The Philadelphia Phillies are in position to match a franchise record for wins in April despite being plagued by injuries.
Joe Blanton, originally scheduled to pitch Friday night, is the latest to hit the disabled list.
Vance Worley gets the start as the Phillies return home to open a three-game set against the New York Mets.
7:05 PM ET, April 29, 2011
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Already dealing with injuries to All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, promising rookie Domonic Brown, closer Brad Lidge, and relievers Jose Contreras and J.C. Romero, Philadelphia (16-8) placed Blanton on the 15-day DL on Thursday with an elbow injury. Catcher Carlos Ruiz is also expected to miss a few days with a back injury.
The Phillies, who went 17-5 in April 1993, though, own the second-best record in the NL and will turn to Worley to take Blanton's spot in the rotation.
Starting Pitchers
New York: Pelfrey (1-2, 7.23 ERA)
Philadelphia: Worley (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
The 23-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley after going 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA in four starts. He went 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA in two starts with Philadelphia last season.
The right-hander will look to help the Phillies' rotation get back on track after it struggled a bit towards the end of a recently completed 5-2 road trip.
Phillies starters went 3-0 with a 0.91 ERA during a four-game sweep of San Diego, but compiled an 8.10 ERA in two losses at Arizona prior to Wednesday's 8-4 victory.
"I don't necessarily think it was a pick up," said Cole Hamels, Wednesday's winning pitcher. "You're not going to have good games all the time, but just knowing these are some of the best pitchers in the game and you have to go out and pick up your end of the bargain."
Placido Polanco increased his average to .389 by going 4 for 5, and slugger Ryan Howard hit his fourth homer of the season.
Howard, batting .375 over his last six games, could be in line for another big day at the plate, as he is 13 for 32 (.406) lifetime with two home runs against Mets scheduled starter Mike Pelfrey (1-2, 7.23 ERA).
The right-hander, who has lost 11 pounds while batting flu-like symptoms, will look to help the Mets (11-14) bounce back after their season-high six-game winning streak was snapped Thursday with a 4-3 loss at Washington.
"We're coming to the ballpark like, 'We're going to win.' When you don't win, it hurts really bad," manager Terry Collins said. "It leaves a bad taste in your mouth -- especially when you have opportunities to win."
Pelfrey, who went 0-2 with a 9.72 ERA during his first four starts, finally showed signs of coming around in his last outing despite feeling under the weather. He held the Diamondbacks to one run and five hits over seven innings to earn his first victory of the year in Friday's 4-1 win.
"I wanted to throw a lot of secondary pitches for strikes," Pelfrey told the Mets' official website. "Everything for a strike was kind of my mentality. Being sick, I wasn't pulling off on the slider or the curveball or the split, which was good. Everything was nice and easy. And it worked out."
Pelfrey, 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA over his three most recent starts at Citizens Bank Park, has gone winless with an 8.67 ERA in his last six road starts dating to last season.
New York's Ike Davis, batting .472 over a career-best 10-game hitting streak, is hitting .441 in his last nine games against Philadelphia.
Joe Blanton, originally scheduled to pitch Friday night, is the latest to hit the disabled list.
Vance Worley gets the start as the Phillies return home to open a three-game set against the New York Mets.
7:05 PM ET, April 29, 2011
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Already dealing with injuries to All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, promising rookie Domonic Brown, closer Brad Lidge, and relievers Jose Contreras and J.C. Romero, Philadelphia (16-8) placed Blanton on the 15-day DL on Thursday with an elbow injury. Catcher Carlos Ruiz is also expected to miss a few days with a back injury.
The Phillies, who went 17-5 in April 1993, though, own the second-best record in the NL and will turn to Worley to take Blanton's spot in the rotation.
Starting Pitchers
New York: Pelfrey (1-2, 7.23 ERA)
Philadelphia: Worley (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
The 23-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley after going 2-2 with a 2.78 ERA in four starts. He went 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA in two starts with Philadelphia last season.
The right-hander will look to help the Phillies' rotation get back on track after it struggled a bit towards the end of a recently completed 5-2 road trip.
Phillies starters went 3-0 with a 0.91 ERA during a four-game sweep of San Diego, but compiled an 8.10 ERA in two losses at Arizona prior to Wednesday's 8-4 victory.
"I don't necessarily think it was a pick up," said Cole Hamels, Wednesday's winning pitcher. "You're not going to have good games all the time, but just knowing these are some of the best pitchers in the game and you have to go out and pick up your end of the bargain."
Placido Polanco increased his average to .389 by going 4 for 5, and slugger Ryan Howard hit his fourth homer of the season.
Howard, batting .375 over his last six games, could be in line for another big day at the plate, as he is 13 for 32 (.406) lifetime with two home runs against Mets scheduled starter Mike Pelfrey (1-2, 7.23 ERA).
The right-hander, who has lost 11 pounds while batting flu-like symptoms, will look to help the Mets (11-14) bounce back after their season-high six-game winning streak was snapped Thursday with a 4-3 loss at Washington.
"We're coming to the ballpark like, 'We're going to win.' When you don't win, it hurts really bad," manager Terry Collins said. "It leaves a bad taste in your mouth -- especially when you have opportunities to win."
Pelfrey, who went 0-2 with a 9.72 ERA during his first four starts, finally showed signs of coming around in his last outing despite feeling under the weather. He held the Diamondbacks to one run and five hits over seven innings to earn his first victory of the year in Friday's 4-1 win.
"I wanted to throw a lot of secondary pitches for strikes," Pelfrey told the Mets' official website. "Everything for a strike was kind of my mentality. Being sick, I wasn't pulling off on the slider or the curveball or the split, which was good. Everything was nice and easy. And it worked out."
Pelfrey, 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA over his three most recent starts at Citizens Bank Park, has gone winless with an 8.67 ERA in his last six road starts dating to last season.
New York's Ike Davis, batting .472 over a career-best 10-game hitting streak, is hitting .441 in his last nine games against Philadelphia.