Phils Sputtering
A sputtering offense has the Philadelphia Phillies reeling.
The NL East-leading Phillies will be trying to avoid their longest losing streak of the season when they continue a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made Philadelphia -118 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 9.5 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 56% of bets for this game have been placed on Philadelphia -118 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Philadelphia (42-33) lost its third straight on Friday, falling 7-1 to Los Angeles (44-30) in the series opener. The Phillies also dropped three in a row May 17-19, but haven’t lost four straight since Aug. 22-25.
Philadelphia ranks second in the NL behind Chicago with 394 runs, but its offense has been lacking recently. The Phillies have managed only five runs during their losing streak and have scored more than four in just seven of their last 10 games.
They are just 3-7 over that 10-game span since sweeping a three-game series in Atlanta.
Second baseman Chase Utley, who entered the game as the major league leader with 22 homers, has also been slumping. He hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Philadelphia’s only run Friday, but was 0-for-3 and doesn’t have a hit in his last 23 at-bats.
"It might be time to give him a rest,” manager Charlie Manuel said of Utley, who has started every game.
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The Angels, meanwhile, have scored 23 runs over their last four games. Vladimir Guerrero has been their spark plug recently, hitting .444 (20-for-45) with four homers over his last 11 games.
Guerrero hit a two-run homer Friday and now has 29 home runs and 82 RBIs against the Phillies – his most against any opponent in both categories. The former Montreal star, who faced the Phillies for the first time since 2003 on Friday, is batting .370 in 89 career games against them.
"I always swing the bat good here, but it used to be in the old park (Veterans Stadium)," Guerrero said through an interpreter. "My first game in the new park, and I’m continuing to swing the bat good against the Phillies."
Guerrero is 3-for-6 with a homer all-time against Brett Myers (3-8, 5.58 ERA), who will start Saturday for Philadelphia.
Myers has allowed 11 runs in 11 1-3 innings in his last two starts, including six in six innings of the Phillies’ 10-inning, 7-6 loss in St. Louis on Sunday. The right-hander is just 1-7 with a 6.18 ERA over his last 11 starts.
"I’ve got to stay away from the innings with the crooked numbers," he told the Phillies’ official team Web site. "I can’t go out there and give up five or six runs. That’s not me."
Myers is making his first career appearance against the Angels, who counter with Joe Saunders (10-3, 3.06).
Saunders became the third AL pitcher to reach 10 wins in his last start, throwing 7 2-3 innings in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Atlanta. The left-hander bounced back nicely after allowing a career high-tying eight runs six days earlier against Tampa Bay.
"My command was there tonight, maybe it wasn’t there last outing," he said. "I kept them off the bases as much as I could. They’re a good hitting team, it was a battle."
Saunders has never faced the Phillies.
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