really pushing him because he has never did it before.

“I think you’re taking a chance on really pushing him... and definitely we don’t want to hurt him. We want him to stay strong when he does pitch.”

Lee baffled a Yankee lineup that led Major League Baseball in scoring runs and hitting home runs in the opener, striking out 10 without surrendering a walk in a complete-game 6-1 rout.

“I like him in game five because we have an off day Tuesday and if it goes seven games, that would be on his bullpen day and he might be able to pitch,” Manuel said.

The Yankees evened the Series against the defending champions at one victory each with a 3-1 home victory on Thursday but the scene shifts 150 kilometers southwest to Philadelphia for games three to five on Saturday through Monday.

It’s goodbye Broadway and hello Broad Street, forget New York cheesecake and enjoy a Philadelphia cheesesteak. The rival cities have years of sport dislike and are famous for critical fans, Philly’s once notably booing Santa Claus.

Sunday’s game will conclude a New York-Philadelphia sport showdown double-header that also includes American football’s New York Giants playing the Philadlphia Eagles in the adjacent gridiron stadium.

Blanton, a 28-year-old American right-hander, went 12-8 with a 4.05 earned-run average this season. He has allowed six runs over nine 2/3 innings in this year’s playoff run.

“Blanton fits for us,” Manuel said. “Joe pitched last year in the World Series and he has got a little more experience.”

Blanton was last year’s fourth game starter in the World Series and helped the Phillies beat Tampa Bay 10-2 with his arm and his bat, becoming the first pitcher since 1974 to hit a home run in a World Series game.

The rules will change with the shift to the home of the National League champions as pitchers will be forced to bat, unlike the American League rules used at Yankee Stadium, where designated hitters replaced hurlers at the plate.

Blanton is 0-3 with an 8.18 earned-run average in four career starts against the Yankees, surrendering 22 hits — five of them homers — and 12 walks over 22 innings. AFP

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