Phillies clobber Twins 9-5

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Ryan Howard homered twice, Chase Utley also went deep and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Minnesota Twins 9-5 on Friday night.

Joe Blanton (2-5) threw six effective innings for the Phillies, who have won three straight and four of five after a 5-14 skid dropped them into third place in the NL East. Howard went 4 for 4 with three RBIs and set a career high with four extra-base hits, falling a single short of the cycle.

Nick Punto hit a two-run shot for the AL Central-leading Twins.

Blanton gave up three runs and seven hits. The right-hander didn't allow a hit until Jason Kubel led off the fifth with a triple and was thrown out by Utley trying to stretch it into an inside-the-park homer.

Nick Blackburn (6-4) got the loss. He lasted one and two-thirds innings, allowing eight runs and six hits.

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