Skip to content
Phillies
Link copied to clipboard

Manuel: Blanton will start Game 4

Here is what Charlie Manuel had to say, after the Phillies lost Game 3 to the Giants, 3-0.

Will Joe Blanton start Game 4? "Yeah," Manuel said. Manuel was asked if there was any discussion after the game about starting Blanton. "No discussion," Manuel said.

About Game 4, Manuel said: "I'd say tomorrow is the biggest game we've played so far. Today was a big game but tomorrow is bigger. That's how I look at it."

About Giants starter Matt Cain: "I thought Cain was too good. He didn't give us any runs. Even though he hit a couple of batters and gave us three walks, he pitched better. We did hit any balls hard. He mixed his pitches well."

About whether Ben Francisco will replace Raul Ibanez in leftfield: "He hits lefthanders real well. We'll think about it."

About Cole Hamels' performance: "I thought it was big when he walked [Pat] Burrell. Cody Ross has been hot and he bit a ball down. Hamels, he definitely could have gotten out of the inning. Ross got a big hit off him."

About Chase Utley's swing: "It might have something to do about the pitching. I don't know what we're going to do about it. I can talk to them about it but when the game starts, it's up to them."