Game Preview: Atlanta Braves (13-16) at Philadelphia Phillies (15-12)
By Staff
GAME PREVIEW
Atlanta Braves (13-16) at Philadelphia Phillies (15-12)
Pitching matchup: Javier Vazquez (2-3, 4.19 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (1-2, 6.84 ERA)
Time: 3:40 p.m. EDT
Location: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
TV: Fox (National Game of the Week) Radio: WGST 640
Weather: Cloudy, 80 degrees
Twitter: Tomahawk Take
Well, so much for that two-game sweep of the Florida Marlins.
The Phillies (15-12) destroyed any momentum the Braves (13-16) had built during their modest two-game winning streak when the Philadelphia bats lit up the Atlanta arms for 10 runs in the first game of the three-game set last night.
If the Braves have any premonitions of staying afloat in the National League East, they’ll have to put up a tremendous fight this afternoon in game two.
Javier Vazquez (2-3, 4.19 ERA) makes the start for Atlanta, after losing his past two starts. In a somewhat bizzare current trend, Vazquez has been excellent for every inning except one in his last two outings. Against the New York Mets in his last start, he allowed just one hit through five innings then, subsequently, allowed a pair of two-run homers in a disastrous sixth inning.
In his outing before that versus the Cardinals, the right-hander gave up six hits (all singles) in a four-run fifth inning.
Joe Blanton (1-2, 6.84 ERA) will take the ball for the Phillies. The right-hander is coming off his best start of the season this past Monday in St. Louis, where he allowed just one run on four hits in six inning of work.
Before the solid performance against the Cardinals, Blanton had posted a horrendous 8.41 ERA in his first four outings this year.
Blanton was the Phillies starter in the haunting third game of the season — remember, the one the Braves lost 12-11 after blowing a seven-run lead. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings that afternoon before coughing up six runs on eight hits.
Garret Anderson (11-for-35, 3 RBIs) and Casey Kotchman (6-for-20, four extra-base) hits have had the best success against Blanton.