Oct 5, 2008 - 7:58 PM
0 shoutsBy PA SportsTicker
PHILADELPHIA 6, MILWAUKEE 2 ---------------------------
MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- It took 15 years, but the Philadelphia Phillies are back on the doorstep of the World Series.
Joe Blanton was strong for six-plus innings and the Phillies clubbed four homers en route to clinching their first postseason series win since 1993 with a 6-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game Four of the National League Division Series.
Pat Burrell snapped an 0-for-12 postseason slump with a single in the second inning and followed it up with a pair of home runs for Philadelphia.
The Phillies will be making their first NLCS appearance since they defeated the Atlanta Braves in six games in 1993.
Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a homer off Brewers starter Jeff Suppan (0-1) and Jayson Werth homered for Philadelphia, which will host Game One of the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday.
The Phillies and Dodgers locked up in the NLCS in 1977, 1978 and 1983.
Blanton (1-0) had no trouble making the homers stand up, allowing one run and five hits while striking out seven and not surrendering a walk. The burly righthander, who was acquired in a July trade with the Oakland Athletics, allowed a leadoff homer to Prince Fielder and a single to J.J. Hardy in the seventh before yielding to Ryan Madson.
Burrell, who entered the game with three homers in 21 career at-bats against Suppan, came up with two on and two out in the third after Milwaukee chose to intentionally walk Ryan Howard. Burrell made them pay for that decision, driving a 2-2 pitch deep into the stands in left-center field to give Philadelphia a 4-0 lead.
Werth followed with a solo blast to push the lead to 5-0.
Suppan was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the third and charged with all five runs and six hits. The veteran righthander walked two and struck out three.
Milwaukee chose to start Suppan over Manny Parra, Seth McClung and Yovani Gallardo despite a 3-6 career record with a 6.13 ERA in 12 starts against the Phillies. Six of Philadelphia's eight starting position players entered with batting averages of .300 or better against Suppan.
The Brewers added a run on Ryan Braun's single in the eighth and had a runner on second with one out in the ninth. But Brad Lidge struck out rookie Brad Nelson and forced Jason Kendall to ground out to Rollins at shortstop to end the game.
Milwaukee has not won a postseason series since beating the California Angels in the 1982 ALCS.
