Blanton, Werth help Philadelphia Phillies edge Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2

Blanton leads Phillies past Pirates

PHILADELPHIA — Joe Blanton pitched into the eighth inning, Jayson Werth drove in two runs on the same day he was named to his first All-Star team and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Friday night.

Blanton (6-4) allowed one run and four hits over 7 1-3 innings in his second consecutive effective outing. The right-hander pitched 7 1-3 scoreless innings in Philadelphia’s 2-0 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.

Werth, picked by manager Charlie Manuel to replace injured outfielder Carlos Beltran on the NL All-Star roster, hit a two-run double in the third to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead.

Fellow All-Star Shane Victorino went 3 for 4 with two doubles for Philadelphia, and is 17 for 34 in his last eight games. The NL East-leading Phillies have won seven of eight, all at home.

Pittsburgh’s Zach Duke (8-8) tossed his third complete game of the season, allowing five hits, and lost for the fourth time in his last five decisions. He allowed only one hit, Victorino’s eighth-inning double, after the third.

Duke is winless in his last seven road starts and Pittsburgh has scored just 18 runs in his eight losses.

Garrett Jones and Brandon Moss homered for the Pirates, who have lost seven of nine. All-Star Freddy Sanchez, returning to the lineup after missing the last six games with lower back tightness, went 2 for 4 with a double.

Moss connected against Brad Lidge with two out in the ninth, but pinch-hitter Delwyn Young struck out to end the game. Lidge earned his 18th save in 24 chances.

NOTES: The Phillies activated All-Star left fielder Raul Ibanez from the disabled list. Ibanez, who missed 20 games with a groin injury, was available to pinch hit but did not play. Manuel said the outfielder would be in the starting lineup Saturday. … Pittsburgh center fielder Andrew McCutchen’s error in the third was the Pirates’ first error in a season-high 66 2-3 innings.