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Phils Look to Avoid the Sweep in a Must Win Behind Cole Hamels.
Today the Philadelphia Phillies look to rebound from a disappointing loss, as well as avoid a 3 game sweep at the hands of the Washington Nationals. Last night, Phils’ closer Brad Lidge was given a save opportunity that he couldn’t cash, and the Nats’ third baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit a walk-off, three run home run that kept the Phils from closing back within 2.5 games of the division leading Atlanta Braves. The deficit is still just 3.5, as it was going into the game last night, but is certainly much better than the 7 games they found themselves back just a little over a week ago.
The Phils look to get back on the winning side of things and will hope for some more help from the pesky Reds to get that lead back to 2.5. The Nationals won their last series versus the Braves, helping the Phils gain a little ground, but now have certainly returned the favor as they have made easy work of the Phils. Unfortunately for the Bravos, they just haven’t been able to get many games back as they have split the first two with the Cincinnati Reds.
PHI -165 (Hamels) @ WAS +145 (Lannan); o/u8.5
Today the Phils look to Cole Hamels (12-9, 3.48), who for quite a long stretch there was victimized by a complete lack of run support. In his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Phils gave Hamels nine runs of support and won their fourth straight Cole Hamels start. Hamels has been absolutely stellar of late, allowing only 4 earned runs in those last 4 outings, only allowed one homer, and has become a pretty consistent strikeout guy. The Phils desperately need a great outing from Hamels today, and need the win in this contest even more.
Ryan Howard got the day off yesterday in attempt to bust him out of this little mini-slump. He will definitely be in the lineup today against John Lannan and the Nats, and the Phils would love to get a long ball or two from the “Big Piece.” Every game from here on out is obviously a big game for any team in the midst of a division/wild card race, but especially for the Phils who are chasing a young, driven Braves team that has a fantastic pitching staff. There wont be many opportunities like the one the Phils had this weekend with the Braves on the road versus a fantastic Reds team with whom they have had some trouble.
John Lannan (7-7, 5.76) gets the ball today for the Nationals in what is his first start since a June 20th loss at home to the Chicago White Sox. Lannan only last 4.0 innings in that outing, allowed 11 hits and 5 earned, and found himself in the midst of a serious funk. In his last three starts (6/20, 6/15, 6/9), Lannan took the loss in the final two, and allowed double digit hits in each of those starts. Hopefully for the Nationals the got him straightened out and he will give them some decent innings today, as he has shown the ability to get some wins at the big league level. Lannan is not a strike out pitcher, and doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but what he does have, when he’s on, is great movement, good location, and allows his defense to do their job.
The Phils always seem to have difficulty with the Nats, for whatever reason, and that probably won’t change today. The Nats are hot, are beating up on the teams they are looking up to in the division standings, and clearly wont be an easy win today either. The Phils desperately need this game today and will hope for some help from their friends in Cincy. Here is a must win, again, and look for the Phils to finally bust out today.
Take the Phils today, and play it unnecessarily confidently. Hamels should go deep today.
*W-L records are team records in pitchers’ starts.
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