Monday, May 16, 2011
Posted: 12:35 p.m.
CSNPhilly.com
Phillies (25-14) at Cardinals (22-19), 7:05 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Cliff Lee. Lee has made five consecutive starts without a win, and enters the game with a 3.78 ERA and 2-3 record on the season.
Cardinals: Jake Westbrook. The Cardinals starter has an unimpressive 6.92 ERA, along with 20 walks and just 23 strikeouts in 39 innings this season. Still, his record (2-3) is identical to Lees.
Previous games
The Phillies are 3-3 on their current eight-game road trip, and lost to the Braves on Sunday in the rubber match of that series. Roy Halladay pitched his second straight complete game loss, as the Phils mustered just two runs in a 3-2 defeat.
Head-to-head
This is the first meeting between the Cardinals and Phillies this season. After this brief two-game set, the Phillies return to St. Louis on June 21-23. The Cardinals dont visit Citizens Bank Park until mid-September.
MLB
Whos hot?
Lee is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two career starts in St. Louis. Ryan Howard is batting .432 with five homers and 17 RBI in his last 12 road games against the Cardinals.
Storylines
Cliff Lees last victory was a three-hit shutout in Washington on April 14more than a month ago. Shane Victorino is likely to miss his second straight game with a sore hamstring; Michael Martinez took Victorinos place in centerfield yesterday in Atlanta. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is expected to return the bench after taking a leave of absence last Tuesday with some health issues.
Sound off
If the Phillies split these two games with the Cardinals, would a 4-4 road trip against quality opponents be considered a success?