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PHILADELPHIA -- Joe Blanton became the first pitcher in 34 years to homer in the World Series, and Ryan Howard hit a three-run shot to help the Philadelphia Phillies build a 6-2 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 4 on Sunday night. Blanton turned on a 2-1 pitch from reliever Edwin Jackson and drove it into the first row of seats in left, beyond the flower beds at Citizens Bank Park. The fifth-inning solo shot gave Philadelphia a 6-2 lead and earned the burly Blanton a curtain call -- rare for a pitcher in the middle of an outing. The right-hander was also throwing well, limiting Tampa Bay to solo homers by Carl Crawford and pinch-hitter Eric Hinske as the Phillies tried to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Series. Looming for the Rays was Philadelphia ace Cole Hamels in Game 5. The lefty is 4-0 with a 1.55 ERA in four starts this postseason. It was the 15th time a pitcher has homered in the World Series. The previous one to do it was Oakland's Ken Holtzman in 1974, Game 4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Howard, who led the majors in home runs and RBIs this season, connected in the fourth off shaky starter Andy Sonnanstine to put the Phillies ahead 5-1. Howard's slicing drive to left was his second homer of the postseason -- the first came in Game 3. It was the big hit Philadelphia has been waiting for all series. The Phillies were 4-for-43 with runners in scoring position before Howard went deep, and three of those hits were infield singles. Philadelphia took advantage of two errors by normally sure-handed second baseman Akinori Iwamura. Hinske, added to Tampa Bay's roster before the game to replace the ailing Cliff Floyd, hit a mammoth shot in the fifth on his first plate appearance of the postseason. The ball crashed off the ivy-covered wall way beyond the 401-foot sign in center. Crawford hit his second home run of the World Series in the fourth. He also connected in Game 1. The Rays set an AL record for postseason homers with 25. The major league mark is 27 by the 2002 San Francisco Giants, including eight by Barry Bonds. Blanton became the second Phillies pitcher to go deep in a postseason game. Hall of Famer Steve Carlton hit a three-run shot in the 1978 NL championship series against the Dodgers. The previous NL pitcher to homer in the World Series was St. Louis ace Bob Gibson in 1968. The Phillies jumped ahead after Jimmy Rollins dodged his way out of a rundown in the first -- or did he? Television replays showed he was tagged on the backside by third baseman Evan Longoria. Pat Burrell drew a bases-loaded walk and Pedro Feliz hit an RBI single off Sonnanstine. But the Phillies again missed a chance to get more -- they fell to 0-for-13 with the bases loaded. Blanton and the Phillies looked like a confident bunch playing in a park where they are 5-0 this postseason. Blanton again justified why the Phils traded a top prospect in midseason to get him from Oakland. Sonnanstine, however, was uncharacteristically wild. He matched a career high with three walks and was chased after four innings. The young Rays looked rattled, particularly All-Star rookie Longoria. The play at third base in the first inning had a lot to do with it. After Rollins led off the game with a single, the Phillies put runners at the corners with one out. Howard hit a soft tapper back to Sonnanstine as Rollins broke home. Caught in the middle, Rollins retreated while Sonnanstine chased him. Sonnanstine flipped the ball to Longoria, who swiped his glove at the diving Rollins. Third-base umpire Tim Welke signaled safe, and Longoria punched the air as manager Joe Maddon came out to argue. A TV replay showed Longoria tagged Rollins. This is the first postseason in which baseball is using replay -- but only to review home-run calls. Burrell was up next and drew a walk for a 1-0 lead. The Phillies squandered a chance for a really big inning when Shane Victorino hit into a forceout at the plate -- Sonnanstine made a nifty flip home with his glove -- and Feliz flied out. Longoria struck out twice and grounded out, leaving him 0-for-15 in the Series. He again heard it from the fans, who mockingly serenaded him with chants of "E-va, E-va."
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