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It was bad enough that his elbow throbbed for months and he wasnt sure whether he could even lob the ball 60 feet, never mind get big-league hitters out. For Joe Blanton, the worst part about his lost season of 2011 was feeling like an outsider.It was frustrating, he said. I wouldnt say I felt invisible, but I didnt feel part of the team.Blanton felt part of the team Thursday night. In fact, he was one of the big reasons that the Phillies were able to win a series with a 3-1 victory over the Miami Marlins (see Salisbury's Instant Replay).He pitched a heck of a game, manager Charlie Manuel said.Indeed, Blanton did. The righthander scattered three hits over seven innings of one-run ball. His fastball command was excellent and he kept the Marlins off-balance with just the right complement of soft stuff.Blanton is a quiet, stoic guy. But after this one, he had a hard time holding back a smile.A year ago, he was part of one of the most ballyhooed rotations of all time. He stood side-by-side with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt. Of course, he didnt maintain that place very long. His elbow was cranky in spring training. It got no better once the season started. By mid-May, he was out of the rotation and on the disabled list. While his teammates were racking up those 102 wins, Blanton spent most of his time rehabbing in Florida. There was talk as late as August that he might need surgery.Blanton avoided the scalpel, made it back to pitch a few innings in September and reported to camp feeling good this spring.What happened to the elbow ailment?It went away with rest, treatment and a rehabilitation program.I went back to square one, improved my mechanics, flexibility and range of motion, Blanton said. It was a long road, but hopefully in the future Ill be all that much better for it.Blanton maintained his health throughout the spring and came into the seasonand Thursday nights start, his first non-abbreviated start since last Mayin a good frame of mind.By the end of spring training I had a feeling that my stuff was good and I was fine physically, he said. There were a lot of positives in spring training and I was looking for it to continue tonight.Blanton walked just one batter and struck out three to improve to 7-2 lifetime against the Marlins. He joined Halladay, Lee and Vance Worley in going at least six innings and allowing zero or one run in his first start of the season. If Blanton keeps this up, he will be the best fifth starter in baseball and the Phillies might be able to get by with a suspect offense.The offense was not robust Thursday night, but it was adequate enoughespecially with Blanton, Chad Qualls and Jonathan Papelbon all delivering. Miami starter Mark Buehrle was perfect through three innings, but the Phils figured him out in the fourth and scored a pair of runs on four hits. Shane Victorino led off the frame with a homer and John Mayberry Jr. followed a Hunter Pence double with an RBI single. Ty Wigginton padded the lead with a solo homer in the seventh.Blanton worked the bottom half of the strike zone well and was backed by excellent defense in the infield and outfield.Fastball command and good defense, Blanton said. I kept the ball down and the defense was phenomenal.Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee watch pitch counts closely early in the season so Blanton was out of the game after seven innings and 85 pitches. Qualls and Papelbon closed it out. Everybody knew the ninth inning belonged to Papelbon when the Phillies signed him in November. The eighth inning is quickly becoming Qualls. The righthander is throwing hard94 mph on the stadium radar gunwith excellent sinking action. Papelbon is 2 for 2 in save chances with his new club.Blanton had no qualms coming out of the game.We have fantastic guys in the eighth and ninth innings, he said.And besides, after all he went through last season, seven innings of one-run ball was a goodand personally satisfyingnights work.E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com.