St. Louis @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 10, 2012 ) St. Louis 1, Philadelphia 3
The Philadelphia Phillies may have been stung by the St. Louis Cardinals in last season's National League Division Series, but they have exacted a bit of revenge in 2012. The Phillies will vie for their fifth win in six meetings with the visiting Cardinals when the clubs continue their three-game set on Saturday. Chase Utley snapped a tie with a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Roy Halladay scattered two hits over eight masterful frames in Philadelphia's 3-1 triumph on Friday.
Carlos Beltran provided St. Louis' lone offense with his 28th homer this season - and 11th in 60 career games at Citizens Bank Park. Beltran collected two of his team's four hits on Friday. The Cardinals have dropped three of their last four to fall six games behind NL Central-leading Cincinnati and 2 1/2 games in back of Atlanta and Pittsburgh in the wild-card race.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSMW (St. Louis), CSN (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Jake Westbrook (11-8, 3.76 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee (2-6, 3.78)
Westbrook posted his fourth straight victory after overcoming two solo homers in an 8-2 triumph over San Francisco on Monday. The 34-year-old has split a pair of career decisions versus Philadelphia, but his gaudy 5.68 ERA screams that he has had his fair share of trouble against the club. Westbrook was blitzed for six runs in 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision versus Philadelphia on May 24.
Lee has fared well versus St. Louis, winning three of four career regular-season decisions with a slim 1.93 ERA. The 33-year-old recorded a quality start and struck out seven in as many innings in a no-decision against the Cardinals on May 25. Lee also collected a no-decision in his last outing after tossing eight innings versus Arizona on Sunday.
WALK-OFFS
1. Phillies OF Domonic Brown, who had an RBI single in the second inning on Friday, is riding a seven-game hitting streak. Friday's hit is the only one he has in 13 career at-bats versus St. Louis pitching.
2. St. Louis called up prized INF Ryan Jackson prior to Friday's game. Ranked as the No. 17 prospect by MLB.com, Jackson batted .269 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs for Triple-A Memphis.
3. Philadelphia minor leaguer Gabriel Bermudez was suspended 50 games for a violation of Major League Baseball's drug policy. Bermudez was competing on the Phillies' Venezuelan Summer League team.