Roy Halladay and Phillies take on Roy Oswalt and Astros in Houston
It's Aces Named Roy Day in Houston when the Phillies' Roy Halladay opposes the Astros' Roy Oswalt on the mound Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
My plans for Sunday afternoon have been set. Bacon will begin sizzling in the pan at approximately 1:40 p.m. (ET) in preparation for a monster BLT to be made ready by the start of the Astros, Phillies series finale in Houston.
Cheetos and sweet tea will also be served in large quantities.
Roy Oswalt will be facing a Cy Young winner in his second consecutive start to open the season when he takes on Philadelphia right-hander Roy Halladay. Oddsmakers don't see Oswalt as too much of an ace for this affair, however. Lines place heavy 180-190 chalk on Halladay and the Phillies with the total set at 7 ½.
That is due in part to the Astros getting off to their worst start since 1983 when they opened that season losing their first nine. Philadelphia dropped Houston to 0-5 on the season Saturday with a 9-6 beating behind homers from Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino. The Phils were 150 favorites with a total of 9½, and that win came on the heels of an 8-0 victory in Friday's series opener.
The six runs Houston scored in defeat matched the total the Astros scored in the first four games of the season.
Oswalt's season started on Monday at home against the Giants and two-time defending NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. San Francisco prevailed, 5-2, as 135 chalk. The Houston ace worked six innings allowing three runs, all in the second inning.
The 2009 season saw Oswalt make one start against the Phillies, with the Astros winning 5-4 in a no-decision for the Houston right-hander. Oswalt worked 6 1/3 innings giving up two runs while whiffing eight. His last five starts versus the Phils have produced a 5.17 ERA in 31 1/3 frames, with 28 strikeouts against 12 walks and a homer.
The Astros are 4-1 in those five starts by Oswalt. He's had good fortunes lifetime against Chase Utley (3-for-20), but Ryan Howard (8-for-19, 2 HR) and Placido Polanco (10-for-21) have given him fits.
Sunday's outing for Halladay will be the first time he's taken on the Astros in a regular season game. He made his season and Phillies debut on Monday at Washington carrying 200 chalk and showing why with a solid performance in an 11-1 Philadelphia triumph.
Halladay burned 88 pitches over seven innings, giving up the Nats' lone run and striking out nine. The big righty also contributed to the deciding five-run Phils fourth with an RBI single.
Andy Fletcher should be under the mask calling the offerings from Halladay and Oswalt. He last worked a game in Houston in early May 2009, a 2-0 Astros win that ended with 14 strikeouts and three walks in a Wandy Rodriguez, Chad Gaudin (SD) matchup. Fletcher worked one of Halladay's games while in Toronto last year, and it was one of Halladay's worst starts of the '09 season. At Rogers Centre, Halladay gave up five runs in five innings during a 6-1 loss to Boston.
The top should be off at Minute Maid on Sunday under partly cloudy skies. It should be relatively humid with temps climbing into the mid-to-upper 70s and an ESE wind blowing around 10-15 mph (out to right-center).
It's Aces Named Roy Day in Houston when the Phillies' Roy Halladay opposes the Astros' Roy Oswalt on the mound Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park.
My plans for Sunday afternoon have been set. Bacon will begin sizzling in the pan at approximately 1:40 p.m. (ET) in preparation for a monster BLT to be made ready by the start of the Astros, Phillies series finale in Houston.
Cheetos and sweet tea will also be served in large quantities.
Roy Oswalt will be facing a Cy Young winner in his second consecutive start to open the season when he takes on Philadelphia right-hander Roy Halladay. Oddsmakers don't see Oswalt as too much of an ace for this affair, however. Lines place heavy 180-190 chalk on Halladay and the Phillies with the total set at 7 ½.
That is due in part to the Astros getting off to their worst start since 1983 when they opened that season losing their first nine. Philadelphia dropped Houston to 0-5 on the season Saturday with a 9-6 beating behind homers from Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino. The Phils were 150 favorites with a total of 9½, and that win came on the heels of an 8-0 victory in Friday's series opener.
The six runs Houston scored in defeat matched the total the Astros scored in the first four games of the season.
Oswalt's season started on Monday at home against the Giants and two-time defending NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. San Francisco prevailed, 5-2, as 135 chalk. The Houston ace worked six innings allowing three runs, all in the second inning.
The 2009 season saw Oswalt make one start against the Phillies, with the Astros winning 5-4 in a no-decision for the Houston right-hander. Oswalt worked 6 1/3 innings giving up two runs while whiffing eight. His last five starts versus the Phils have produced a 5.17 ERA in 31 1/3 frames, with 28 strikeouts against 12 walks and a homer.
The Astros are 4-1 in those five starts by Oswalt. He's had good fortunes lifetime against Chase Utley (3-for-20), but Ryan Howard (8-for-19, 2 HR) and Placido Polanco (10-for-21) have given him fits.
Sunday's outing for Halladay will be the first time he's taken on the Astros in a regular season game. He made his season and Phillies debut on Monday at Washington carrying 200 chalk and showing why with a solid performance in an 11-1 Philadelphia triumph.
Halladay burned 88 pitches over seven innings, giving up the Nats' lone run and striking out nine. The big righty also contributed to the deciding five-run Phils fourth with an RBI single.
Andy Fletcher should be under the mask calling the offerings from Halladay and Oswalt. He last worked a game in Houston in early May 2009, a 2-0 Astros win that ended with 14 strikeouts and three walks in a Wandy Rodriguez, Chad Gaudin (SD) matchup. Fletcher worked one of Halladay's games while in Toronto last year, and it was one of Halladay's worst starts of the '09 season. At Rogers Centre, Halladay gave up five runs in five innings during a 6-1 loss to Boston.
The top should be off at Minute Maid on Sunday under partly cloudy skies. It should be relatively humid with temps climbing into the mid-to-upper 70s and an ESE wind blowing around 10-15 mph (out to right-center).
