Philadelphia @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2011 ) Milwaukee 3, Philadelphia 4
THE STORY: Realistically speaking, the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers only need the pretty red bow to finish wrapping up their respective divisions. After all, the Phillies have won eight of 10 to secure a 10 1/2-game lead over the second-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East. Philadelphia's magic number has dropped to 12 with 23 games remaining. Not to be outdone, the Brewers have a magic number of 11 after building an 8 1/2-game advantage over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. On Thursday, the division leaders will begin a potential NLCS preview when they open a four-game set at Miller Park.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN, FSWI
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cole Hamels (13-7, 2.63 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Chris Narveson (10-6, 4.26 ERA)
After a hot start to the season, Hamels has cooled off considerably. The 2008 World Series MVP has just one win in over six weeks, although he's only yielded three or less runs in each outing. Hamels settled for a no-decision after permitting three runs on four hits in seven innings on Saturday in an 8-4 loss to the Florida Marlins. He has posted a 4-2 career mark against the Brewers, but has yet to face them this season.
Narveson is riding a four-game winning streak and suffered his last loss eight outings ago. The 29-year-old Colorado native yielded just two runs on four hits in five innings to defeat the Houston Astros on Saturday. Narveson has dropped his lone career decision to Philadelphia while amassing a gaudy 5.40 ERA in a pair of meetings.
ABOUT THE PHILLIES (91-48): Raul Ibanez had quite the night in Wednesday's 3-2 triumph over the Braves. The 39-year-old belted his 250th career homer in the second inning and scored the game-winning run on Ross Gload's pinch-hit single in the ninth. Ibanez has hit safely in five straight games and eight of his last nine. While Ibanez enjoyed his evening, it's safe to say that Chase Utley did not. The five-time All-Star second baseman exited Wednesday's game after being hit in the head by a pitch. Utley admitted feeling dizzy after he was hit by lefthander Eric O'Flaherty and was replaced in the field by Pete Orr. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. noted that Utley will miss at least the first two games of this series. Placido Polanco is hitting .296 since returning from the disabled list with a back injury.
ABOUT THE BREWERS (85-59): Milwaukee couldn't find its offense en route to dropping a 2-0 decision in the series finale against St. Louis. Nyjer Morgan lost his cool in the ninth after being hit by a pitch from Chris Carpenter. Morgan headed toward the mound before being restrained by Prince Fielder. Cooler heads prevailed, but Morgan earned an early shower. Corey Hart saw his 18-game hitting streak come to an end on Wednesday after an 0-for-4 effort. Hart has struggled in his career versus Hamels (5-for-21, seven strikeouts). Rickie Weeks, who has been sidelined with a severely sprained left ankle, ran the bases prior to Wednesday's game. The All-Star could be activated in the next couple of days.
FINAL PITCH: "I don't know what we can do about it until he runs and he feels like he's ready to play," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who has yet to test out his groin by running. "We get a medical report on him every day, and it says he's getting better." Rollins is eligible to return from the disabled list whenever he is ready.