Blanton shoots for another win in capper with Bucs

Baseball Betting Lines

07/04/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Blanton tries to win his third straight decision this afternoon when the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up a four-game series at PNC Park.

After going 1-5 with a 7.28 earned run average through his first eight starts, Blanton adjusted his mechanics. The changes seem to have paid off, as the right-hander is 2-0 in his last three outings, surrendering three runs in each start, two of which have seen him pitch into the eighth inning.

Blanton pitched well enough to get the win on Tuesday in Cincinnati, as he held the Reds to three runs and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings, but did not factor in the decision of his team's 9-6 win. For the season he is 3-5 with a 6.19 ERA.

In three starts against the Pirates Blanton is 1-0 and has given up just four runs in 20 1/3 innings of those outings (1.77 ERA).

Blanton can only hope for the type of run support the Phils provided Kyle Kendrick on Saturday, as Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, three RBI and three runs scored, and Kyle Kendrick pitched his first career complete game, helping Philadelphia to a 12-4 win.

Ryan Howard added two hits and drove in three runs, while Ben Francisco slugged a solo homer and knocked in a pair for the Phillies, who snapped a three-game slide.

The 25-year-old Kendrick (5-3) surrendered 10 hits and three earned runs while fanning four and walking two to earn just his second win in seven starts.

Ryan Church finished with a trio of hits, including a homer, and Pedro Alvarez contributed a solo blast for the Pirates, who lost for only the second time in their last six tries.

Paul Maholm (5-7) was battered in defeat for 10 hits and eight runs -- seven earned -- over three-plus frames.

"He couldn't get the ball down, his breaking ball was inconsistent and he kept misfiring with his changeup," Pirates manager John Russell lamented about his starter.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, will rely on the right arm of Jeff Karstens, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of his nine starts and has pitched into the sixth all but once.

"Throwing strikes, getting ahead and not walking guys," Karstens said. "Any time I don't put free runners on, I think it benefits me."

Karstens, though, was tagged with the loss on Tuesday in Chicago, as the Cubs mustered three runs (two earned) and seven hits in six innings of a 3-1 setback, dropping him to 2-3 on the season to go along with a 4.46 ERA.

This will be Karstens' first-ever start against the Phils, but has pitched to a 1.50 ERA against them in six innings in relief.

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh split a two-game series back in May, but the Phillies are 8-5 in the previous 13 matchups.

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