Phillies-Nationals game notes: Halladay vs. Lannan

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Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Posted: 10 a.m.

CSNPhilly.com

Phillies (7-3) at Nationals (5-5), 7 p.m. on CSN

Starting pitchers
Phillies: Roy Halladay (1-0, 0.69) - To nobody's surprise, Halladay has been lights out through the first two starts of his season. In Friday's win over the Mets, Halladay gave up just six hits in seven scoreless innings. Opponents are hitting just .229 off him to this point. And for his career, he is 8-1 with a 1.96 ERA against the Nats.

Nationals: John Lannan (1-0, 3.60) - The lefty has gone five innings in each of his first two starts. In Thursday's contest at Florida, he allowed three runs and seven hits in a no-decision. His career numbers against the Phillies are hideous: 0-8 with a 6.09 ERA in 11 starts.
Previous games
The Phillies dropped the series opener to Livan Hernandez and the Nationals, 7-4. Hernandez yielded only one run in 6 23 innings, while former Phillie Jayson Werth had a double and a home run. Ryan Howard homered for the Phillies, while Jimmy Rollins went 2 for 5 with a run scored.

Head-to-head
The Phillies were 12-6 against the Nationals in 2010, including a 5-4 mark in Washington. Tuesday's matchup was the first between the teams this year.

Whos hot?
Placido Polanco has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, including a 2-for-5 effort on Tuesday. Howard leads the team with 12 RBIs and is hitting .359 on the year.

Storylines
If it wasn't for a miraculous rally in the ninth inning of their season opener, the Phillies would be 0-4 in series openers this year. ... When is Rollins going to get his first RBI of the season? ... Will the Phillies be able to continue their success against Lannan, particularly Raul Ibanez, who is 10 for 15 with two homers against the lefty.

Sound off
If Joe Blanton continues to struggle, should the Phillies consider moving Kyle Kendrick into the starting rotation?
Related: Werth goes from friend to foeBuy Phillies gear

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