Phillies Big Chalk in Sunday Battle with Nationals
The MLB money line isn't as big as Friday's 360 chalk, but Roy Oswalt and the Philadelphia Phillies are once again big betting favorites in Sunday's rubber game with the Nats.
Missed it by one day. Roy Oswalt's start on Sunday in the series finale between the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals means the former Astros pitcher won't be in the mix this week when Houston comes to Citizen's Bank Park. That certainly would've been an interesting scene for old 'Stros fans such as myself, but we'll have to wait until 2011 to possibly see it.
The two NL East foes opened their set Friday with a tightly-pitched contest that had the Phillies decided favorites, reaching as high as minus 400 at some MLB betting shops. Roy Halladay worked seven scoreless frames with his bullpen taking over to complete the 1-0 Philadelphia triumph.
Jason Marquis was the tough-luck loser for the Nationals and the 'under' broke a string of nine consecutive 'overs' between the two clubs. Philadelphia opened the series with a 5-4 edge over Washington during the 2010 campaign.
Washington came back in a Saturday night pick 'em to even the series with an 8-1 win, but the victory was tempered by the arm injury to young phenom Stephen Strasburg. The rookie righty left the game in the bottom of the fifth with what was initially diagnosed as a strained tendon in his right elblow.
Oswalt (3-1, 3.07) will be looking for his first win over the Nationals in 2010, dropping a 14-4 decision to Washington while with the Astros in late May and losing his Phillies debut in DC on July 30, 8-1. Philadelphia was a 165 MLB odds favorite in that loss to Craig Stammen and the Nats. Oswalt's two combined starts versus Washington in 2010 have seen him yield eight earned runs in 8 1/3 innings.
The right-hander out of Weir, Mississippi has since rebounded from the July 30 defeat by helping the Phils to three wins. The most recent two outings have been at Citizens Bank Park where Oswalt has tossed 14 innings since joining the Phillies, allowing three earned runs.
Squaring off against Oswalt and the Phils will be Nationals left-hander Scott Olsen (5-7, 5.14). The Kalamazoo native missed a little more than two months earlier this season with shoulder trouble after working his way back from July 2009 surgery. The Nationals have dropped his last three starting assignments, two of those on the road in Arizona and Atlanta.
Olsen has pitched a little better on the road than at home this season, however, with a 3.93 ERA in 34 1/3 innings away from Nationals Park. He started an April 15 game here at Citizen's Bank Park, earning a no-decision in Washington's 7-5 victory. Olsen, a big 225 'dog in that contest, tossed into the sixth inning and allowed four earned runs. The Nationals are 2-1 in his three starts versus Philadelphia since the southpaw joined the club before the start of the '09 season.
The umpire rotation should find Chris Guccione behind the dish for the series finale. Now in his 11th season calling big league games, Guccione brings a 16-10 lean to home teams, though that includes a 2-2 record on heavy chalk (190+). He's worked three games involving either the Phils or Nats this season, with all three going 'under.'
Forecasters are listing a 60 percent chance of rain in the Philly area for Sunday afternoon and into the evening. The two teams will meet again here in mid-September, in case there is a rainout. Temperatures will reach into the muggy low-80s with a good breeze out of the south at 10-15 mph (blowing out to center).
Washington will head back home after Sunday's match and welcome the Cubs to DC on Monday for the start of a seven-game homestand. The Phillies will open their four-game series with the Astros against a former teammate, Brett Myers (14-11, 3.11), who is scheduled to face Joe Blanton (10-10, 5.54).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
The MLB money line isn't as big as Friday's 360 chalk, but Roy Oswalt and the Philadelphia Phillies are once again big betting favorites in Sunday's rubber game with the Nats.
Missed it by one day. Roy Oswalt's start on Sunday in the series finale between the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals means the former Astros pitcher won't be in the mix this week when Houston comes to Citizen's Bank Park. That certainly would've been an interesting scene for old 'Stros fans such as myself, but we'll have to wait until 2011 to possibly see it.
The two NL East foes opened their set Friday with a tightly-pitched contest that had the Phillies decided favorites, reaching as high as minus 400 at some MLB betting shops. Roy Halladay worked seven scoreless frames with his bullpen taking over to complete the 1-0 Philadelphia triumph.
Jason Marquis was the tough-luck loser for the Nationals and the 'under' broke a string of nine consecutive 'overs' between the two clubs. Philadelphia opened the series with a 5-4 edge over Washington during the 2010 campaign.
Washington came back in a Saturday night pick 'em to even the series with an 8-1 win, but the victory was tempered by the arm injury to young phenom Stephen Strasburg. The rookie righty left the game in the bottom of the fifth with what was initially diagnosed as a strained tendon in his right elblow.
Oswalt (3-1, 3.07) will be looking for his first win over the Nationals in 2010, dropping a 14-4 decision to Washington while with the Astros in late May and losing his Phillies debut in DC on July 30, 8-1. Philadelphia was a 165 MLB odds favorite in that loss to Craig Stammen and the Nats. Oswalt's two combined starts versus Washington in 2010 have seen him yield eight earned runs in 8 1/3 innings.
The right-hander out of Weir, Mississippi has since rebounded from the July 30 defeat by helping the Phils to three wins. The most recent two outings have been at Citizens Bank Park where Oswalt has tossed 14 innings since joining the Phillies, allowing three earned runs.
Squaring off against Oswalt and the Phils will be Nationals left-hander Scott Olsen (5-7, 5.14). The Kalamazoo native missed a little more than two months earlier this season with shoulder trouble after working his way back from July 2009 surgery. The Nationals have dropped his last three starting assignments, two of those on the road in Arizona and Atlanta.
Olsen has pitched a little better on the road than at home this season, however, with a 3.93 ERA in 34 1/3 innings away from Nationals Park. He started an April 15 game here at Citizen's Bank Park, earning a no-decision in Washington's 7-5 victory. Olsen, a big 225 'dog in that contest, tossed into the sixth inning and allowed four earned runs. The Nationals are 2-1 in his three starts versus Philadelphia since the southpaw joined the club before the start of the '09 season.
The umpire rotation should find Chris Guccione behind the dish for the series finale. Now in his 11th season calling big league games, Guccione brings a 16-10 lean to home teams, though that includes a 2-2 record on heavy chalk (190+). He's worked three games involving either the Phils or Nats this season, with all three going 'under.'
Forecasters are listing a 60 percent chance of rain in the Philly area for Sunday afternoon and into the evening. The two teams will meet again here in mid-September, in case there is a rainout. Temperatures will reach into the muggy low-80s with a good breeze out of the south at 10-15 mph (blowing out to center).
Washington will head back home after Sunday's match and welcome the Cubs to DC on Monday for the start of a seven-game homestand. The Phillies will open their four-game series with the Astros against a former teammate, Brett Myers (14-11, 3.11), who is scheduled to face Joe Blanton (10-10, 5.54).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
