NEW YORK — The difference between the Mets and the Phillies in the National League East standings is one game, but what separated Joe Blanton from a strong debut for the Phils last night was the slightest turn - or lack thereof - by Carlos Delgado's wrists.
The Phillies won, 8-6, churning the bases for six runs in the ninth, but when the newly acquired Blanton left the game after the sixth, they were trailing, 5-1.
Blanton had not pitched in two weeks.
"I thought Blanton did pretty good," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, who was ejected in the third inning and watched from the clubhouse.
Blanton was acquired last week from Oakland for three minor-league prospects. In 20 starts for the Athletics this season, he was 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA.
Last night, Blanton threw 109 pitches over six innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs. Two of those runs came on Delgado's third-inning homer.
For Blanton, the frustrating thing is that he nearly had struck out Delgado earlier in that seven-pitch at-bat.
Delgado fell behind, 0-2. Blanton then wasted three pitches, one of which Delgado appeared to have gone around on - pulling his hips through, but locking his wrists to shut down his momentum like an antilock brake system.
"It was close," Blanton said of Delgado's near-swing. "From the mound, it's hard to tell; it's a tough angle."
Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz pointed to the third-base umpire, who paused, then signaled no swing.
Delgado's home run came on a Blanton curveball, 76 m.p.h., that crossed the plate low. After the game, Blanton said that was exactly where he wanted the pitch.
"That's a tip of your cap," Blanton said. "I came hard at him, curveball bottom, bottom part of the plate. He's just a big, strong guy."
Delgado golfed it out of the park, up and above Phillies rightfielder Jayson Werth, who stood by Shea Stadium's 358-foot marker in right field and watched the ball bounce into the Mets' bullpen.
Blanton's debut was more than an hour old when the Phillies came from behind in the top of the ninth.
"That," Blanton said, "was awesome."
Contact staff writer Kate Fagan at 856-779-3844 or kfagan@phillynews.com.
