Howard's double lifts Phils in 11th

SAN DIEGO - The 11th inning at Petco Park on Saturday night brought this sight: Ryan Howard standing in the on-deck circle watching the San Diego Padres intentionally walk Jimmy Rollins. Yes, the opposition was intentionally walking someone to face Ryan Howard.

Usually it's the other way around. But Howard, the $125 million slugger wearing a golden sombrero for the second time in three nights here, apparently was not as imposing as Rollins. Padres manager Bud Black had lefthander Cory Luebke ready to face Howard and pounced on the chance.

That backfired. Howard hit a two-run, opposite-field double off the wall, just past the glove of Ryan Ludwick, to put the Phillies ahead. Their fourth consecutive win was a 4-2 decision over San Diego.

It's hard to say what was more inconceivable: the insult flung at Howard or the impeccable work of the bullpen.

To preserve a tie in the later innings, the Phillies received three perfect innings of relief from Danys Baez, Antonio Bastardo, and Kyle Kendrick.

Ryan Madson was summoned for the 11th and earned his second save in two days. With the tying run at the plate, Brad Hawpe flied out deep to left to end it. He slammed his helmet.

Howard had struck out eight times in 12 at-bats before coming to the plate in the 11th, a perfect face for what is the slumping Phillies offense.

"I'm sure they're not trying to make outs," general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. mused before the game.

Well, no. But it's not pretty. The Phillies haven't scored more than four runs since April 9. But they are 8-4 in those games.

The pitching has been astounding. In a tie game, Baez, Bastardo, and Kendrick were sharp. They each pitched in unaccustomed roles in relief of Joe Blanton.

There was no shutout for the third straight game; San Diego scored three Blanton pitches into it. Cameron Maybin singled on the first pitch and Jason Bartlett tripled on the third.

But Blanton was solid after that. He allowed another run in the fifth, but in no other inning did a Padre reach third base. It helped that San Diego used a lineup that included five hitters with a season batting average under .200.

Still, after allowing 12 runs in his first two starts, Blanton has pitched 14 innings with four runs surrendered. He has been much improved.

Faced with a decision in the eighth, manager Charlie Manuel chose to remove Blanton for a pinch-hitter. Blanton had thrown just 93 pitches in his seven innings, but in a tie game, Manuel wanted Ross Gload to lead off the inning. He grounded out to first and the Phillies went quietly.

The Phils actually were able to string together a few hits in more than one inning. In the fourth, Ben Francisco tripled home Rollins, who had walked. It was a triple only because the centerfielder, Maybin (who has been known to defensively aid the Phillies before), made an ill-advised dive that left him about three feet away from where the ball landed.

In the sixth, Pete Orr hit a one-out double down the left-field line. It was first called fair by first-base umpire Mike DiMuro, then foul, then fair again. Replays were inconclusive. Rollins followed with a single up the middle off Bartlett's outstretched glove for his second RBI of the season and first since April 14.

But in both cases, the Phillies could not score more than one run in the inning. Ibanez struck out in the fourth to strand Francisco on third. Howard struck out with Rollins on first in the sixth, and Francisco grounded out.