Off The Skid
The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell forming the heart of their batting order. Even with all of those weapons, Greg Dobbs has found plenty of ways to contribute off the bench.
After driving in the game’s only run to snap his team’s three-game skid, Dobbs looks to continue to help the Phillies as they close a three-game road series against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made Philadelphia -128 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 50% of bets for this game have been placed on Philadelphia -128 (View MLB Bet Percentages). Bet this game.
Philadelphia (25-22) is tied for the major league lead with 64 home runs and ranks among the NL leaders with 220 runs. While those statistics rely heavily on the bats of Rollins, Utley, Howard and Burrell, Dobbs’ contribution can’t be discounted.
Though he has started only 10 games, Dobbs is batting .356 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. The lefty-hitting third baseman has major league highs of 10 hits and nine RBIs in 22 pinch-hit at-bats, including an RBI single that plated Eric Bruntlett in the ninth inning of a 1-0 win over the Nationals (20-27) on Tuesday night.
"I pretty much didn’t feel anything – except the adrenaline and my heart pumping," said Dobbs, who was battling a sore back before he entered the game.
Dobbs’ game-winning hit made up for a lack of production from the top of the Phillies’ order. The Nos. 1-5 hitters combined to go 2-for-18 with five strikeouts, including a 1-for-4 performance from Utley.
The All-Star second baseman is batting .176 with one home run, five RBIs and four runs scored in his last 14 games after hitting .362 with 13 homers, 26 RBIs and 30 runs scored in his first 33 contests.
Despite the slump, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel says he isn’t worried.
"There are going to be times – weeks, months – when you’re not going to hit .340 or .300. There are going to be some .200s and .180s in there. That’s how baseball goes," Manuel told the Phillies’ official Web site.
"Believe me, when it’s all said and done, he’ll be there."
The Nationals hope to keep Utley at bay for one more game as they try to rebound from getting shut out for the major league-leading sixth time.
They’ll try to do so with Matt Chico (0-5, 6.07 ERA) returning to the starting rotation. After losing five straight starts April 5-26 and failing to get a decision in another poor outing May 3, the left-hander was moved to the bullpen, where he gave up one run in 6 1-3 innings spanning three appearances.
He’s getting another shot as a starter with Shawn Hill again struggling with elbow problems.
"It’s good to get back out there where I want to be," Chico told the Nationals’ official Web site. "Ultimately, I want to pitch, whenever I’m throwing, that’s fine. … Being in the bullpen has helped me calm down and get back to where I want to be."
Utley is 4-for-7 with one home run lifetime against Chico, who’s 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts against Philadelphia.
The Phillies will hand the ball to Jamie Moyer (3-3, 4.89), who held Toronto to three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 10-3 win on Friday. The 45-year-old left-hander is 8-4 with a 3.06 ERA lifetime against the Washington franchise, including 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in six starts since the 2004 season.
Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who’s 8-for-20 (.400) in his last five games, is 1-for-11 (.091) with two strikeouts lifetime against Moyer. Bet this game.
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