Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants MLB Betting Preview
The Phillies are 8-4 in Cole Hamels’ 12 home starts this season.
The San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies play the middle game of their 3-game series on ESPN Wednesday Night Baseball in what could be another NLCS preview.
Citizens Bank Park is the location and start time is 4:00 p.m. (PT). This will be a battle of lefties with Barry Zito versus Cole Hamels.
The Giants upset the Phils last year in the NLCS on the way to winning the World Series. The first meeting between the teams this year was Tuesday night (result pending). Giants’ ace Tim Lincecum was a rare +100 underdog against Vance Worley.
The Phillies (64-37) have all but wrapped up a playoff spot with the NL’s best record. They started this homestand with three wins over San Diego before losing (5-4) on Monday. They have MLB’s best home record (37-16) for +11.9 units, and haven’t lost a home series since early May.
Hamels (12-5, 2.62 ERA) had his worst start since early April right after the All-Star break, allowing seven earned runs over 4 1/3 innings at the Mets (11-2 loss). He rebounded last Friday at home versus San Diego, one run and three hits over eight innings in a 3-1 win.
The 27-year-old was named an All-Star and is tied with teammate Roy Halladay and Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens for the NL win lead. His OPS allowed (.565) is second in the league behind the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (.560).
Hamels has a 2.29 ERA at home, with Philadelphia going 8-4. He faced the Giants in Game 3 of the NLCS last year, surrendering three runs (two earned) over six innings and getting out-dueled by Matt Cain (3-0 road loss).
Hamels’ lifetime regular season record against San Fran is 4-2 with a 4.67 ERA in eight starts. The Giants are 17-6 in their last 23 road games against a left-handed starter.
San Francisco (59-43) is also in good shape for a playoff berth with a four-game lead over Arizona in the NL West. The Giants got a day off on Monday after starting 7-3 since the break.
Zito (3-2, 4.78 ERA) had three starts in April (6.23 ERA) before going on the DL with a foot injury. He returned in late June and surprised everyone by winning three straight games (1.29 ERA). Giants’ fans finally thought Zito may start earning his big paycheck.
The 33-year-old came crashing back to Earth on July 16 at San Diego. He surrendered eight earned runs over 3 2/3 innings in an 11-3 loss. The outing was so bad that he had his start skipped and will be working on 10 days rest.
Zito has only three lifetime starts in Philadelphia, having spent the first seven years of his career in the AL. He surrendered four earned runs over five innings in a 9-3 loss at Citizens Bank last year.
Philadelphia is 10-2 in its last 12 home games versus a left-handed starter.
The Giants are just 27-25 on the road this year (+1.9 units), compared to 32-18 at home (+8.9 units). However, they’re 5-2 in their last seven away.
The ‘over’ is 6-0 in San Francisco’s last six road games. The ‘over’ is 4-1 in Philly’s last five home games.
San Fran took two of three in Philly in the playoffs last year, but is 5-17 in the last 22 in the regular season there.
Philadelphia has Placido Polanco (back) on the disabled list. The Giants have Miguel Tejada (abdominal) and Pat Burrell (foot) on the DL, with Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez already out for the year.
Weather should be clear and warm in the 80s. The pitching matchup for Thursday’s finale is Cain against Kyle Kendrick.
The Phillies are 8-4 in Cole Hamels’ 12 home starts this season.
The San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies play the middle game of their 3-game series on ESPN Wednesday Night Baseball in what could be another NLCS preview.
Citizens Bank Park is the location and start time is 4:00 p.m. (PT). This will be a battle of lefties with Barry Zito versus Cole Hamels.
The Giants upset the Phils last year in the NLCS on the way to winning the World Series. The first meeting between the teams this year was Tuesday night (result pending). Giants’ ace Tim Lincecum was a rare +100 underdog against Vance Worley.
The Phillies (64-37) have all but wrapped up a playoff spot with the NL’s best record. They started this homestand with three wins over San Diego before losing (5-4) on Monday. They have MLB’s best home record (37-16) for +11.9 units, and haven’t lost a home series since early May.
Hamels (12-5, 2.62 ERA) had his worst start since early April right after the All-Star break, allowing seven earned runs over 4 1/3 innings at the Mets (11-2 loss). He rebounded last Friday at home versus San Diego, one run and three hits over eight innings in a 3-1 win.
The 27-year-old was named an All-Star and is tied with teammate Roy Halladay and Atlanta’s Jair Jurrjens for the NL win lead. His OPS allowed (.565) is second in the league behind the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (.560).
Hamels has a 2.29 ERA at home, with Philadelphia going 8-4. He faced the Giants in Game 3 of the NLCS last year, surrendering three runs (two earned) over six innings and getting out-dueled by Matt Cain (3-0 road loss).
Hamels’ lifetime regular season record against San Fran is 4-2 with a 4.67 ERA in eight starts. The Giants are 17-6 in their last 23 road games against a left-handed starter.
San Francisco (59-43) is also in good shape for a playoff berth with a four-game lead over Arizona in the NL West. The Giants got a day off on Monday after starting 7-3 since the break.
Zito (3-2, 4.78 ERA) had three starts in April (6.23 ERA) before going on the DL with a foot injury. He returned in late June and surprised everyone by winning three straight games (1.29 ERA). Giants’ fans finally thought Zito may start earning his big paycheck.
The 33-year-old came crashing back to Earth on July 16 at San Diego. He surrendered eight earned runs over 3 2/3 innings in an 11-3 loss. The outing was so bad that he had his start skipped and will be working on 10 days rest.
Zito has only three lifetime starts in Philadelphia, having spent the first seven years of his career in the AL. He surrendered four earned runs over five innings in a 9-3 loss at Citizens Bank last year.
Philadelphia is 10-2 in its last 12 home games versus a left-handed starter.
The Giants are just 27-25 on the road this year (+1.9 units), compared to 32-18 at home (+8.9 units). However, they’re 5-2 in their last seven away.
The ‘over’ is 6-0 in San Francisco’s last six road games. The ‘over’ is 4-1 in Philly’s last five home games.
San Fran took two of three in Philly in the playoffs last year, but is 5-17 in the last 22 in the regular season there.
Philadelphia has Placido Polanco (back) on the disabled list. The Giants have Miguel Tejada (abdominal) and Pat Burrell (foot) on the DL, with Buster Posey and Freddy Sanchez already out for the year.
Weather should be clear and warm in the 80s. The pitching matchup for Thursday’s finale is Cain against Kyle Kendrick.