MLB Baseball Matchup
Bet on MLB Baseball at BetUS!
Philadelphia Phillies |
Florida Marlins |
|
| Teams |
|
|
|
| Philadelphia Phillies |
9½ |
9½ |
9½ |
| Florida Marlins |
-101 |
+105 |
EV |
Odds subject to change |
|
 Despite how well they've been playing, the Philadelphia Phillies believe they haven't reached their peak. If true, that would be frightening news for the rest of the NL East.
After sweeping one of their division rivals, the Phillies look to distance themselves from another and win their fifth straight game overall Tuesday when they open a three-game series at the Florida Marlins.
On the morning of May 25, the Phillies were a middling 27-24 and in third place in the East, sitting two games behind the front-running Marlins. Since then, Philadelphia has gone on a 12-2 tear.
The Phillies (39-26), who have won four straight including a three-game sweep at Atlanta over the weekend, now lead the Marlins (34-29) by four games and the Braves by 6 1/2.
"We're playing some great ball," said first baseman Ryan Howard, who went 3-for-5 with three doubles and four RBIs Sunday as Philadelphia completed the sweep with a 6-3 win. "I think our best play is still ahead. It's just a feeling. Our pitchers are throwing well right now and we're getting timely hitting."
If the Phillies do play their best late in the season, it would parallel their play within individual games. Philadelphia outscored the Braves 10-1 from the seventh inning on during the sweep.
The Phillies have outscored their opponents 158-98 in the sixth inning and later this season. The 60-run differential is nearly double that of the second-best team in the majors - the Chicago Cubs have a 36-run advantage in the sixth inning and later.
"We're a better offensive team in the late innings," Phillies starting pitcher Adam Eaton said. "When the game is on the line, our hitters get hot."
While the Phillies are on a roll, the same cannot be said for Brett Myers (3-7, 5.13 ERA), the starter and loser in their last defeat. The right-hander allowed only one run and one hit over 7 1-3 innings of last Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Cincinnati, although he also issued a season-high six walks. It was the sixth loss for Myers in his last seven decisions.
However, his one win in that span came at home against the Marlins on May 30. He gave up three runs and six hits over eight innings while striking out a season-high 11 in a 12-3 victory to improve to 6-7 with a 4.89 ERA in 25 career appearances versus Florida.
The Phillies took two of three games in that series.
Ricky Nolasco (5-4, 5.05) earned the only win for Florida over the Phillies last month, allowing two runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 7-3 victory May 31 - his fourth consecutive win over five starts.
The right-hander saw that streak come to an end last Thursday at Atlanta, though, as he surrendered seven runs and 12 hits - both season highs - in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-5 defeat.
"It's frustrating, but it's still a long season," Nolasco, who gave up Chipper Jones' 400th career home run in the loss, told the Marlins' official Web site.
Nolasco is 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA in six career appearances - three starts - versus Philadelphia.
The Marlins lost 9-4 to Cincinnati on Monday in a game highlighted by another milestone homer - Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr.'s 600th. The defeat completed a four-game split - the fourth consecutive series Florida failed to win. The Marlins are 5-9 in that stretch.
Pick: Florida Marlins
Result: Won
Bet on NBA Basketball at iWager.com!
Bet on NBA Basketball at Bookmaker!
|
