Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Posted: 12:25 p.m.Updated: 3:26 p.m.
CSNPhilly.com
Phillies (29-19) vs. Reds (26-23), 7:05 p.m. on CSN
Starting Pitchers
Phillies: Roy Halladay (6-3, 2.21) last faced Cincinnati in Game 1 of last year's National League Division Series, when Doc threw the second postseason no-hitter in baseball history. In regular-season action, Halladay is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in four starts vs. the Reds.
Reds: Travis Wood (3-3, 5.17) has not pitched well this season, but he has had the Phillies' number during his brief career. In one start against them last season, he carried a perfect game into the ninth inning before giving up a double to Carlos Ruiz. And then in the NLDS, he threw 3 13 innings of scoreless relief in Game 2.
Previous games
Vance Worley allowed three runs in five innings Tuesday night, but it was Ryan Madson who gave up three runs in the ninth inning to send the Phils to a 6-3 defeat against the Reds. Jay Bruce had the big blow for Cincinnati with a bases-clearing double.
The Phillies had won three of their previous four games, while the Reds had dropped six straight prior to Tuesday.
Head to head
The Reds had lost nine straight games in Philadelphia prior to Tuesday's win. This is the first meeting between the teams this season. The Phils and Reds will get together again in Cincinnati from Aug. 29 to Sept 1.
Whos hot?
Raul Ibanez has five hits, including a home run, in the first two games of the series. He has driven in three runs and scored four times in those contests. Ruiz also has been hot in the first two games vs. Cincy, going 5-for-6 with two doubles and two walks.
Bruce is tearing the cover off the ball over his last six games, posting 12 hits (four home runs) since Thursday. Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto has four hits, including a home run and two doubles, in addition to two walks in his last three games.
MLB
Storylines
It will be interesting to see if the Reds have made any adjustments against Halladay after last season's no-hitter. And have the Phillies figured out Wood after the rookie southpaw owned them in 2010? Also, will Dom Brown get the night off against a lefty? What about Chase Utley, who just recorded his first hit of the season on Tuesday? How does the day game on Thursday play into Charlie Manuel's strategy?
UPDATE: Utley is not in the starting lineup.
Sound off
Who has been the Phillies' MVP this season? Halladay, Cole Hamels, Placido Polanco or someone else?