Phillies (64-37) vs. Giants (59-43), 7:05 on WPHL
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Vance Worley (6-1, 2.02) has been one of the biggest surprises on the mound for the Phils this season, and his good fortune keeps on coming. The 23-year-old righthander is 4-0 with a 0.81 ERA in his last five starts, and enters tonights game against the Giants having pitched a career-high eight innings in his last outing, a 9-1 win over the Cubs last Wednesday.
Giants: Tim Lincecum (8-8, 2.90) has allowed only one run in each of his last three starts, but still, lost his last outing to the Dodgers when his team failed to give him any run support for the third time in his last five starts (sound familiar?).
Previous games
Though the Phillies won their most recent series against the Padres, Cliff Lee was roughed up in the series finale, allowing five runs in four inningsan eventual 5-4 Phils loss that snapped the teams five-game winning streak.
The Giants defeated the Brewers, 4-2, on Sunday, their second straight victory and fifth win of their last seven games. Their 20-9 record since June 22 is the best in the majors.
Head-to-head
Tuesday is the first meeting between the Giants and Phillies since Game 6 of last seasons NLCS when the Giants won 3-2 at Citizens Bank Park to advance to the World Series. In the regular season last year, the Phils split the season series with the Giants three games a piece, losing two of three on the road and winning two of three at home.
Whos hot?
Over his last 10 games, Raul Ibanez is hitting .297 with 11 hits, one home run and four RBIs. In this past weekends series against the Padres, Shane Victorino had six hits, including three on Monday and two RBIs. For the Giants, third baseman Pablo Sandoval is batting .303 over his last 10 games with 10 hits, six walks and six RBIs.
Storylines
The Phillies and Giants enter this series both leading their divisions by at least four games (the Phillies by six over the Braves and the Giants by four over the D-backs). The last time the Phillies met the Giants, Ryan Howard went down looking on a 3-2 pitch from Brian Wilson to give the Giants the NL Pennant, eventually leading to a World Series championship. Tuesdays Giants starter Lincecum is also 2-1 with a 3.17 ERA in seven career regular-season starts against the Phils.
Sound off
How do you expect the Phillies to fare in this NLCS rematch?