Tampa Bay (0-0) at Philadelphia (0-0)

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Sonnanstine not wasting any time

Bill Chastain / MLB.com
Andy Sonnanstine is the Rays' forgotten starter, but he'll need to make a memorable start in Game 4 of the World Series if the Rays want to keep their hopes alive of becoming World Series champions.
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Rays probable pitcher

Andy Sonnanstine

  • #21 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Sonnanstine, who posted a career-high 13 wins in just his second big league campaign, got the win in Game 4 of the ALCS on Oct. 14 in Boston. The righty allowed the Sox four runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings to give the Rays a commanding 3-1 ALCS lead. Sonnanstine is a master of deception, employing an array of pitches that he can throw from all different angles. But he has learned to primarily use his fastball to set up the other pitches.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 19-19 4.97 324.0 63 221 .284
Season 13-9 4.38 193.1 37 124 .277

Series at a Glance

Standings - 10/26/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Tampa Bay Rays (AL East) 97 65 .599 - 57-24 40-41
Philadelphia Phillies (NL East) 92 70 .568 - 48-33 44-37
Stats - 10/26/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
TB .260 774 180 735 142 1224 3.82 1457.2 1349 526 1143
PHI .255 799 214 762 136 1117 3.88 1449.2 1444 533 1081
phi

Blanton's journey brings him to Series

Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com
It's been seven months since Joe Blanton was the starting pitcher for the A's against the Red Sox to open the season in Japan. And from Tokyo Dome to Citizens Bank Park and Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night, a journey of 10,000 miles began with a single pitch.
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Phillies probable pitcher

Joe Blanton

  • #56 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Blanton started once in each of the Phillies' series, winning in the Division Series against the Brewers and getting no decision in a five-inning start against the Dodgers.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 51-46 4.24 831.1 233 480 .271
Season 9-12 4.69 197.2 66 111 .271
Vs. Tampa Bay 0-0 6.00 6.0 1 5 .250

Rays hitters vs Joe Blanton
Regular Season stats only

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI

Phillies hitters vs Andy Sonnanstine
Regular Season stats only

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Bako, Paul - - - - .250 4 0 1
Berry, Quintin - - - - - - - -
Cairo, Miguel - 0 0 0 - 0 0 0
Dobbs, Greg - - - - - - - -
Feliz, Pedro - - - - - - - -
Francisco, Ben .667 3 1 2 .800 5 2 4
Howard, Ryan - - - - - - - -
Ibanez, Raul .000 6 0 0 .000 8 0 0
Mayberry, John - - - - - - - -
Rollins, Jimmy - - - - - - - -
Ruiz, Carlos - - - - - - - -
Stairs, Matt .167 6 0 0 .333 12 1 1
Utley, Chase - - - - - - - -
Victorino, Shane - - - - - - - -
Werth, Jayson - - - - - - - -

Joe cool: Phillies closing in on title (1-3) (3-1)

Phillies 10, Rays 2

Rays tumble in Philly

Bill Chastain / MLB.com
Nothing went the Rays' way in Game 4. Victimized by two errors and one first-inning call that didn't go its way, Tampa Bay is one loss away from having its World Series dreams end. In the tough loss, Carl Crawford and Eric Hinske bashed solo shots to set a new American League playoff record for home runs.

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Series at a Glance

 
Joe Blanton is the 13th pitcher to hit a homer in the Fall Classic. (Getty)

Phils one win away

Ken Mandel / MLB.com
The Phillies are on the verge of winning their first World Series title since 1980 after they beat the Rays in Game 4 behind the arm and bat of Joe Blanton, who became the first pitcher to hit a Fall Classic homer since 1974. In the blowout, Ryan Howard launched two homers, a three-run shot in the fourth and a two-run blast in the eighth.
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Phillies 10, Rays 2

Tampa BayABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Iwamura, 2B4000003.200
Upton, CF4000023.250
Pena, C, 1B3000120.000
Longoria, 3B4000031.000
Crawford, LF3111010.267
Navarro, C4010012.357
Zobrist, RF3000102.167
Bartlett, SS4000022.182
Sonnanstine, P10100001.000
  a-Hinske, PH11110001.000
  Jackson, P0000000.000
  b-Aybar, W, PH1010000.250
  Wheeler, P0000000.000
  Miller, P0000000.000
  c-Baldelli, PH1000011.000
Totals3325221214 

a-Homered for Sonnanstine in the 5th. b-Singled for Jackson in the 7th. c-Struck out for Miller in the 9th.

BATTING
HR: Crawford (2, 4th inning off Blanton, 0 on, 2 out), Hinske (1, 5th inning off Blanton, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Crawford 4; Navarro; Sonnanstine; Hinske 4; Aybar, W.
RBI: Crawford (2), Hinske (1).
2-out RBI: Crawford; Hinske.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Navarro; Upton.
Team LOB: 7.

FIELDING
E: Iwamura 2 (2, fielding, fielding).
DP: 2 (Bartlett-Iwamura-Pena, C, Iwamura-Pena, C).
 
PhiladelphiaABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Rollins, SS5330000.263
Werth, RF4222102.400
Utley, 2B3200223.200
Howard, 1B4235102.353
Burrell, LF3001104.000
  Bruntlett, LF1000000.333
Victorino, CF5000005.250
Feliz, 3B4021003.286
Ruiz, C4010001.417
Blanton, P3111013.333
  Durbin, C, P0000000.000
  Eyre, P0000000.000
  Madson, P0000000.000
  a-Stairs, PH1000010.000
  Romero, P0000000.000
Totals371012105423 

a-Struck out for Madson in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Rollins 2 (2, Sonnanstine, Wheeler), Werth (3, Jackson).
HR: Howard 2 (3, 4th inning off Sonnanstine, 2 on, 1 out; 8th inning off Miller, 1 on, 1 out), Blanton (1, 5th inning off Jackson, 0 on, 2 out), Werth (1, 8th inning off Wheeler, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Rollins 5; Werth 6; Howard 9; Feliz 2; Ruiz; Blanton 4.
RBI: Burrell (1), Feliz (1), Howard 5 (6), Blanton (1), Werth 2 (2).
2-out RBI: Feliz; Blanton.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Feliz 2; Blanton 2.
GIDP: Burrell.
Team LOB: 8.

FIELDING
E: Romero (1, throw).
 
Tampa BayIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Sonnanstine (L, 0-1)4.06533216.75
Jackson 2.02111114.50
Wheeler 1.13220116.75
Miller 0.212210118.00
 
PhiladelphiaIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Blanton (W, 1-0)6.04222723.00
Durbin, C 0.11000000.00
Eyre (H, 2)0.10000000.00
Madson (H, 2)1.10000303.00
Romero 1.00000200.00

Blanton pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.

IBB: Howard (by Jackson).
HBP: Crawford (by Blanton).
Pitches-strikes: Sonnanstine 89-52, Jackson 32-19, Wheeler 22-16, Miller 10-4, Blanton 99-61, Durbin, C 5-4, Eyre 5-2, Madson 16-11, Romero 19-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Sonnanstine 1-9, Jackson 4-1, Wheeler 0-2, Miller 1-1, Blanton 6-5, Durbin, C 0-1, Eyre 0-1, Madson 1-0, Romero 1-0.
Batters faced: Sonnanstine 24, Jackson 8, Wheeler 6, Miller 4, Blanton 25, Durbin, C 2, Eyre 1, Madson 4, Romero 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Durbin, C 1-0, Eyre 2-0, Madson 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Tom Hallion. 1B: Jeff Kellogg. 2B: Tim Tschida. 3B: Tim Welke. LF: Kerwin Danley. RF: Fieldin Culbreth.
Weather: 54 degrees, overcast.
Wind: 7 mph, Out to CF.
T: 3:08.
Att: 45,903.
October 26, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner