For the second straight year, the Phillies close out the season by facing the Braves in Atlanta. Just like last year, the Braves can clinch the NL Wild Card spot against the Phillies in the final series of the season. The Phillies can clinch a franchise record in wins with 102, but they would have to sweep the Braves in order to do that. If it was not for that 8 game losing streak, that would have been easily accomplished. Cole Hamels will pitch in relief on Wednesday. He is not going to start because 1. just like last year, he will only pitch about 2 innings to get ready for the playoffs and 2. if he leaves his short outing with the Phils in the lead, he won’t get his career tying 15th win. Of course he can win in relief.
The Braves are 89-70 and lead the Cardinals by 1 game for the Wild Card. The Cardinals will play the Astros in Houston to close out the season. The former Phillies/Astros will decide who will win the Wild Card (barring a tied record between the Cardinals and Braves)! In addition, the Brewers lead the D’Backs by a game.
All-time: 982-1044
All-time home: 527-493 (but got outscored 4513-4694: a -181 differential)
Citizens Bank Park: 39-34 (but got outscored 326-328: a -2 differential)
Veterans Stadium: 95-109
All-time road: 455-551
Turner Field: 60-63 (but outscored Braves 555-545)
A-FC Stadium: 89-107
Monday 9/26 at 7:10 PM- Cliff Lee (L, 16-8, 2.38) vs Randall Delgado (R, 1-1, 2.70)
- Lee’s Career vs Braves: In 7 starts (43 1/3 innings), Lee is 2-3, 3.95 with 48 strikeouts and 4 walks. The 12 strikeouts to walk ratio is the highest vs any team with more than 3 starts against. The Braves have a lifetime .276 batting average with 5 home runs off Lee. Brian McCann is 6-16 with 2 doubles and 5 strikeouts and Dan Uggla is 3-13 with a double, home run and 4 strikeouts. Click here to see how the current Braves do against Lee.
- Last Start vs Braves: On September 5, Lee went 9 innings and allowed no runs on 5 hits, no walks and struck out 6 in his 6th shutout this season. After Matt Diaz’s single to lead off the 2nd inning, Lee retired the next 17 of 18. The only batter to reach was Dan Uggla with 1 out in the 7th then was doubled up right away when Diaz hit into a double play. Freddie Freeman led off the next inning with a single, but was doubled up on an Alex Gonzalez double play. Jorge Constanza singled before Lee got Jack Wilson to ground out to end the inning.
- Previous Start: On Tuesday against the Nats (second game), Lee went 7 innings and allowed 3 runs (1 unearned) on 11 hits, no walks and struck out 9. Danny Espinosa homered with 1 out in the 2nd inning. In the 4th inning with 1 out, Mike Morse singled then Jonny Gomes reached on a Chase Utley catching error on an assist, then Espinosa singled to load the bases. Chris Marreo struck out the Wilson Ramos grounded out to end the inning. Espinosa singled with 1 out in the 6th then 1 out later, Ramos and Ross Detwiler hit back to back singles to score another run. Jayson Werth led off the next inning with a double then went to third on a Morse single. Werth was picked off third base, but Carlos Ruiz’s throw hit Werth and caromed into foul territory and Werth scored.
- Delgado’s Career vs Phillies: Delgado has never faced the Phillies in his career. In 25 minor league starts (21 for Double A Mississippi Braves, 4 for Gwinnett Braves), he was 7-7, 3.88 with 135 strikeouts and 57 walks in 139 innings.
- Last Start vs Phillies: Never faced Phillies.
- Previous Start: On Tuesday against the Marlins, Delgado went 5 innings and allowed no runs on 5 hits, 2 walks and struck out 1. In the 2nd inning, he allowed back to back singles with 2 outs, but got Matt Dominguez to fly out. In the next inning, Emilio Bonifacio and Omar Infante singled with 1 out, before Delgado loaded the bases with a walk to Mike Stanton. Delgado got out of the jam when Logan Morrison lined into an inning ending double play. The Braves would shutout the Marlins 4-0.
Tuesday 9/27 at 7:10 PM- Roy Oswalt (R, 8-10, 3.86) vs Derek Lowe (R, 9-16, 4.92)
- Oswalt’s Career vs Braves: In 11 games (10 starts– 50 2/3 innings), Oswalt is 1-3, 5.15. Oswalt’s 5.15 ERA against the Braves is the highest vs NL teams. The Braves have a lifetime .288 batting average with 5 home runs off Oswalt. Jack Wilson is 25-69 with 6 doubles, 7 RBI, and 8 strikeouts; Alex Gonzalez is 12-29 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 3 RBI and 5 strikeouts; Dan Uggla is 3-24 with a double, 6 walks and 10 strikeouts. Click here to see how the current Braves do against Oswalt.
- Last Start vs Braves: On September 7, Oswalt went 7 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, 4 walks and struck out 7. Through the first 5 innings, Oswalt was pitching a no hitter, and he allowed 3 walks and a runner reached on an error. Michael Bourn broke up Oswalt’s no hit bid with a leadoff double in the 6th. After Martin Prado failed to bunt Bourn over, Chipper Jones singled to score Bourn. The next inning, Jason Heyward singled to lead off then 1 out later, Freedie Freeman singled to score Heyward.
- Previous Start: On Thursday against the Nats, Oswalt went 7 2/3 innings and allowed 6 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks and struck out 4. Rick Ankiel led off the 3rd inning with a double then 2 outs later, Ian Desmond doubled to bring in Ankiel. Roger Bernadina followed with a single to score Desmond. After allowing 1 hit in the next 4 innings, Oswalt retired the first 2 in the 8th inning. Desmond singled with 2 outs then scored on Bernadina’s double. After Oswalt walked Ryan Zimmerman, Mike Morse hit a 3 run home run.
- Lowe’s Career vs Phillies: In 22 games (18 starts– 119 1/3 innings), Lowe is 8-7, 3.39 with 65 strikeouts and 24 walks. The Phillies have a lifetime .257 batting average with 9 home runs off Lowe. Chase Utley is 15-36 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, and 3 RBI and Shane Victorino is 7-33 with a home run, 3 RBI and 4 strikeouts. Click here to see how the current Phillies do against Lowe.
- Last Start vs Phillies: On September 5, Lowe went 5 innings and allowed 7 runs (2 unearned) on 8 hits, 4 walks and struck out 4. In the 1st inning with 1 out, Placido Polanco and Chase Utley singled before Lowe walked Ryan Howard to load the bases. Hunter Pence delivered with a single to bring in 2 runs. John Mayberry led off the 4th inning with a walk then Carlos Ruiz reached on an Alex Gonzalez fielding error. After Michael Martinez bunted them over, Shane Victorino singled to bring in both runners. In the 5th inning, Utley tripled with 1 out then Lowe intentionally walked Howard. Pence doubled in Utley then Mayberry walked to load the bases. Ruiz singled in 2 runs.
- Previous Start: On Wednesday against the Marlins, Lowe went 6 1/3 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3. Mike Stanton led off the 2nd inning with a single then advanced to second on a groundout. Gaby Sanchez brought in Standon with a RBI double. Brett Hayes led off the 5th inning with a home run then allowed a double to Emilio Bonifacio 1 out later. Lowe punched out Omar Infante and got Greg Dobbs to fly out to end the inning. In the next inning, Stanton led off with a double then advanced to third on a balk. 1 out later, Lowe walked Sanchez then Bryan Petersen hit a sac fly to bring in Stanton. The Braves were shutout by their former teammate Javier Vazquez 4-0.
Wednesday 9/28 at 7:10 PM- Joe Blanton (R, 1-2, 5.03) vs Tim Hudson (R, 16-10, .3.23)
- Blanton’s Career vs Braves: In 10 games/9 starts (51 innings), Blanton is 1-4, 5.47 with 34 strikeouts and 17 walks. The Braves have a lifetime .284 batting average with 9 home runs off Blanton. Brian McCann is 8-20 with 2 home runs, and 6 RBI; Martin Prado is 7-19 with 3 home runs and 4 RBI; Dan Uggla is 3-21 with 7 strikeouts. Click here to see how the current Braves do against Blanton.
- Last Start vs Braves: On May 14, Blanton pitched 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, 1 walk and struck out 5. Both of the runs came on back to back home runs to begin the game to Martin Prado and Nate McLouth. After that, he allowed a hit in each of the next 3 innings before pitching a 1-2-3 5th. He retired the final 6 Braves he faced.
- Previous Start: On Saturday against the Mets (second game), Blanton went 2 innings and allowed no runs on 1 hit, no walks and struck out 3. The lone hit he allowed was a Willie Harris single with 2 outs in the 1st. He struck out the side in the 2nd inning. This was considered a “bullpen game” for the Phillies which was why Blanton only pitched 2 frames.
- Hudson’s Career vs Phillies: In 21 starts (139 1/3 innings), Hudson is 7-8, 3.75 with 11 strikeouts and 11 walks. The Phillies have a lifetime .245 batting average with 17 home runs off Hudson. The Phillies’ 17 home runs are the most against any team for Hudson. Ryan Howard is 15-49 with a double, 6 home runs, 13 RBI, 10 walks and 7 strikeouts and Jimmy Rollins is 12-61 with 3 doubles, 3 triples a home run, 4 RBI, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts. Click here to see how the current Phillies do against Hudson.
- Last Start vs Phillies: On September 6, Hudson went 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits, 4 walks and struck out 5. After Hudson retired the first 2 in the 1st, Chase Utley homered. Ryan Howard, Hunter Pence followed with singles, then Raul Ibanez brought in Howard with a RBI single. After Ibanez’s single, Hudson did not allow a hit to the next 15 batters. Howard led off the 6th with a walk then went to third on Pence’s double. Hudson threw a wild pitch to bring in Howard before Ibanez singled in Pence. 1 out later, Michael Martinez walked, but Hudson got pinch hitter John Mayberry to hit into an inning ending double play.
- Previous Start: On Friday against the Nats, Hudson went 5 2/3 innings and allowed 3 runs on 9 hits, no walks and struck out 4. Danny Espinosa doubled with 1 out in the 2nd then scored on Wilson Ramos’ single. Ian Desmond and Rick Ankiel led off the 3rd with singles, but Hudson got Ryan Zimmerman to hit into a double play. Michael Morse was hit with a pitch to put runners on the corners, but Jayson Werth flew out to end the inning. With 1 out in the 6th, Morse doubled then Werth singled to bring in Morse. Espinosa followed with a single then both runners advanced on pinch hitter Ivan Rodriguez’s groundout. Ramos singled in another run before Chris Marrero grounded out against Cristhian Martinez to end the inning. The Braves won 7-4.
