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Weekend Series Preview: Phillies @ Braves, 8/14-8/16


The first place Phillies (64-48) visit the Braves (60-54) this weekend for a three game series. The Braves' 17-9 record is best in the National League since the All star break, but they are still in third place, five games behind the Phillies. Read on for pitching match ups and other key notes from this series.


Friday, 7:35pm. Joe Blanton (7-6, 4.02 ERA) vs. Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 3.01 ERA). In four starts since the all star break, Blanton is 1-2 in four starts with a 2.51 ERA in 28 2/3 innings. Blanton has a 2.46 ERA over his last 13 starts. Blanton has an 8.47 ERA in 3 starts against the Braves this season. Brian McCann vs. Joe Blanton is his career- 6-for-10, 2 homers, 6 RBI. Jurrjens is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in two starts against Philadelphia this year. Raul Ibanez, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz and Jayson Werth are a combined 10-for-75 (.133 avg) against Jurrjens, with 1 homer and 5 RBI, in their careers.

Saturday, 4:10pm. Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.77 ERA) vs. Kenshin Kawakami (5-9, 4.12 ERA). Cole's ERA over his last 14 starts is 4.75. In his career against the Braves, Colbert is 7-4 with a 4.01 ERA. Cole's ERA on the road this season in 10 games is 5.59. Brian McCann vs Hamels in his career- 10-for-27 (.370 avg) with 0 homers and 8 RBI. Kawakami is 2-4 with a 3.28 ERA at home this season.

Sunday, 8:05pm. "Jay" Happ (8-2, 2.75 ERA) vs. Javier Vazquez (10-7, 2.90 ERA). In Happ's career against the Braves, he is 1-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 4 games. Happ's road ERA this season is 1.84 in 13 games. Vazquez in his career against the Phillies is 11-7 with a 4.41 ERA. In 5 starts since the all star break, Vazquez is 4-0 with a 2.72 ERA. Vazquez in his career at Turner Field- 8-9 with a 3.13 ERA in 22 games.


Yunel Escobar is batting .346 with a .998 OPS in 23 games since the all star break. In 73 games before the all star break, Escobar's OPS was .789.

Ryan Howard, in his career vs. Atlanta, has a .330 avg. and a 1.078 OPS. In 75 games against the Braves, Howard has 24 homers and 73 RBI.

Chase Utley is batting .255 with a .782 OPS since the all star break. In 84 games before the all star break, Utley's OPS was 1.004.

Chad Durbin has a career record of 1-0 with a save and a 1.04 ERA in his career against the Braves, in 14 games.

Phillies team ERA- 4.33
Braves team ERA- 3.69

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