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Howard Powers Phillies

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By JOEY JOHNSTON

jjohnston@tampatrib.com

Published: October 27, 2008

Star Of The Game: Ryan Howard
And to think there was a concern about Ryan Howard's lack of power in the postseason. Not any longer. Not after Sunday night's Game 4. Howard had two home runs - and five RBIs - for the Phillies in a 10-2 victory against the Rays at Citizens Bank Park. Rays manager Joe Maddon has been employing the shift against the left-handed batting Howard. In turn, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has been imploring Howard to go the other way. So it was heartening to see Howard's three-run homer - into the left-field bleachers - in the fourth inning. Howard, who led the National League with 48 homers, also went deep in Saturday night's Game 4.

Key Decision

Maybe it's actually a no-decision. Manuel was getting heat for his team's lack of clutch production - particularly from leadoff batter Jimmy Rollins (0-for-10) during the first two games in St. Petersburg. Manuel didn't change a thing. And Rollins responded. In Philadelphia, Rollins has gone 5-for-9 while scoring four runs. He had pair of doubles - one barely missing a homer - in Game 4.

Play Of The Game

Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton did plenty on the mound, picking up the victory by pitching to one batter into the seventh inning, allowing just four hits (two solo homers), walking two and striking out seven. But his biggest highlight might have come with two outs in the fifth inning. Blanton blasted a solo homer off reliever Edwin Jackson, becoming the 15th pitcher overall to homer in a World Series game (and the first since Oakland's Ken Holtzman went deep in 1974). "I just stuck with my same approach to hitting - close my eyes and swing hard," Blanton said.

Quirky Play

Rays pitcher Andy Sonnanstine had a potential double-play ball in the first inning when Howard bounced back to the box with one out. But instead of going to second, Sonnanstine got Rollins in a rundown off third base. Replays indicated Evan Longoria tagged Rollins out, but he was called safe, loading the bases. Sonnanstine then forced in a run when he walked Pat Burrell. Sonnanstine escaped further damage, but he could've been out of the inning had he gone for the double play.

Critical Moment

Blanton was lifted after walking Ben Zobrist to begin Tampa Bay's seventh inning. Reliever Chad Durbin got an out, then pinch-hitter Willy Aybar singled, bringing up the top of Tampa Bay's order. But left-hander Scott Eyre worked Akinori Iwamura into a lineout to left field. Then right-hander Ryan Madson, facing B.J. Upton (seven homers in the postseason), collected a swinging strikeout.

Crunching The Numbers

Carlos Pena and Longoria continued one of the worst combined World Series performances - ever - for No. 3 and No. 4 batters on one team. Through four games, Pena and Longoria are 0-for-29 with 15 strikeouts. They have gotten the ball out of the infield exactly twice. If the Phillies eliminate the Rays tonight - with Pena and Longoria doing nothing again - it may be considered the biggest no-show in World Series history.

Our Take

For the Rays to win a world championship, they must equal some World Series history. Only six other teams - the most recent was the 1985 Royals - have come back from a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven World Series. Scott Kazmir - and the bullpen - is capable of keeping the Rays alive tonight and sending things back to St. Petersburg for a Game 6 on Wednesday night. But not without some drastic improvement from Tampa Bay's suddenly slumbering offense. Unless the Rays start patching some hits together, no matter what Kazmir does, Tampa Bay's season is all but over.

Joey Johnston

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