Phillies Maintain Lead
After using a late rally to win, the Phillies will try to maintain
their slim first-place lead in the NL East on Wednesday when they
continue their series with the Mets.
The Philadelphia Phillies are involved in the tightest three-team
division race in baseball, but they haven’t been playing well against
either of their competitors, particularly the New York Mets.
They’re hoping one inning on Tuesday helped change that.
Oddsmakers from SBG Global
have made New York -130 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has
been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 89% of bets for this game have been placed on New York -111 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
After
using a late rally to win, the Phillies will try to maintain their slim
first-place lead in the NL East on Wednesday when they continue their
series with the Mets at Shea Stadium.
Philadelphia (54-46) lost
its last two games in Florida over the weekend, creating a tie atop the
division between the Phillies and Mets with the Marlins just one game
back.
It looked like New York (53-47) would take over first place
on Tuesday, when it had a 5-2 lead heading into the ninth inning. But
with Mets closer Billy Wagner unavailable due to muscle spasms around
his left elbow joint, manager Jerry Manuel had to rely on the rest of
his bullpen to close out the Phillies.
It didn’t work.
Philadelphia
scored six runs off three New York relievers in the ninth and won 8-6,
taking sole possession of first in the NL East.
"It started last
year,” Jimmy Rollins said, referring to the Phillies’ comeback from
seven games behind the Mets with 17 to play to win the division. "You
never give up.”
The Phillies have scored the second-most runs in
the NL, but hadn’t been faring so well against the Mets until recently.
They were held to 30 runs in their first nine games against New York,
but have scored 17 in the last two.
Philadelphia could still use
more production from some of its big bats against the Mets. Jimmy
Rollins and Pat Burrell have five total RBIs in 19 combined games
versus New York, while Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are hitting a
combined .242 (22-for-91).
Brett Myers (3-9, 5.84 ERA) will try
to help the Phillies extend their lead over the Mets on Wednesday.
Myers had two wins by April 17, but he’s won just once since then. He’s
spent the last three weeks in the minor leagues, and despite going 1-3,
he struck out 28 in 27 innings and finished with a 3.00 ERA.
He’s relishing the opportunity to come back against the Mets.
"I
can’t think of a better team for me to come back against," Myers told
the Phillies’ official Web site. "I don’t like them. We’re not supposed
to like them. Nothing against the guys on the team – they’re our
rivals."
Myers is 5-1 with a 4.83 ERA in nine career starts at Shea.
Tuesday’s
loss was just the third in the last 14 games for the Mets, who had won
three of four in Philadelphia earlier this month.
New York could
use Wagner, the Phillies’ former closer, back as soon as possible
though. Including Tuesday’s meltdown, the Mets’ bullpen has allowed 13
runs in 14 1-3 innings over the last five games.
"After seeing
that, you can’t help feeling that you want to be out there,” said
Wagner, who has 24 saves in 30 chances. "A lot of different things
might have happened if I was out there."
John Maine (8-7, 4.22)
will start Wednesday, and lately that hasn’t been a good proposition
for the Mets. He’s 0-2 with a 6.63 ERA in his last four starts, and
hasn’t lasted into the sixth in three of those games.
Maine went 4 2-3 and allowed five runs – and issues five walks – on Friday in a 5-2 loss to the Reds.
He’s fared well against Philadelphia, however. Maine is 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA versus the Phillies in eight career starts.
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