Sunday, June 5, 2011
Posted: 10 a.m.
CSNPhilly.com
Phillies (34-24) at Pirates (28-29), 1:35 p.m. on WPHL.
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Roy Halladay (7-3, 2.56 ERA) will try to stop the bleeding for the Phillies, who have lost the first two games to Pittsburgh in the series and four straight. The reigning Cy Young winner has allowed 21 hits and seven runs in his last 14 innings.
Pirates: James McDonald (3-3, 4.85 ERA) has gone at least six innings without allowing more than two runs in six of his last seven starts. McDonald held the Mets to one run in a no-decision.
Previous games
The Phillies have now lost four straight and have dropped the first two to the Pirates. With a win on Sunday, the Pirates would claw to .500.
Head-to-head
The Pirates have now won six of their last seven games against the Phils, including Friday's 2-1 win in the 12th inning and Saturday's 6-3 win.
MLB
Who's hot?
Placido Polanco went 2 for 5 on Saturday with a run batted in.
Storylines
The Phillies are in a downward spiral and are just two games ahead of the Marlins in the division. During their four-game losing streak, the Phillies haven't scored more than three runs in a game. After fouling a pitch off his knee on Saturday, Jimmy Rollins is out of the lineup for Sunday's finale.
Sound off
Why have the Phillies struggled with the Pirates so much recently?