The Philadelphia Phillies won 8-3 over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the series opener of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. Joe Blanton (7-6) had a nice night on the mound, giving up three runs, two earned, off seven hits and a walk while striking out eight in seven innings.
He fared much better than Pirate starter Jeff Karstens (0-2), who allowed seven runs off 11 hits in his five innings on the mound. The Phillies took a 4-0 lead in the first, as Hunter Pence, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back RBI singles.
Polanco picked up his second RBI of the night in the third inning, scoring Ruiz. Ruiz ran in three runs during the game, thanks to his 3-for-5 performance at the plate. Jimmy Rollins tagged Karstens with his sixth and seventh allowed runs, fifth and sixth earned, with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth. The blast to right field was Rollins' eighth homer on the season.
Jose Tabata put the Pirates on the board in the third inning with a solo home run. They added one run in the fourth on a Clint Barmes single. Andrew McCutchen capped Pittsburgh's scoring with a single in the fifth.
Doug Slaten walked Ty Wigginton with the bases loaded in the seventh to give the Phillies an 8-3 lead.
Game 2 is set for 7:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Vance Worley (3-4, 2.78 ERA) will face Pittsburgh's Erik Bedard (4-7, 4.13) at the mound.
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