CSNPhilly.com
Phillies (56-33) vs. Braves (52-37)- 4:10 p.m.- FOX
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Cliff Lee (9-6, 2.92 ERA) looks to gain an edge on the season series against the Atlanta Braves. Lee's last start, a 10 hit seven run loss in Toronto, was an anomaly in June that featured Lee posting 34 scoreless innings across three consecutive shutouts.
Braves: The Braves will counter with Tommy Hanson. The Braves'24 year-old righty is 10-4 this season and has not lost a game since May 27. In a series that will feature four staring pitchers heading for the All Star Game, it's hard to imagine that Hanson isn't.
Hanson has faced the Phillies six times in his career with 27 strikeouts over 29 13 innings and a 2.45 ERA.
Previous games
The Phillies played in their ninth extra inning game of the season Friday night. Raul Ibanez's 2-0 moonshot into the rightfield seats in the 10th inning capped an impressive two run seven inning performance by Roy Halladay.
Head-to-head
Friday night's win tied the Phillies and Braves at five games each for the season series. The win also knotted the team at two wins each at Citizens Bank Park.
MLB
Who's hot?
Chase Utley will look to extend his twelve game hitting streak. Jimmy Rollins carried a hot bat into Friday night's contest and still managed two hits in a low scoring affair. Ibanez, Carlos Ruiz and Domonic Brown also managed two hits each.
Chipper Jones had two hits Friday night but he is headed to the 15-day disabled list with a torn meniscus. Against Lee, the Braves will have to rely heavily on pitcher Tommy Hanson to keep the game close.
Storylines
Just days away form the All Star break the Phillies and Braves have turned the NL East into a boat race. The other three teams in the division are ten games behind the division leading Philles. The Braves are three and half games out of first but hold the lead in the NL East wild card standings by four games.
If the Braves are going to gain divisional ground this series, they are going to have to do it without Chipper Jones.
Sound off
Outside of the pitching staff, who is the Phillies' mid season MVP?