St. Louis @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( May 27, 2012 ) Philadelphia 3, St. Louis 8
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Kyle Lohse has pitched more like a Cy Young Award candidate than Friday's opponent, two-time Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies - and that's a big reason why the Cardinals are still in the thick of the National League playoff picture heading into a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The Cardinals kept pace with a 3-1 win over San Francisco on Thursday, salvaging a four-game split against the NL West leaders.
The Phillies are mired in last place in the NL East, and Halladay's uncharacteristic season has played a large role. He spent nearly two months on the disabled list after allowing four runs in two innings in a loss at St. Louis on May 27 and has just two wins in his last 12 starts. Lohse, who boasts the majors' best winning percentage, faced the Phillies on May 25 in St. Louis but didn't get a decision in a 5-3 loss, allowing two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Midwest, CSN Philly, MLB Network
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Kyle Lohse (12-2, 2.79 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Roy Halladay (5-6, 4.02)
Lohse has won six straight decisions dating back to a tough-luck loss against Kansas City on June 15, and the Cardinals have won his last four starts and seven of his last eight. He has 17 quality starts in 23 outings, including 11 of his last 12, and most recently tossed six scoreless innings to beat Milwaukee on Sunday. Lohse, who pitched for Philadelphia for part of the 2007 season, is 3-4 with a 3.38 ERA in 11 starts against the Phillies.
Halladay appears headed for his lowest win total since going 8-8 in 2004 for Toronto, but he returned to form Saturday against Arizona, tossing seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball. The win was his first since May 17 and his second straight quality start. Halladay is 2-2 with a 3.09 ERA in five starts against St. Louis, but he hasn't beaten the Cardinals since 2010.
WALK-OFFS
1. Phillies 1B Ryan Howard, who has homered in consecutive games and has five RBIs over the past two contests, is 9-for-18 with three homers and 11 RBIs against Lohse.
2. Cardinals OF Jon Jay, who went 10-for-15 in the four-game series against San Franchisco, is 1-for-12 with four strikeouts against Halladay.
3. Former Phillies C Mike Lieberthal will be inducted into the team's Wall of Fame before the game. A two-time All-Star with the Phillies and a Gold Glove winner in 1999, Lieberthal is the franchise's career leader in hits and homers by a catcher.