San Diego at Philadelphia (04/29/2008)

PADRES vs. PHILLIES (-1.5 RL)
[LIST PITCHERS MADDUX & HAMELS]

The San Diego Padres would be a World Series contender if they had a lineup similar to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Padres are last in all of baseball with a .225 batting average and have just two more runs (84) than the Royals (82) for the fewest in the majors. They're 2-10 in their last 12 games and are batting just .174 during that stretch. They've scored 3 runs or less in nine of those games. In fact, the only Padres hitting above .280 on the season are pitchers J. Peavy (.308) and J. Germano (.400). Even though they'll be in hitter friendly Citizen's Bank Park, their task won't get any easier as they face C. Hamels tonight.

Hamels hasn't pitched poorly despite losing his last two starts. He has a 2.75 ERA this season with 30 strikeouts in 36 innings pitched. At home, his ERA is even better at 2.05. In 3 career starts against the Padres he is 0-1 with a 3.07 ERA, but they're batting just .173 against him. The Phillies are 15-6 in Hamels' last 21 home starts.

Even with G. Maddux sharing the mound tonight in search of his 350th career win, I like the way this Phillies lineup handles right handed pitchers. They're 4-1 in their last 5 overall and 9-3 in their last 12 home games against right handed starters.

The Phils are heating up, the Padres are trying not to sink. Philadelphia is 6-2 in their last 8 overall. San Diego is 1-6 in their last 7 overall and 1-4 in their last 5 road games.

The Phils have taken 16 of the last 23 meetings. They'll make it 17 of 24 tonight. Be confident and lay the run and a half.