So far this season the Fightin’s have been a better road team than at home, that trend continued as the Phillies began a short four game road trip with a sweep of the Cardinals in the baseball mecca, St. Louis.   In game one of the series on Monday, May 4th big Joe Blanton delivered his best outing of the season as he pitched six effective innings giving up one run on only four hits to earn his first win of the season.  Jayson Werth belted a two run home run in the fourth inning off of former Phil Kyle Lohse.   Ryan Howard smoked a grand slam, ( his second of the season), in the fifth inning off of Lohse to end his outing abruptly!  Both taters were long ones, the defending World Champions can hit and it don’t matter if they are playing in Yellowstone……when they hit ‘em they are out of any park!   Scott Eyre, Ryan Madson and Chad Durbin each pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Blanton to close out the game, a 6 to 1 Phillies win.

On Tuesday evening Brett Myers was the starter for the Phillies and pitched 5 and 1/3 innings to earn the win albeit it was not a stellar performance.  Myers gave up five runs on nine hits and while earning the win but it was more due to the potent Phillies offense than to his effectiveness.  Shane Victorino belted a solo home run to lead off the game and Jayson Werth hit his fourth home run of the season in the fifth inning, a three run shot off of Cardinal starter Adam Wainwright.   The Cardinals hit three home runs of thier own in the game including Albert Pujol’s 10th of the season. Scott Eyre and Ryan Madson each earned holds in relief and Brad Lidge closed the game albeit a non-save situation.  Victorino had four hits in the game while Jimmie Rollins, Raul Ibanez and Pedro Feliz had two hits each.  Jayson Werth had four RBI and Shane Victorino had three.  FInal Count – Phillies 10 Cardinals 7

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The Phillies next road opponent is the not so Amazin Mets in thier new ballyard.  Chan Ho Park takes the ball in game one vs Johan Santana, a surely apparent mismatch…….. Park needs to get back his agressiveness and prove he belongs in the rotation, he is definitely on the borderline of being pulled from the spot.  Cole Hamels is being held back to Friday night vs the Atlanta Braves at home.  Chase Utley was held out in the Tuesday game as he was hit by a pitched ball on the ankle in Monday’s game, Miguel Cairo got his first start of the game at second base in his place.  Utley was not a happy camper being asked to sit out by the skipper, he is a true throwback that wants to play them all and more than willing to play thru pain…….. part of what makes him a true MVP type player!